Monika Leskovar

The Croatian cellist Monika Leskovar (Kreutztal, Germany, March 15th 1981) started to play violoncello at the age of six in the class of Dobrila Berković Magdalenić at the Music School Elly Bašić in Zagreb. Aged 13 she gained public interest having won the first prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Sendai, Japan in 1995. In Zagreb she was also student of Valter Dešpalj before continuing her studies in Germany where she got her diploma and finished the postgraduate studies in the class of David Geringas at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. In 2006 she became his assistant at the same school. Monika Leskovar attended master classes given by Mstislav Rostropovich and Bernard Greenhouse. She was the winner at many international competitions such as the ARD in Munich (2001), Mstislav Rostropovich in Paris, Roberto Caruana in Milan (1999) and Adam in New Zealand (2003). She was the first Croatian representative at the Eurovision competition for young mucians and was the finalist at the concert in Vienna in 1998. Having gained notable reputation Monika Leskovar gave numerous concerts in Japan, Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Hungary, Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia. As soloist she performed with important orchestras such as Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonie Essen, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Latvian Chamber Orchestra, Kremerata Baltica, Zagreb Soloists and others conducted by Valerij Gergiev, Thomas Hengelbrock, Krzysztof Penderecki and many other renowned maestros. Being a frequent guest of festivals worldwide Monika Leskovar performed at Manchster International Cello Festival, Kronberg Academy Festival, Rostropovich Festival, Festival Casals, Dubrovnik Summer Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Musikfestival, Mozartfest Würzburg and other important music festivities. As chamber musician Monika Leskovar had numerous very successful collaborations with artists on international level including Giovanni Sollima, Ivana Švarc Genda, Boris Berezovsky, Sofia Gubaidulina, Yuri Bashmet, Julian Rachlin, Stefan Milenkovich, Mischa Maiski, Itamar Golan, Gidon Kremer, Mario Brunello, Patti Smith, Janine Jansen and others. During the season 2010/2011 Monika Leskovar was first cellist with Münchner Philharmoniker. From 2012 she was teaching at the Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana in Lugano and since 2017 she has the post of the assistant professor at the Academy of Music of the University of Zagreb. Monika Leskovar ist playing on a violoncello built by the Italian master Mantegazze in1765 given to her by the Academy Kronberg. She is playing on a violoncello by the Neapolitan master Vincenzo Postiglione from 1884 which was given to her use by the City of Zagreb and the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra.