Artists

Guitar Styria Festival 2026

Zoran Dukić (HR)

Concert, Masterclasses

Zoran Dukic (1969, Zagreb) was presented with a guitar at the early age of six. Today he is one of the most distinguished classical guitarists of our time. His concert performances, both as a soloist or with an orchestra, leave long-lasting impressions on audiences and critics alike. He graduated from the Music Academy of Zagreb with Darko Petrinjak and completed his studies with Hubert Käppel at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne.

In his “tour de force” competition years (1990-1997) Zoran Dukic has won an astonishing number of competitions, being the only guitarist to have won both “Andrés Segovia” competitions, in Granada and in Palma de Mallorca. Showing astounding mastery in a wide variety of musical periods and styles he has also won competitions dedicated to “Fernando Sor”, “Manuel Ponce”, “Manuel de Falla”, “Francisco Tárrega” among others.

Being exceptionally enthusiastic and dedicated to teaching, his pedagogical activities are equally impressive. He has educated generations of young classical guitarists and has one of the most successful classes in Europe. In addition to this, he regularly gives masterclasses all over the world and is often an invited guest to numerous guitar festivals. He has recorded compact discs for labels in Germany, Spain, Belgium, Brazil and Canada.

Tatiana Stachak (PL)

Jury member, Workshop, Masterclasses

Guitarist, composer educator, since 2021 lecturer at the Academy of Music in Kraków. Already during her studies at the Academy of Music in Wrocław, she turned her interest towards the education of children. Her experience in working with children has led to the publication of numerous educational scores. She is the author of best-selling textbooks: First Class Guitar and Extra Class Guitar - known not only in Poland, but also abroad (6 language versions are already available) and a textbook for the 5-6 year olds The Guitarist's ABC.

She has also published collections of miniatures: Invitation to the Waltz, Characteristic Etudes (2 volumes), I Play What I Know, Album with Variations, in addition, two collections of carols: In the Day of Christmas and The Christmas Eve Star with the Guitar, and a series of arrangements of works by various composers: the Cantabile collection and a series of duets Pupil and Teacher.

Tatiana Stachak (PL)

Jury member, Workshop, Masterclasses

Together with Mirosław Drożdżowski, she composed a cycle of miniatures entitled Solo & Duo. Tatiana Stachak's compositions appear in the programs of guitar competitions (often the pieces are commissioned by organizers), are published under license by publishers from China, Germany, the Czech Republic, Serbia, the UK, several pieces were included in the examination sets of ABRSM and Trinity College.

She is currently actively engaged in educational activities; giving lectures and workshops in music schools and at festivals in several European countries, as well as in China and Japan. The World of Guitar magazine (Poland) has published dozens of her articles on teaching beginners and children and various extra-musical inspirations in guitar literature;

since 2022, she has regularly published texts in the Six Strings of the World magazine (Poland) in the series Tatiana Stachak's Methodological Guide, in which she discusses in detail the process of musical education of guitarists and shares her pedagogical experience.

Stachak is the co-author of the series of textbooks for theory of music, ear training and solfeggio: Our music, Our musical primer and New solfeggio. Together with Lidia Florek-Stokłosa (from the Department of Music and Education Research at the Academy of Music in Kraków), she developed the method of ear training From Scale Degree to Chord, which she used in the series of new textbooks Music Workshop and Our Music Afresh. Tatiana Stachak runs her YT channel, popularizing her work and guitar teaching methodology and cooperates with the Publishing House Euterpe on a permanent basis. To find out more about the artist visit the website: tatianastachak.pl or follow her youtube channel.

Jury member, Workshop, Masterclasses

Arnoldo Moreno comes from Mariara/Venezuela. He studied in his home country with Ludwig Kamratowski (Escuela de Música de Rubio/Táchira), Armando Y. Caicedo (Puerto Ordáz) and Antonio Lauro (Caracas). A scholarship from the Rotary Club Int. Puerto Ordáz/Venezuela enabled further musical studies with Leo Witozynskyj at the University of Music in Graz. He has attended numerous master classes with R. Zimmer, M. L. Sao Marcos, T. Walker, D. Russell and H. Smith, among others.

