Biography
Petar Dimov is a Postgraduate piano student and scholar at the RCM, made possible by the generous support of the St. Marylebone Foundation and the Henry Wood Accommodation trust. He graduated with Distinction and Honours from the RCM as a student of Norma Fisher in 2018, supported by the ABRSM. Petar Dimov was born on 28 December 1994 in Plovdiv (Bulgaria) in a family of folklore musicians. He began playing the piano at the age of 3. He started his musical education in his native city, where he studied with Svetlana Koseva until his graduation with distinction and an award for highest academic and artistic achievements in 2014.
In addition to his piano studies, Dimov has taken part in masterclasses with the following teachers: Michel Beroff, Marisa Blanes, Oleksandr Bondurianskyi, Stella Dimitrova-Maystorova, Eric Heidsieck, Atanas Kurtev, John Lill, Tatevik Mokatsian, Milena Molova, Bozhidar Noev, Anna Petrova, Boris Petrushansky, Artur Pizarro, Tamara Poddubnaya, Pierro Rattalino, Boris Romanov, Georgy Slavchev and Branch Žiravac.
As a performer, Petar Dimov has won numerous prizes at music competitions in recent years. In 2002 he won the prize ‘Young Virtuoso’ at the Music and Earth International Competition in Sofia (Bulgaria). Two years later he became 2nd prize winner at the ‘Hopes, Talents, Masters’ International Youth Music Festival-Competition in Dobrich and Albena (Bulgaria). He further received two 1st prizes in 2006 - at the Nicolai Rubinstein International Competition in April in Paris (France) and at the Carl Filtsch International Competition – Festival for Pianists and Composers in July in Sibiu (Romania). In 2007 he was awarded the Grand Prix at the International Competition of Young Pianists ‘Vuckovic’ in Belgrade (Serbia) and 1st prize at the Evangelina Tijarri International Piano Competition in Larnaca (Cyprus). One year later he won the 2nd prize at the International Competition for Japanese and Bulgarian Music in Sofia (Bulgaria), 1st prize at the International Music Competition ‘Citta Di Moncalieri’ in Turin (Italy) and 3rd prize at the International Competition of Piano Rotaract-Rotary in Palma de Mallorca (Spain). In 2009 Dimov won the special prize of the jury for the best performance of music from the 20th/21st century at the ‘Young Virtuosos’ Competition in Sofia (Bulgaria) and was awarded with the Grand Prize for his achievements in art in 2008 by the Dimitar Berbatov Foundation. In the following year Petar Dimov became 1st prize winner at the FLAME Competition in Paris (France) and 3rd prize winner at the Pera Piano Competition in Istanbul (Turkey). In 2011 he was awarded 2nd prize at the International Competition for Young Pianists in Craiova (Romania). Petar Dimov has also successfully performed in the ‘Marco Fortini’ Piano Competition in Bologna (Italy) and “The Muse” competition in Santorini (Greece). In 2012 he received two 1st prizes at the International Piano Competition ‘Schumann-Brahms’ in Plovdiv (Bulgaria) and at the International Competition for Young Musicians ‘Ohrid Pearls’ in Ohrid (Macedonia). During the same year, he was a soloist of the chamber ensemble of the Plovdiv Opera-Philharmonic Association. In April of 2013, Petar Dimov won the first prize at the “Scriabin” International Piano Competition in Paris (France).
In 2013 his accomplishments as a pianist, chamber musician and accompanist were acknowledged with two prizes – from the Union of the Bulgarian Composers and the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture.
Petar Dimov has been a soloist of the ‘Mixtet’ Chamber ensemble and the ‘Dobrin Petkov’ Youth Orchestra. He has also performed Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto as a soloist of the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Dian Tchobanov in 2014.
Dimov has performed across multiple venues in London, including Steinway hall, St. James’ Piccadilly, Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall, Austrian Cultural Forum and St. Mary Abbots. He has also given solo recitals in Athens, Crete, Edirne, Istanbul, Volos, Sofia and his native Plovdiv, which have all received very positive reception by critics and recognition by the respective National medias.
Petar has been supported by Rotary Club - Plovdiv (2006-2014), the Communitas Foundation (2007-2014) and the Dimitar Berbatov Foundation (2009). Petar is currently supported by the Talent Unlimited charity.
As a composer, Dimov has worked privately with Nikolay Stoykov, who is an important Bulgarian composer and student of Pancho Vladigerov and Dmitri Shostakovich. Petar has written a number of works for various instruments and ensembles including Nocturne, Passacaglia, Alpha and Omega (Sonata No. 1) and Butterfly dream (three miniatures) for solo piano, Forwards for violin and piano duo, 19 (Devouring time) for unaccompanied choir, Aphelion for string quartet, Laniakea for orchestra, Circle of Light (ten songs) for voice and piano and more. He premiered his piano sonata in July 2015 and received a very positive reception by professors from various UK conservatoires. His piano works are often performed by RCM pianists.
