Prayer to Ecstasy

Joseph-Marie-Clement Dall’Abaco – Capriccio I in C minor
Ana Sokolovic – Vez

Johann Sebastian Bach – Cello Suite no 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: Prélude
Giovanni Sollima – Alone

Domenico Gabrielli – Ricercare for Solo Cello no 7
Johann Sebastian Bach – Cello Suite no 2 in D minor: III Courante

György Ligeti – Cello Sonata: I. Dialogo & II. Capriccio

This program for solo cello is a musical exploration of a spiritual experience, tracing the journey from quiet introspection to ecstatic transcendence. Inspired by the process of prayer in Orthodox Christianity — deeply embedded in Petar's cultural roots — it reflects the way prayer evolves from contemplation and meditation into an overwhelming sense of elation and self-transcendence.

Each group of pieces in the program contributes to this arc, beginning with solemn reflection and gradually intensifying in emotional and physical expression. The works of Dall’Abaco, Gabrielli and Bach ground the listener in profound solitude, evoking the inward focus of early prayer.

Sokolovic, Ligeti and Sollima push the boundaries of the instrument’s expressive potential, leading the program to its peak—a moment of uninhibited, ecstatic release.

Through this music, the cello becomes an extension of the voice — at times a whisper, at times a cry — expressing the universal and deeply human longing for connection with something beyond oneself.

Hailed as “...a wonderful musician with a compelling sense of storytelling…” (Le Soir, 2022), Petar Pejčić is quickly establishing himself as one of the most promising talents on the classical scene. A winner at the 2025 YCAT International Auditions at Wigmore Hall, Petar has been named as one of the ECHO Rising Stars for 2026-27, which 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.

The 2024/25 season included 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.

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 prestigious 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.

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.

Petar is grateful to have received 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.