Genova-Dimitrov

Genova and Dimitrov is one of the most internationally sought-after piano duos today. Already as a two-months-young ensemble, the Bulgarian-Greek descended pianists caused a sensation by winning the Grand Slam of piano duo competitions within only two years, namely the ARD (Munich), Dranoff (Miami), Tokyo (Japan) and Bellini (Sicily) competitions, a feat that has not been matched to this day.
«Originally, we both wanted to become soloists» says the dynamic duo. «Then, shortly before leaving for a solo competition in Korea, we sat down at two pianos in one room, as there were no other rehearsal rooms available at the Hanover University of Music. We spontaneously decided to warm-up by playing Chopin Etude 25/11 in sync. It was as if we had been given wings.»
Since then, Aglika Genova and Liuben Dimitrov have been celebrated by audiences and the press, performing on the most important concert and festival stages in numerous countries on all continents, such as the Library of Congress and the National Gallery in Washington, the Schleswig-Holstein, Rheingau, Ludwigsburg and Schwetzingen Festivals, the City Hall in Cape Town, the Herkulessaal Munich, the Liederhalle Stuttgart, the Gstaad Music Festival, MDR Music Summer, at the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Beethovenhalle Bonn, the Cologne Philharmonic Hall, the Passau European Music Weeks, the Varna Summer Festival, and the Sofia Music Weeks, La Roque d’Antheron and the Al Bustan Music Festival Beirut, Casals Hall Tokyo, Poly Theatre Beijing, and the Teatro Municipal Rio de Janeiro, as well as at the Ravello Festival, the Woodstock Mozart Festival, and the Chopin Piano Festival, just to mention a few.
At the invitation of the National Olympic Committees, the duo appeared at the opening concerts for the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, and at the 2010 Volleyball World Championships in Trieste. Their concerts could be enjoyed at the 2000 EXPO in Hanover, at the opening concert of the 2010 Paderewski Piano Competition in Poland, and in 2013 at the musical inauguration of Bacardi’s America Headquarters in Miami. In the same year Genova & Dimitrov appeared at the WDR Cologne Radio Day “1913-2013” and were celebrated on board of the new luxury cruise liner “MS Europe 2” on the way to Dubai within the framework of its opening season. 2014 they were Artists in Residence and Mentors of the International Festival Sommets Musicaux in Gstaad. In addition, they have appeared in numerous international TV and radio broadcasts.
Under the direction of conductors such as Eiji Oue, Ari Rasilainen, Hannu Lintu, Stefan Blunier, John Carewe, Emil Tabakov, Ulf Schirmer, Yordan Kamdzhalov, Robin Gritton, Martin Panteleev, Gabriel Feltz and Alexander Rudin, Genova & Dimitrov have played worldwide with leading orchestras and choirs, for example in Munich, Los Angeles, Orange County, Miami, Hamburg, Johannesburg, Durban, Hanover, Bonn, Beijing, Stuttgart, Cape Town, Sofia, Kiev, and Bucharest.
Among this season’s highlights are the worldwide release of the new recital CD (Franz Liszt, Works for Two Pianos, SWR/cpo), as well as the recording of two further orchestra CD projects for BNR/cpo. Beside numerous appearances in Germany, also concert tours in the USA, the Caribbeans, in China and in Belgium are scheduled. Guest appearances at the International Festival Miami, at the 70th Anniversary Edition of the International Chopin Piano Festival in Duszniki, at the International Concerts de Singel in Antwerpen (Recital and Master Class), with the BNR Radio Symphony Orchestra Sofia conducted by Yordan Kamdzhalov in occasion of the 80th Anniversary of the Bulgarian National Radio belong to the season’s planning.
Aglika Genova and Liuben Dimitrov can look back at an impressive discography – 11 CDs of the duo have been released by CPO and Gega New, and given glowing reviews and top ratings by international record magazines and radio stations. In addition to a number of world premiere recordings, such as the piano duo works of Dmitri Shostakovitch, Johann Christian Bach, Muzio Clementi, and Pantcho Vladigerov, recordings such as «America for Two» (Gershwin, Copland, Bernstein) and «Favourite Flavors» (Ravel) are greatly appreciated worldwide. A particular emphasis in their discography are their recordings with orchestra «Martinu and Schnittke – Concertos for 2 pianos» (NDR Radio Philharmonic/Eiji Oue), «French Concertos – Milhaud, Poulenc, Casadesus» (SWR Radio Orchestra/Alun Francis) and «Mendelssohn – Concertos 1 & 2» (Munich Radio Orchestra/Ulf Schirmer). The CD «Arensky – Five Suites for Two Pianos», which the Artists dedicated to the memory of their deceased teacher Vladimir Krainev, was designated by the media worldwide even as «trend-setting».
In 2005, Genova and Dimitrov served as the youngest jurors at the ARD Competition in Munich and in 2008 at the International Piano Competition in Almaty. In 2010, the two pianists were appointed Artistic Directors of the Dranoff International Two Piano Competition in Miami. And a short time later, they founded the «Young Music Elite» concert series in Auetal.
The artists give master classes worldwide, as e.g. the annual Piano Duo Academy in Cloister Michaelstein (Blankenburg/Harz, Germany) in January. Since 2009, they have been appointed Heads of Specialized Piano Duo Studies at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media. In 2011 they established the piano duo forum of the world’s leading piano training center under the heading «Twin Pack Piano».
The similarities between them reach far into their past: Aglika Genova and Liuben Dimitrov both began piano lessons at the age of five, and as 9-year-olds, both had their first public appearances as soloists with orchestra. During their soloist training at special music high schools for highly talented youngsters, and then at the Sofia Conservatory with Julia and Konstantin Ganev each won multiple prizes at international competitions. Following the personal invitation from their mentor, the legendary pianist Vladimir Krainev, they finished their post-graduate studies in his class at the Hanover University of Music.
Today Genova and Dimitrov live in Hanover, Miami, and Sofia.