Moreno has taken part in numerous TV and radio productions and produced the CD “Latin Classics” and “Latin Roots” together with the singer Patricia Moreno. In addition to his concert activities in the USA, South America, Europe and Asia, he has won various international prizes, such as 1st prize as a solo performer at the Friendship Festival 2004 in Pyonyang/North Korea.

He was the founder of the “Popular Guitar Festival” in Aflenz (A) ...

Masterclasses

“Andrea De Vitis is one of those interprets who conquer the audience thanks to the high-definition sharpness of his way of playing, to the extraordinary control of the dynamic and the agogic and to the clarity with which he asserts his thought, whilst also translating the thought of the Author” (Il Fronimo).

De Vitis is in high demand to teach masterclasses in prestigious festivals, academies and conservatoires (Maastricht Conservatorium, California State University, Copenhagen Royal Academy, Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart, TU University Dublin, Conservatoire de Lyon, Koblenz Guitar Festival, Festival de guitarra de Petrer).

His intense concert activity has led to invitations to perform as a soloist in prestigious concert halls (including Liszt Academy in Budapest, Grand Theatre in Shanghai, Krakow Academy of Music, The Sheen Theatre in New York) and all the rest of the world (Europe, USA, Mexico, China, Japan, Russia).

Andrea de Vitis (IT)

Masterclasses

“His choices neither overwhelm the musical intention nor are they cliched; instead, they both enhance and clarify the music, defining structure and adding charisma” (American Record Guide).

Andrea De Vitis is acclaimed for “the infinitely varied color palette he creates” (American Record Guide), the “absolute control over the details of the performance” (Silesia prezentuje) and for his “mature interpretations” (Musica) with “profound musicality” (Guitart).

He studied with Oscar Ghiglia, Paolo Pegoraro, Arturo Tallini, Frédéric Zigante, Pavel Steidl, Leonardo De Angelis, Carlo Marchione, Adriano Del Sal.

Andrea De Vitis is Professor at Universitat Mozarteum in Salzburg.

De Vitis is an active recording artist and all his albums received excellent reviews in international magazines (including Soundboard, Amadeus, Gendai Guitar, Suonare News, Fronimo, Melomano). Andrea won the Golden guitar award prize “for the best album” in 2016 and 2019 at the prestigious International Guitar Convention of Milan and Alessandria.

In 2019 Naxos Records released his double CD “Alexandre Tansman complete works for guitar”, which includes the world premiere of newly discovered pieces and urtext versions of the other published compositions. Andrea De Vitis was the first to perform “3 dances in modo polonico” by Alexandre Tansman and to compare all his published works with the original manuscripts. “De Vitis carefully reinstates the composer’s original, even the movements considered by Segovia unsuitable for guitar. The result is sublime. His respect for the text of the music continues in his interpretation” (American Record Guide), “touching interpretations” (Amadeus, Italy), “a landmark recording” (SeiCorde, Italy), “refined expressivity” (Melomano, Spain), “important achievement for classical guitar world” (Gendai Guitar, Japan).

In 2023 Naxos released his new project about Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco Greeting cards for guitar.

De Vitis has won more than 40 prizes in various international competitions, including Guitar Masters (Poland), Forum Gitarre Wien (Austria), Iserlohn International Guitar Competition (Germany), Certamen“Julian Arcas” de Almerìa (Spain), Budapest International Guitar Competition (Hungary), Gargnano, Gorizia, Pittaluga (Italy) and Guitar Foundation of America (USA); he also received 3 “golden guitar awards” at the International Guitar Convenction in Milan and Alessandria and a special artistic medal from Senate of Italian Republic.

A supporter of new repertoire for the guitar, De Vitis performed the world premiere of numerous pieces dedicated to him by renowned composers such as Inés Badalo, Fernando Maglia, Giorgio Colombo Taccani, Marco De Biasi, Marco Ramelli, Angelo Gilardino, Giacomo Susani.

