“An excellent cellist and very natural musician, who always plays with full commitment and expression.“
Jan Vogler
Hailed as “a wonderful musician with a compelling sense of storytelling” (Le Soir), Petar Pejčić stands at the forefront of the new generation of classical artists. As a winner of ECHO Rising Stars 2026-27, his upcoming season will see him perform on some of Europe’s most prestigious stages, such as Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, and Barcelona’s Palau de la Música Catalana.
Born into a musical family, Petar began playing the cello at the age of four in his native Belgrade. His life as a professional musician began when he moved to Leipzig at fifteen to continue his studies with renowned pedagogue Prof. Peter Bruns.
Since then, Petar has earned recognition as a laureate of many important international competitions: most notably, he was selected as the youngest finalist and 5th prize winner of the 2022 Queen Elisabeth Competition. The following year, he won 2nd prize at the 2023 Paulo Cello Competition.
The past concert season marked several major concert appearances for Petar, including his UK debut with BBC Symphony Orchestra and his South Korean debut with the Korean Chamber Orchestra at the Seoul Arts Center. Past performances as a soloist include concerts with leading orchestras, such as: Helsinki Philharmonic, Kremerata Baltica, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, Graz Philharmonic, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, among
many others.
A dedicated and collaborative chamber musician, Petar regularly performs alongside esteemed artists such as James Baillieu, Janine Jansen, Amihai Grosz, Friedemann Eichhorn, Pauline Sachse, Martin Helmchen and Florian Uhlig. Committed to expanding the reach of classical music, he also engages in volunteer initiatives and explores interdisciplinary projects. Most notably, his unique collaboration with choreographer Jacopo Godani and the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company, which reimagines the connection between music and movement.
OIn recognition of his exceptional talent, Petar has earned prestigious scholarships through the generous support of the International Music Academy in Liechtenstein, the Freunde Junger Musiker Foundation, the Dr. Hübner Foundation, and the Peter Klöckner Foundation (Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben). Additionally, he is the inaugural recipient of the J & A Beare Bursary (2023/24) and was selected for Switzerland’s Career Advancement Programme in 2024.
Petar is currently pursuing advanced studies at the prestigious Kronberg Academy under the guidance of the legendary Prof. Frans Helmerson. He performs on a beautiful 1694 cello by Giuseppe Guarneri ‘filius Andreae’, generously on loan from the Beare’s International Violin Society, as well as a Stephan von Baehr cello (Paris 2012) on loan from the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben.