Full biography

Darko Karlečik holds a Bachelor’s degree in Percussion Instruments from the esteemed Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, where he studied under the guidance of Prof. Nebojša Jovan Živković and Prof. Srđan Palačković. After successfully completing his undergraduate studies, he pursued Master’s studies at MUK University (Musik und Kunst privatuniversität der Stadt Wien) in Vienna, graduating in June 2016. During this period, he received instruction from Professor Nebojša Jovan Živković and had regular lessons with Anton Mittermayr, the timpanist of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna State Opera.

With a rich and diverse performance history, Karlečik has collaborated with numerous orchestras in Serbia and internationally. Notable affiliations include the Vienna State Opera Orchestra (Staatsoper Wien), “Max Steiner” Orchestra in Vienna, Zagreb Philharmonic (Croatia), Belgrade Philharmonic, Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra (VSO), and many others.

Karlečik is a permanent member of the 2K+ ensemble specializing in contemporary music. He has also performed with the Percussion ensemble SUDAR (Croatia) and was a vital member of the percussion ensemble AU-AU while a student in Serbia, premiering works composed explicitly for the group.

His extensive concert experience spans prestigious venues such as Musikverein Wien, Konzerthaus Wien, Staatsoper Wien, ORF-Funkhaus Wien, Stadthalle Wien, Rathaus Wien (Austria), “Vatroslav Lisinski” (Croatia), Bamberg Symphoniker Halle (Germany), Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment (Serbia), Philharmonic Banatul Timisoara Hall (Romania), and “Abdul Hussain Abdul Rida” Theater (Kuwait), among others. Karlečik actively participates in music seminars across Croatia, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany, collaborating with renowned artists such as Keiko Abe, Jean Geoffroy, Eric Sammut, Ivana Bilić, Jojo Mayer, Jeff Queen, and other prominent figures.

Acknowledged for his exceptional talent, Karlečik received the Yamaha Music Foundation Europe (YMFE) award as one of the best young percussionists in Europe in 2013. Additionally, he was a three-time recipient of the scholarship for young talents from the City of Zrenjanin (2012-2014) and scholarships from the “Dositeja” Fund for Young Talents by the Ministry of Education of Serbia in 2014 and 2015.

Currently serving as a Senior Associate in the “Percussion” department at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad (Serbia) and as a Professor of Percussion at the “Isidor Bajić” music school in Novi Sad, Darko Karlečik continues to contribute significantly to the field of percussion education and performance.