Bledar Zajmi

Biography

Bledar Zajmi was born in Tirana, Albania in 1973. He took his first cello lessons at the age of six and already showed an amazing amount of talent. At his 12 years of age, he won the 2nd prize in the Cello national competition and started to perform at concerts in Albania and abroad. After graduating the music high school in Tirana with Gjovalin Lazri he studied at the Academy of Music in Prague (1992–1997 with Rudolf Lojda) and graduates with honors. In 1997, he participated in the master class of Josef Chuchro in Semmering, Austria. Already during his university studies, he began to concentrate on his solo career and chamber music. He performed solo concerts in Japan, Italy, Germany and Czech Republic. In 1999, he won the 2nd prize and the jury’s Special Prize for the best interpretation of the contest piece played in the International chamber music competition “Palma d’Oro” (Duo cello and piano) in Finale Ligure, Italy. In 2004, he won silver and 3rd prizes in the International chamber music competition “Rovere d’Oro” (Duo cello and piano) in San Bartolomeo al Mare, Italy. His rich discography includes CDs with various chamber music ensembles. He regularly records for Czech Radio and Czech Television and continues to perform concerts in many countries in Europe, Japan, China and Brazil. Since 2000, he has been the concertmaster and cello soloist of Prague National Theatre Orchestra. He plays a cello by the Czech violin-maker Jan Slípka “Clarus” (1996).