His transcriptions (Bach, Granados) and editions (Tansman, Gilardino) are published by Productions d’Oz, Hal Leonard, Durand.

Andrea De Vitis is D'addario artist since 2014 and plays guitars by Walter Verreydt and Hermann Hauser.

Workshop

Patricia Moreno is an Austrian-born singer with roots in Venezuela. She is active in the fields of Latin, jazz and popular music and has been teaching singing as a senior lecturer at the Mozarteum University Salzburg.

Patricia Moreno studied jazz singing at the Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität MUK with Ines Reiger, at Berklee College of Music in Boston with Bob Stoloff, Joey Blake and Duane Moody, among others and completed her master’s degree in vocal pedagogy in the field of popular music at the University of Music and Performing Arts with Elfi Aichinger and Philipp Sageder.

Patricia Moreno has established herself as a singer for jazz, popular music and music from Venezuela and other Latin American countries in collaboration with internationally recognized musicians such as Bobby McFerrin, Joey Blake, Alegre Correa, Wolfgang Puschnig, Markus Schirmer, Chipi Chacón and Latin Grammy winner Miguel Siso.

Masterclasses

"Paolo plays the notes as a series of pearls, clear one after another and now is the extraordinary thing: he has pearls of all sizes and all shades of color, he puts together in a way that will produce a effect of strong compactness and harmony. Paolo follows his musical ideas without compromise: accelerating, and evaporates the sentence where it is necessary for reasons of musical logic and not because of technical problems. This is an extraordinary thing in the guitar world. Paolo Pegoraro is, I can only repeat once more, the discovery of the year!"
Peter Päffgen - Gitarre und Laute

Paolo Pegoraro is considered today one of the most renowned teachers and interpreters of his instrument. Elected in 2003 “Best guitarist of the year” by the readers of the magazine Guitart, both the critics as recognized figures of the music world appreciate in Paolo Pegoraro an uncommon depth and artistic sensibility. Winner of prestigious competitions, he performs regularly in the most important musical centers and festivals throughout Europe, USA, South America, Africa and Asia. In 2008 the great Cuban guitarist and composer Leo Brouwer has declared: “I’m very happy to know that in the guitar world there is a man and a musician as Paolo Pegoraro!”.

Paolo Pegoraro (IT)

Masterclasses

Paolo loves to teach so much that he founded the Segovia Guitar Academy, now an established and internationally recognised seat of learning for guitarists, with students from various countries around the world. In 2010 Paolo was elected guitar chair at the “Universitat für Musik und darstellende Kunst” in Graz (Austria).

Over the years the students at these institutes have won over 300 awards at major international competitions, including those of Alessandria (Pittaluga), Benicassim (Tárrega), Almeria (Arcas), La Herradura (Segovia), Tokyo, Munich (ARD), Wroklaw (Guitarmaster), Malibù (Parkening), Rome (Sor), Gargnano and Baltimore. For all these extraordinary results achieved by many different students, in 2019 Paolo Pegoraro received the “Chitarra d’oro per la didattica” at the Milan International Guitar Convention.

In addition, he serves as guest faculty at the “Universidad Pedro de Olavide” in Sevilla, Spain. Since 2017 he is Honorary Artist in Residence at the Yehudi Menuhin School in London like Daniel Baremboim, Andras Schiff, Itzhak Perlman, Julian Bream and John Williams among others.

He is often invited to be part of juries for musical and guitar competitions and gives regular masterclasses all around the world.

He has several recordings and the CD “Solo” has received enthusiastic reviews; in particular, the German magazine “Gitarre & Laute” declared “... the discovery of the year”. For his last CD, he was awarded with “La chitarra d’oro” at the Alessandria International Guitar Convention, as the best CD of the year (2010).

