I’m always on the lookout for new guitarists, that is, ones I haven’t heard of before. However, I should have known this one who won the Jack Marshall Prize and Gold Medal in the 2012 Parkening International Guitar Competition. Here he plays the Presto from Bach’s violin Sonata No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001. Super clear, energetic, and rhythmic playing. I believe he was or still is studying with Manuel Barrueco.
Sheet music via Amazon, Barrueco edition: 3 Sonatas for Guitar Solo from Sonata BWV 1001, 1003 and 1005
Here’s some more bio via the Parkening Competition site:
Petrit Ceku, 27, was born in Prizren, Kosovo, where he received instruction from Luan Sapunxhiu. In 2002 he moved to Zagreb, Croatia, where he continued his music education under Xhevdet Sahatxhija. Later he entered Darko Petrinjak’s class at the Music Academy in Zagreb and graduated from the program in 2008. His first CD was released that year under the Naxos label. He currently studies with world-famous guitarist Manuel Barrueco at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD. Ceku has won first prize in numerous international guitar competitions, such as the 2003 Anna Amalia Competition for Young Guitarists (Germany). The next year he won the Emilio Pujol Guitar Competition (Italy) and the Andrés Segovia Competition (Velbert, Germany). In 2007 he placed first in the Michele Pittaluga Guitar Competition (Italy). Last year he received first prize in the Schadt String Competition (Allentown, PA) and the Maurizio Biasini Guitar Competition (Italy). He has also appeared all over Europe and North America in solo recitals or accompanied by major symphonic orchestras.
