Petar Dimov is a Bulgarian pianist and composer based in London, praised as possessing “scintillating, imaginative and self-effacing pianism” (Jonathan Brown, International Piano magazine). He obtained a Master of Music degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Music in Brussels in 2023, having studied with Aleksandar Madžar. He was awarded a Master of Performance degree with distinction at the Royal College of Music – London in 2020, made possible by the St. Marylebone foundation and the Henry Wood Accommodation Trust. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree with Honours from the same institution as a scholar of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in 2018. He was a student of Norma Fisher and Vanessa Latarche in that six year period. 

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, Louis Lortie, Tatevik Mokatsian, Milena Mollova, 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 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 Virtuosi’ 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 performed at 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 2020 he won third prize and a performance of Brahms – Piano Concerto No. 2, op. 83 with the Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra in at the ‘Coulsdon and Purley’ concerto competition.

He was awarded full scholarship for the “Liszt in Italy” course lead by Louis Lortie in Positano, Italy by the Wilhelm Kempff foundation in July 2022.

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 England including Steinway hall, St. James’ Piccadilly, Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall, Austrian Cultural Forum, Waltham Abbey, Pallant House Gallery and St. Mary Abbots amongst others. His most recent appearances have been at Salle Cortot and Theatre du Châtelet, Paris. In addition, he has given solo recitals in Athens, Crete, Edirne, Istanbul, Volos, Sofia and his native Plovdiv, which have all received 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). 

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 for solo piano, Forwards for violin and piano duo, 19 (Devouring time) for unaccompanied choir, Aphelion for string quartet, Circle of Light for soprano and piano, VEA for wind quintet amongst others. His orchestral composition Laniakea was recorded remotely by 32 musicians during lockdown and received its premiere in March 2022.

He founded studio Q in 2023 – an innovative recording and teaching space in London, which you can learn more about by clicking here.