Biography - CD-s

Karmen Pečar was born in 1984 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. She began to study violoncello at the age of five with Professor Vladimir Kovačič in Maribor. In 2003, she graduated from the Maribor Ballet and Music High School. During the same year, she also received a degree from the Zagreb Music Academy where she went on to complete her master's degree in 2005 under Professor Valter Dešpalj.Currently she is pursuing advanced studies with Professor Reinhard Latzko at the University of Music and Fine Arts in Vienna. She is also employed at the Zagreb Music Academy as assistant to Professor Valter Dešpalj.

Karmen Pečar seized the attention of the musical public when she made her debut at the age of thirteen with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra performing the Elgar Concert for violoncello and orchestra. In 1999, the same orchestra paid her a special honor when they showcased her as a soloist at the Jubilee 50th anniversary performance of the Dubrovnik Festival.

In 2001, Karmen won top prize at one of the most prestigious international cello competitions which takes place each year at Vine del Mar in Chile. She took the third place prize at the Eurovision competition for young musicians in Berlin. In 2004, she won second prize at the Antonio Janigro international competition in Zagreb.

Karmen has performed with numerous ensembles and orchestras such as the Ensemble of Zagreb Soloists, the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and Cellomania of which she has been the concert master for many years. She has collaborated with a number of well-known musical artists such as Boris Pergamenščikov and Misha Maisky. Karmen has performed recitals in Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Germany and Italy.

Her first CD (Dvorak and Shostakovich concerts for violoncello and orchestra) was released in 2006.