Biography

Georgi Dimitrov (artistic name “Jojo”) is an award‑winning classical guitarist, dedicated to the instrument for almost 15 years. Born in Bulgaria, his classical guitar journey began in 2011 at the age of 10 at the National School of Music in Sofia, where he refined his foundational skills. He completed his undergraduate degree with honours at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, Austria, in Paolo Pegoraro’s class. In 2025, he obtained his master’s degree with “Distinction” from the Royal Academy of Music under Professor Michael Lewin and was awarded the Exam Board Prize for the highest recital mark in the Guitar Department and at degree level. In addition, he received the Academy’s Bicentenary Scholarship, which helped him strengthen his musicianship and deepened his determination to contribute meaningfully to the UK’s classical music landscape. He is currently on the Professional Diploma course in Guitar Performance at RAM.

Worldwide concerts and recital performances have marked his career, as have multiple first prizes at major international competitions and critically acclaimed recordings. From the early stages of his career, he has won more than twenty international competitions. In 2021, he became the recipient of the first prize at the Maurizio Biasini International Guitar Competition in Bologna after the award had gone ungranted in the previous two editions. Thanks to this award, he was invited to deliver a recital at the prestigious Stadtcasino Basel in February 2023 as part of the Rising Stars Concert Series. The jury also awarded him the Special Prize for best performance of the compulsory piece written by Alex Nante (“Corren los soles”), whose premiere recording he released in his 2023 EP for the label dotGuitar. In 2022, he made his debut on the stage of the National Music Auditorium in Madrid, performing the famous Aranjuez Concerto by Joaquín Rodrigo.

He became the first winner of the European Bach Guitar Award Darmstadt in October 2022. Due to this award, he became the first guitarist and the first Bulgarian invited for a solo recital at the Bachfest Leipzig 2024 at the Old Stock Exchange—a milestone widely recognized by national and international press and media. In The Nürtinger Zeitung review of his concert in Kreuzkirche at the Nürtingen International Guitar Festival, he was acclaimed as “a Bach music specialist, a pleasure to listen to.” A key achievement in his career was the release of his debut solo album of Johann Sebastian Bach’s music for the label Naxos in 2024, recorded in collaboration with Norbert Kraft, a respected figure in the classical guitar world.

The year 2024 marks the start of his journey as an ambassador for the Musicians’ Company New Elizabethan Award. He became a laureate of the prestigious prize (solo guitar) with his performance of solo works for lute and guitar on two legendary instruments—the 2017 Sergio Abreu and the 2013 Matthias Dammann guitars, generously provided by RAM. This led to his debut at Wigmore Hall in February 2025, and more upcoming engagements in 2025/2026 at St Bartholomew‑the‑Great church, St Martin‑in‑the‑Fields, Saffron Hall, and the Octagon in Norwich. On 19 September, he looks forward to the memorial concert for the legendary guitarist Julian Bream, hosted by the Julian Bream Trust in Duke’s Hall at RAM.

His performances have garnered significant media attention. He was featured as the major highlight of 2024 in the broadcast on Bulgarian National Television Kultura.BG. His Bachfest performance was further celebrated in Bulgarian Artist Magazine, where the musicologist Zdravka Andreeva curated an article titled “Gently determined soul and flying fingers: Georgi Dimitrov‑Jojo, Guitar,” highlighting his performance and unique artistic approach. Additionally, his career has been featured on Bulgarian National Radio’s classical music broadcast Allegro Vivace, offering a platform for in‑depth discussions of his achievements. The coverage in Culture Magazine titled “In pursuit of perfection”, written by Irena Gadeleva, further reinforced his contributions to the classical music landscape.

In the UK, his music has also been featured on BBC Radio 3 programmes. In light of his recital at Wigmore Hall, he was a guest on In Tune, where he performed live.MusicWeb International praised the album as a “refined performance with deep understanding of music,” which further solidified his position within the UK’s classical music community. American Record Guide review about the recording: “Dimitrov‑Jojo’s playing is… understated and nuanced, with constant attention to dynamic contrasts and song‑like phrasing. A warm recorded guitar tone, thanks to engineer Norbert Kraft, complements his delivery. This is simply beautiful playing.”

His professional and artistic endeavors have provided a foundation of excellence and opened the path for his professional work in the UK. His upcoming recording with Linn Records, part of his Bicentenary Scholarship and created in collaboration with RAM Principal Professor Jonathan Freeman‑Attwood CBE, reflects his deep commitment to the UK’s cultural scene. The album’s repertoire consists of Fancies by John Dowland (1563–1626) and movements from the First Sonata on Shakespearian characters by Hans Werner Henze (1926–2012). It allows the mind of the listener to go into specific psychological states represented by the Shakespearian characters, and the works of John Dowland enhance the message of the music. He created a dialogue between two great composers who never met, and this recording will commemorate their centenaries in 2026. This kind of innovative programming is part of his mission as a New Elizabethan Award winner—to recognize bridges between the First and the Second Elizabethan Era, opening new interpretive dimensions for the classical guitar and contributing to the evolution of its repertoire.

His UK‑based activity has already made a tangible contribution to the national cultural landscape. He has collaborated with leading UK‑based musicians and institutions, including The Musicians’ Company and the Julian Bream Trust.

He appears regularly at international festivals, including the Leeds Lunchtime Chamber Music Festival, Petworth Proms, Balabanov’s House Music Days Festival in Bulgaria, Siletz Bay Music Festival in Oregon (USA), and Pleven Guitar Festival and Summer Academy in Bulgaria.

Georgi premiered for the UK the quintet “Wynwood Walls” by Stephen Goss at the composer’s 60th Birthday Celebration. It was attended by the legendary John C. Williams who admired the performance. As a chamber music enthusiast, Georgi founded the first RAM brass trio with classical guitar, trumpet, and trombone. His guitar and percussion formation with Sara Chakarova, the “Chase”, performs George’s compositions exploring the blending of genres and styles. Their debut album “Kopfkino” is releasing soon.

An audience favorite since he was a young student at the National Music School in Sofia, Georgi was accredited as a talented young musician by eminent organizations and cultural institutions in Bulgaria becoming a scholarship holder of the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria, as well as of several Art Foundations supporting young talents. He was the first young musician honored with the Olga Kamburova Award, supporting talented young artists, held by the Bulgarian National Radio broadcast Allegro Vivace. This achievement enabled him to make his first studio recordings at the BNR studio.