Petrit Çeku (born 2 June 1985) is a Kosovar classical guitarist. Kosovan guitarist wins Allentown string competition "The Morning Call" March 6, 2011
Biography Born in Prizren, Kosovo, Çeku was inspired to play guitar by his father from the age of six.KosovoDiaspora.org He attended the Lorenc Antoni music school from age 9 to 17, where he took lessons in classical guitar from Luan Sapunxhiu.
In 2002, Çeku was invited by Xhevdet Sahatxhija to study in Zagreb, Croatia, at the Pavao Markovac school of music. In 2008, Çeku graduated from the Zagreb Academy of Music in the class of Darko Petrinjak. From 2009–13 he went on to study with Manuel Barrueco at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, USA.Peabody Institute, Barrueco Studio 2012-2013
Çeku has performed many recitals throughout Europe and the Americas and was a soloist with orchestras such as Baltimore Symphony, Czech Chamber Philharmonic, State Hermitage Orchestra of St. Petersburg and Zagreb Philharmonic. He also appears regularly with the famed Zagreb Soloists and is a founding member of Guitar Trio Elogio.Guitar Trio Elogio FacebookYoung Masters International Musicians' Summer Class 2015
He regularly performs at music festivals such as Next Generation Festival, Samobor Festival, Panama Guitar Festival,Facebook Panama Guitar Festival Moscow Guitar Virtuosi Facebook Guitar Virtuosos Moscow International Festival and Prishtina’s Remusica Festival.Facebook Remusica 2014 Petrit Çeku kitarë He also teaches regularly at the Polish Guitar AcademyPolish Guitar Academy A guitar night - Petrit Çeku and the Young Masters Samobor Festival. From time to time, the musician returns to his hometown with concerts and various musical performances.Young Masters International Young Musicians' Summer Class Petrit Çeku guitar
Petrit Çeku plays on a guitar made by Ross Gutmeier.Ross Gutmeier
Awards Prizes 2012 Parkening International Guitar Competition, Malibu, CaliforniaMinistry of Foreign Affairs Republika E KosovësYoutube Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez - Petrit Çeku 2011 Allentown Symphony Schadt String Competition, Allentown, PennsylvaniaKosovan Guitarist Wins Allentown String Competition "The Morning Call" March 6, 2011 2011 Maurizio Biasini International Guitar Competition, Bologna, ItalyCroatia.org Srdjan Bulat and Petrit Çeku take two tops spots at Maurizio Basini Oct 17, 2011 2007 Michele Pittaluga International Classical Guitar Competition, Alessandria, ItalyYoutube Petrit Çeku winner 2007 Pittaluga Alessandria Competition 2005 Ferdo Livadic Competition, Samobor, Croatia, Best Concert Performance 2004 Andres Segovia International Competition for Young Guitarists, Velbert GermanyGitarrevelbert.de Results 2004 2004 Emilio Pujol Competition, Sassari, Italy 2003 All Croatia Competition, Dubrovnik, CroatiaKosovoDiaspora.org 2003 Anna Amalia Guitar Competition, Weimar, GermanyKosovoDiaspora.org
Second Prizes 2012 JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition, Buffalo, New YorkJoannFalletta.com 2012 Winners 2006 Parkening International Guitar Competition, Malibu, California 2006 Printemps de la Guitare, Charleroi, BelgiumFloridaGuitarFoundation.orgNaxos.com Petrit Çeku
Other Awards 2012 JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition, Buffalo, New York, Audience Favorite and Musicians Favorite HonorsJoannFalletta.com 2012 Winners 2008 Zagreb Philharmonic, Best Young Musician of the Year, Zagreb, CroatiaFloridaGuitarFoundation.org 2005 Ivo Vuljevic Best Young Musician of the Year Award
Discography Çeku's first CD was released in 2008 at the Naxos label.Petrit Çeku, Naxos RecordsNaxos Guitar Collection Petrit ÇekuGuitar Recital, Petrit Çeku album His recordings of Bach's complete cello suites, arranged by Valter Dešpalj, were released in 2016 under the Spanish label EudoraEudoraRecords.com
References