Born in Bassano del Grappa August 9, 1968, he began to study music at a very early age, quickly demonstrating a distinct talent and receiving from his family an environment rich in musical stimuli. He graduated with highest honors from the Conservatory “Benedetto Marcello” in Venice in the class of Tommaso de Nardis. He consecutively frequented masterclasses of Manuel Barrueco and David Russell, as well as receiving the"Diploma di Merito" at the Chigiana Academy of Siena in Oscar Ghiglia's Class.

In 2010 he became part of the “D’Addario family”.

www.paolopegoraro.com

Masterclasses

Austrian guitarist and composer Florian Palier discovered his love of music at an early age. His first and long-standing teacher was his father, Johann Palier. In June 2015, he graduated with honours from Alvaro Pierri's class at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. As a composer, performer and improviser, Florian Palier attaches particular importance to the union of different musical worlds. His greatest influences are Olivier Messiaen, Toru Takemitsu and Allan Holdsworth.

As a soloist and chamber musician, he is regularly invited to perform in concerts around the world. His repertoire ranges from Renaissance compositions to contemporary music. In the field of new music, he has performed with ensembles such as Klangforum Wien and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. Pieces are regularly dedicated to him, which he premieres.

Jury member, Masterclasses

Christina Schorn-Mancinelli studied concert performance at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg in the class of Eliot Fisk and Joaquín Clerch, graduating with distinction in both her first and second degrees. She also received a scholarship from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London) to further her studies with Robert Brightmore. The guitarist has won numerous national and international competitions.

Christina Schorn-Mancinelli has performed throughout Europe, the USA and South America, with a focus on contemporary chamber music. The guitarist regularly performs numerous world premieres. These include works by composers such as Sofia Gubaidulina, Luca Lombardi, Balz Trümpy, Stefan Hakenberg, Stefano Taglietti, Vito Palumbo, Jack Fortner, Marcello Filotei, Gerhard Stäbler, Sabine E. Panzer, Gianluca Podio, Daniel Akiva, Virginia Guastella, Brad Hufft, Agustín Castilla-Ávila, Gabriele Proy, Helmut Jasbar and many more.

Christina Schorn-Mancinelli (AT)

Jury member, Masterclasses

Christina Schorn-Mancinelli is a founding member of the renowned El Cimarrón Ensemble, which has collaborated with Hans Werner Henze on numerous occasions. The guitarist also frequently performs with her husband, percussionist Ivan Mancinelli. The duo specialises in interpreting contemporary literature for guitar and percussion. In July 2016, the two musicians were accompanied by the Roma Sinfonietta orchestra in Morricone's Terzo Concerto for marimba, guitar and strings at the award ceremony for the Premio internazionale Ennio Morricone per la pace. Together with her colleague Yvonne Zehner (Salty Guitars), she always attracts attention with unusual transcriptions and interpretations.

Various performances at the Aspekte Salzburg Festival, the Audi Festival ‘Sommer im Altmühltal’ in Ingolstadt, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Haus der Musik Innsbruck, Milton Court Hall (Barbican London), the Tübingen Chamber Opera, NDR Hamburg, the Nuremberg Chamber Music Festival, the Theater Konstanz, the Teatr Scena STU in Krakow, the Teatro Rossetti in Vasto, the Long Night of Composers at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Forum Wallis, the IGNM Basel, London's Bolivar Hall, the Teatro Civico in Sassari, California State University in Fresno, the Guitar Festival in Monopoli (Italy), as well as the Guitar Vienna Festival, at Saitensprünge-Gitarissimo in Bad Aibling, at the Passauer Saiten Festival, at the Guitar Festival in L'Aquila, at the Classical Guitar Retreat in St. Andrews (Scotland), as part of Ruhr. 2010, as part of the Nuova Consonanza Festival in Rome, the Arena Festival in Riga and the Gaida Festival in Vilnius (Lithuania), at the Acht Brücken Festival in Cologne, at the Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte in Montepulciano, at the Auditorium Tor Vergata in Rome, at the Semperoper Dresden, etc...

