Biography

Georgi ‘Jojo’ Dimitrov (Sofia, 2000) is a Bulgarian classical guitarist pursuing his MA in the class of Prof. Michael Lewin, Prof. Stephen Goss (chamber music), and Prof. Elizabeth Kenny (lute) at the Royal Academy of Music London (RAM), where he is awarded with the Bicentenary Scholarship. He acquired his Bachelor of Arts cum laude from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG), Austria in the guitar class of Prof. Paolo Pegoraro. He was also studying with Lukasz Kuropaczewski (guitar), Petrit Çeku (chamber music), and David Bergmüller (baroque guitar and lute) at KUG.

Georgi is the current holder of the Musicians’ Company’s prestigious New Elizabethan Award 2024-25 for solo performance, with a debut at the Wigmore Hall. As the winner of the 1^st European Bach Guitar Award 2022 in Darmstadt, Georgi toured Europe including the prestigious Bach Fest Leipzig. He is the first-ever classical guitarist to perform at the Bach Fest Leipzig, where his interpretations of Bach’s music were critically acclaimed and received a standing ovation. He has also recorded a selection of Bach’s music with NAXOS Records in Toronto. MusicWeb International praised the Album as “one of the best guitar recordings of music by J.S. Bach … representing excellent technical facility, refined musicianship, and deep understanding of the music.”

In 2021, he became the First Prizewinner of the 5^th International Giuitar Competition “Mauzirio Biasini” in Bologna. In the final round of the competition performed with orchestra in the esteemed Teatro Comunale di Bologna. He was also awarded the Special Prize for best interpretation of the compulsory piece by Alex Nante, Corren los soles.

His achievements include the Blyth Watson Award 2024, “GuitArt”, Plovdiv, becoming a Eurostrings Artist, “Anna Amalia”, Weimar, “Andres Segovia”, “Pleven Guitar Festival”, First Prize and the EMCY Special Prize of the “Young Virtuosos”, Sofia, among others.

Georgi was awarded the Diploma di Merito by the Accademia Musicale Chigiana under the tutelage of the world-renowned, legendary Maestro Oscar Ghiglia. His EP recording for dotGuitar, under the auspices of the Italian Guitar Campus, premieres the piece “Corren los Soles”, composed by the Argentine composer Alex Nante, along with pieces from Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Maurice Ohana.

As an active solo and chamber musician his repertoire encompasses music from Dowland and Bach to 20^th century and contemporary composers. Georgi premiered for the UK the quintet “Wynwood Walls” for guitar and string quartet by Stephen Goss at the composer’s 60th Anniversary Concert. As a chamber music enthusiast, he founded the first brass and classical guitar trio at the RAM alongside his fellow Bicentenary Scholar Jasmin Ghera and trombonist Miguel Zoco. His interest in composing and experimenting by blending musical genres effected in the guitar and percussion formation “ChASE” he formed together with his friend the percussionist Sara Chakarova. The result of this venture is their debut album “Kopfkino” with original compositions.

Georgi has performed in major venues in Europe such as the Auditorio Nacional de Música de Madrid, Rocca di Dozza, Bulgaria Hall, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Sobornaya Palata, Minoritensaal Graz, Konzerthaus Blaibach , and Stadtcasino Basel. He was a guest artist and teacher at the Segovia Guitar Week, Sofia Music Weeks International Festival, and Guitar Festivals in Nürtingen, Darmstadt, Castell’Arquato, Pleven, Petrer, Tampere, Plovdiv and Sarajevo.

Award: New Elizabethan Award 2024

Photo Credit: GEOPHO – Jorj Konstantinov Photography