Biography
Nikola Pajanović, born on January 7, 2000, in Ljubljana, is a distinguished violinist of the younger generation.
He began playing the violin at the age of six under the guidance of Professor Igor Ulokin and soon continued his studies with Professor Plamenka Dražil at the Ljubljana Moste-Polje Music School. At the age of ten, he continued his education with the renowned Professor Gorjan Košuta. He completed his master’s studies at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana in 2023 with a cum laude degree. Recently, he finished his second master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London in the class of Professor Roman Simović.
His love for the violin became evident in early childhood. At the age of eight, he won the Gold Plaque and First Prize at the Euritmia International Competition in Povoletto, Italy, marking the beginning of his successful journey. Over the years, he has accumulated prestigious awards and recognitions at international competitions in Italy, North Macedonia, Serbia, and other countries.
At the Jaroslav Kocian Competition in the Czech Republic in 2016, he not only won First Prize in his category but was also named the overall laureate of the competition. Two years later, in 2018, he reached the semifinals of the prestigious Menuhin Competition in Geneva as one of the nine best violinists in the world.
That same year, representing Slovenia at the Eurovision Young Musicians competition in Edinburgh, he performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in the final evening and won second place.
He is a four-time recipient of the Gold Plaque at the TEMSIG National Competition for Young Musicians. He was also a finalist at the prestigious international Lipizer Competition in Gorizia, Italy, on two occasions – in 2020 and 2024.
As a soloist, he has performed with esteemed orchestras, including the Slovenian Philharmonic, the Slovenian Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of the SNG Opera and Ballet in Maribor, the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, and the Chamber Symphony Orchestra of Pardubice (Czech Republic).
His concert career includes performances at renowned festivals and concert halls across Europe. At the Ljubljana Festival, as part of the Young Virtuosi cycle, he made his debut in 2017 and, the following year, performed all 24 Caprices by Niccolò Paganini. He also gave a notable solo recital in Florence at the prestigious Maggio Musicale theater and performed in Sarajevo as part of the Sarajevo Music Evenings.
For his outstanding achievements, Nikola was awarded the Škerjanec Prize by the Conservatory of Music and Ballet in Ljubljana in 2015. In 2018, the Academy of Music awarded him the Prešeren Prize for exceptional results in international competitions and concerts. The University of Ljubljana recognized his achievements in 2020 and 2022 with special awards for outstanding success and engagement in extracurricular activities.
In the 2024/25 academic year, Nikola was awarded a scholarship by the Rhona Reid Charitable Trust.