She teaches at the Conservatorio di Monopoli and the Salzburger Musikum, as well as in various courses, including the Austrian Arts Sessions in Ossiach.

Since 2007, she has been directing the International Halleiner Guitar Festival together with her colleague Yvonne Zehner.

Recordings have been released by Stradivarius, Sony DADC, Wergo, VDM and Bongiovanni.

Masterclasses

Campbell is an award-winning classical guitarist from Canberra, Australia, and currently resides in Linz, Austria, where he serves as a senior lecturer at the Anton Bruckner Private University of Music.

Campbell completed his bachelor's degree (First Class Honors) with Hubert Käppel at the Cologne Hochschule für Musik und Tanz and continued his studies with Judicaël Perroy at the Haute Ecole de Musique Genève and at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana Lugano with Lorenzo Micheli.

He has won over 30 prizes at international competitions, including first prize, the Bach Prize, and the Brouwer Prize at the 25th International Guitar Competition in Koblenz in 2017, as well as first prize at the 24th Forum Gitarre Wien in 2019.

Jury member, Workshop, Masterclasses

Anja Pirjevec began her musical education at the Nova Gorica Music School with B. Gorkič, continued at the Ljubljana Secondary School of Music and Ballet with I. Saje and completed her studies at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana under T. Rajterič, with whom she completed her diploma and postgraduate studies. During this time she gave numerous performances in Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Serbia and Greece, which were crowned with the Ljubljana Academy of Music’s Prešeren Student Prize for Concert Activity.

In more than twenty years of teaching, she has trained many young guitarists and inspired them to make music. Anja leads music workshops and encourages, introduces and connects younger children to chamber music, for which she has written numerous arrangements. The fact that teaching guitar is her greatest passion is proven by the many top prizes and awards that her students have won at numerous national and international competitions. For her indispensable teaching work she is the recipient of the Dr. Roman Klasinc Diploma of the Conservatory for Music and Ballet Maribor.

Nejc Kuhar (SI)

Masterclasses

Nejc Kuhar finished his Masters degree in guitar at Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts with prof. Alvaro Pierri and his Masters degree in composition with Dr. Reiner Bishof and prof. Christian Minkowitsch at Konservatorium Wien, Privatuniversität, both with honours. In 2023 he finished with Music Research PhD at Surrey university with prof. Steve Goss.

As a guitarist as well as a composer, he won numerous prizes (1st prizes in Germany, China, Italy, Turkey, USA, etc.), he was also scholarship holder of Slovenian Culture Ministry and of Gallus Foundation. His music has been performed by himself and/or other musicians in various venues, including Musikverein and Konzerthaus in Vienna, Washington National Gallery of Art, Rachmaninov Hall of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Slovene Philharmonic Hall, etc. His commissions include those by the Washington National Gallery of Art, Frankfurt Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst, LiGITa, Hong Kong and Sarajevo Guitar Festivals, Signum Saxophone Quartet, guitarist Mak Grgić, organist Stephen Ackert, Four Aces Guitar Quartet and others.

Nejc Kuhar (SI)

Masterclasses

Kuhar’s works have also been published by the renowned publishing houses, such as Les Production d'Oz/Doberman-yppan (Canada), Trekel (Germany) and Berben (Italy), some of which are recorded on his debut CD from ZKP Label, entitled "String modulations", featuring guitar virtuoso Mak Grgić. Nejc is regularly performing solo concerts, in duo Eminent Duo with violinist Moeko Sugiura, teaching master classes, giving lectures, as well as being member of juries on various international guitar festivals (LiGiTa in Liechtenstein, Forum Wien, Taiwan Guitar Festival, Sarajevo, Seckau, Postojna Guitar Festival in Slovenia). His concerts have a special charm and uniqueness due to his interpretations of his own compositions.

In 2019 he was appointed Associate Professor for guitar and contemporary music at University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna and in 2018 Guitar Professor at Joseph Haydn Private University in Eisenstadt. Besides his activities as guitarist, composer and teacher, he is also an active lecturer, giving lectures about composing for guitar on various European and USA Universities, such as The Juilliard School, Curtis Institute of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Vienna and Frankfurt Universities, etc…

“Kuhar’s pieces were eclectic and fun...” (Washington Post)

“… Nejc Kuhar’s compositions have a strong personality and he plays them excellent. Bravo.” (Roland Dyens, guitarist/composer)

The international prizes, glowing reviews (Washington Post, Classical Guitar Magazine, Los Angeles Daily News etc.) and the very response of the audience at home and abroad all point to an artist in the round, successfully negotiating the joined path of composition and interpretation.

http://www.nejckuhar.com/

http://www.eminentduo.com/

Concert, Masterclasses

Leon Ravnikar, a gifted classical guitarist from Slovenia, is rapidly establishing himself as one of the most promising young talents in the international guitar scene. He began his musical journey at the age of seven under the guidance of professor Denis Kokalj at the Škofja Loka Music School. After completing his foundational training, he continued his studies at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet, where he developed his artistic voice and technical mastery in class of prof. Eva Hren.

He is currently pursuing his studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna where he finished his Bachelor degree with highest grade and is continuing his master studies under the mentorship of acclaimed guitarist and composer professor Nejc Kuhar, who praises his intellectual maturity, musical insight, and disciplined work ethic. Leon continues to refine his craft by participating in masterclasses and festivals with some of the world’s leading guitarists, including Paolo Pegoraro, Judicaël Perroy, Alvaro Pierri, Hubert Käppel, and many others.

Leon Ravnikar (SI)

Concert, Masterclasses

Leon has received numerous awards at both national and international competitions, including multiple top prizes at the TEMSIG National Competition, and prestigious honors in Austria, Italy, Poland, Romania, and beyond. Notably, he achieved first place at competitions such as the Enrico Mercatali price at Altamira guitar competition in Gorizia, guitar festival in Sarajevo, Alirio Diaz International Guitar Competition, Franz Cibulka International Guitar Competition in Graz, as well as a Grand Prix at the Baltic Guitar Days (2023) and 1st price at 33rd Iserlohn guitar festival with his guitar duo - Duo Chameleon, alongside Polish guitarist Kamil Anioł. In 2023, Leon was awarded third prize at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna’s “Great Talent Award”, where he competed among instrumentalists and ensembles across disciplines—a testament to his high artistic level.

Leon is a five-time award winner at TEMSIG, and the recipient of the Škerjanec Award for exceptional artistic achievement, awarded by the Ljubljana Conservatory. His artistry has been recognized for “exceptional musicality and technical skill that only few of his peers possess,” as noted by professor Eva Hren.

He has performed as a soloist in prominent venues including the Slovenian Philharmonic, Ljubljana Opera House, Cankarjev dom’s Gallus Hall, the Musikverein in Vienna, and in concert halls abroad in cities such as Seville and Sarajevo. As a passionate chamber musician, he collaborates in diverse ensembles and has also performed as a soloist with orchestra.

Some of his achievements:
• 1st prize at the international Rust Rust competition in Austria (2018),
• 2nd prize and gold plaque at the Enrico Marcetali international competition in Italy (2019)
• 2nd prize and gold award at the national competition TEMSIG 2021 + Special prize for the best
performance of a compulsory composition and a composition by a Slovenian composer
• 1st prize at the international Danubia Talents Liszt online competition (2021)
• 3rd prize at the Alirio Diaz International Guitar Festival, Rust, Austria (2022)
• 2nd prize and gold award at the guitar competition in Krško (2022)
• 1st prize at the international competition of young musicians Harmonia Cordis, Romania (2022) ...
• 1st prize at the Alirio Diaz International Guitar Competition in Rust, Austria (2023)
• 3rd prize at the international guitar competition in Montenegro (2022)
• 3rd prize at the prestigious competition of the University of Music and Visual Arts Vienna, Great talent
award 2023, where he also competed with other instruments and chamber ensembles
• 1st prize at the 5th Franz Cibulka International Guitar Competition in Graz 2023
• 1st prize at the 2nd international competition of the Spanish Embassy in Velenje, VelEspaña 2023
• 1st prize + special prize for the best performance of the compulsory composition at the 53rd national
competition TEMSIG 2024, Vrhnika
• 2nd prize at the 13th International Guitar Festival in Sarajevo 2024
• 1st prize at 22nd international guitar competition Altamira Gorizia (Enrico Mercatali prize) 2025
• 1st prize at 30th international guitar competition FORUM Gitarre Wien 2025
DUO:
• 2nd prize at the 20th Altamira guitar competition in Gorica 2023
• 1st prize and Grand prix at the guitar festival Baltic guitar days 2023 in Szczecin, Poland
• 2nd prize at the 22th Altamira guitar competition in Gorica 2025
• 1st prize at 33rd International guitar festival Iserlohn 2025

Concert, Soloist with orchestra

Uroš was born in 2006 in Belgrade. He began his musical education at the age of six at the “Vatroslav Lisinski”Primary and Secondary School of Music in Belgrade. He is currently the youngest student in his third year of study in the class of Professor Paolo Pegoraro at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in Austria.

Uroš Jaćević (RS)

Concert, Soloist with orchestra

Through hard work, dedication, and a deep love for music, Uroš has achieved significant success. He is an award-winning guitarist and the recipient of prestigious prizes at international competitions across Europe. Among these are first prizes at the Guitar Styria Competition in Graz, Austria 2025, the Special Prize for the performance of a contemporary compulsory piece at the “Anna Amalia” Competition in Weimar, Germany 2025, second prizes at the Brno International Guitar Competition, Czech Republic 2024, second prizes at the Cibulka Music Competition in Graz, Austria 2023, first prizes at Forum Gitarre Wien, Austria 2022, first prizes at the Michele Pittaluga Junior Competition in Alessandria and at the International Competition “Città di Mottola,” Italy 2021, as well as first prizes at the Guitar Art Festival in Belgrade 2021 and 2019.

In addition to these achievements, he has won numerous first prizes at guitar festivals in Germany, Austria, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, and China. A large number of first prizes and laureate titles at national competitions in Serbia, both in the solo and chamber music categories, are also of great importance. Particularly noteworthy are his performances with the unique Philharmonic Guitar Orchestra “Dušan Trifunović,” founded by Prof. Dragan Petrović, of which he was a long-standing member.

The most significant recognition he has received is the national “St. Sava Award” for outstanding achievements in education, presented by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia. He has for many years been a scholarship holder of the Belgrade Foundation for Young Talents as well as the Foundation for Young Talents of the Republic of Serbia for exceptionally gifted students. In 2020, he was also one of the winners of the “Young and Successful” competition organized by RTS Music Production and was named one of the most promising young European guitarists at the Michele Pittaluga Festival in Italy.

At the Guitar Art Festival in 2023, he received the “Believe in Yourself” Award from Erste Bank Serbia as encouragement and support for outstanding talents in their future work.

Alongside his formal education, he refines and develops his musical style at summer guitar courses in Postojna (Slovenia), Delphi (Greece), the Seicorde Academy in Italy, in Poland, and as the youngest participant in the unique artistic project “Volterra Project” in Italy, where he collaborated with composer Dušan Bogdanović and Prof. Antigoni Goni. At the Italian Guitar Camp in Chianciano Terme, he was awarded as the most successful young student and, at only 15 years old, recorded his first album, produced by the Italian publishing house DotGuitar, featuring works by Bach, Mertz, Torroba, Dyens, and Rodrigo.

He presents his virtuosity and musicianship with the greatest joy in performances at major concert halls and festivals at home and abroad. Highlights include concerts at the Ilija Kolarac Foundation in Belgrade, a performance at the Guitar Art Festival 2023, his first solo recital in 2022 at the Atrium of the National Museum in Belgrade, a concert at Guitar Week in Postojna 2023, solo and chamber music concerts at the Italian Cultural Institute in Belgrade, a performance at the “Night of Music” organized by RTS Music Production in 2020, the opening of the Festival for Young Guitarists in Jüchen, Germany 2019, and above all the winner’s concert at the renowned Michele Pittaluga International Classical Guitar Competition 2021, as well as a concert revue program at the same festival in Alessandria, Italy 2020, among many other important performances.

He further hones his musicianship and artistic expression in masterclasses with renowned international guitar professors such as Hubert Käppel, Zoran Dukić, Costas Cotsiolis, Marco Tamayo, Gabriel Bianco, Aniello Desiderio, Carlos Bonell, Judicaël Perroy, and many others.

Head of Jury

Dejan Rumpf began his musical path on Konservatorij za glasbo in balet Maribor in Slovenia and already started taking part at different national and international competitions at a young age, which always brought about great results. In 2013 the conservatory awarded him with the diploma “Dr. Roman Klasinc” for his great artistic achievements.

In 2014, he moved to Graz, to continue his studies with prof. Paolo Pegoraro at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz. Under his mentorship he organized many solo concerts and was invited to play at different festivals. The three that stand out were the concert at the international guitar festival in Postojna, Slovenia (Guitar Festival Postojna), the concert at the Festival Ljubljana in the Slovene capital and the concert at the International Guitar Week in Graz.

Jury substitute

Dejan Milevski, born in Ohrid, North Macedonia started his music and guitar education at the age of 11 at State Music School in Ohrid at the class of Aleksandar Krstanoski.

At age of 14, he countinued his education at the State Music School in Skopje, North Macedonia in the classes of Darko Bageski and Borche Naumoski.

In 2017 he enrolled at the ‘‘Hochschule für Musik und Tanz- Köln‘‘ in Germany in the class of professor Gerhard Reichenbach, where he graduated and recived his bachelor and master degree.

During his studies, Dejan Milevski attended many national and international guitar competitions, which brought him several first place awards. He participated in many masterclasses with renowned guitar professors.

As a concert guitarist he performed throughout Europe, Canada, USA as a soloist and in various chamber ensembles.

Since 2018, he is an active guitar teacher and currently teaching guitar at the Music School ‘‘Helmut Schmidinger‘‘ in Graz, Austria.

Artists

Zoran Dukić (HR)

Concert, Masterclasses

Tatiana Stachak (PL)

Jury member, Workshop, Masterclasses

Tatiana Stachak (PL)

Jury member, Workshop, Masterclasses

Arnoldo Moreno (VE)

Jury member, Workshop, Masterclasses

Arnoldo Moreno (VE)

Jury member, Workshop, Masterclasses

Andrea de Vitis (IT)

Masterclasses

Andrea de Vitis (IT)

Masterclasses

Patricia Moreno (VE)

Workshop

Patricia Moreno (VE)

Workshop

Paolo Pegoraro (IT)

Masterclasses

Paolo Pegoraro (IT)

Masterclasses

Florian Palier (AT)

Masterclasses

Florian Palier (AT)

Masterclasses

Christina Schorn-Mancinelli (AT)

Jury member, Masterclasses

Christina Schorn-Mancinelli (AT)

Jury member, Masterclasses

Campbell Diamond (AU)

Masterclasses

Campbell Diamond (AU)

Masterclasses

Anja Pirjevec (SI)

Jury member, Workshop, Masterclasses

Nejc Kuhar (SI)

Masterclasses

Nejc Kuhar (SI)

Masterclasses

Leon Ravnikar (SI)

Concert, Masterclasses

Leon Ravnikar (SI)

Concert, Masterclasses

Uroš Jaćević (RS)

Concert, Soloist with orchestra

Uroš Jaćević (RS)

Concert, Soloist with orchestra

Dejan Rumpf (SI)

Head of Jury

Dejan Rumpf (SI)

Head of Jury

Dejan Milevski (MK)

Jury substitute