Trumpet player Vedran Kocelj graduated trumpet at the Ljubljana Academy of Music with Stanko Arnold. He attended master classes with John Wallace, Bo Nilson and Ed Carrol. He was the winner of the Young Musicians Competition in Slovenia (1999) and he entered semi-finals of the International Competition in Toulon (2000). In 2000 he entered audition for the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, with whom he toured Europe, giving 12 concerts under the conducting of Pierre Boulez. He gave outstanding solo performances with the Croatian Radio and Television Simphony Orchestra, Zagreb Soloists, Dubrovnik Simphony Orchestra, Croatian Baroque Ensemble, Croatian Army Wind Simphony Orchestra, Zadar, Varaždin and Zürich Chamber Orchestra. On that occasion he collaborated with the world-famed Hungarian trumpet player Gábor Boldocki. Mr Kocelj is also engaged in chamber music as a member of the Croatian Brass Quintet, with whom he performed in Croatia, Italy, Switzerland and China. He is a full member of the Croatian Radio and Television Simphony Orchestra, for whom he regulary records and his most prominent recording was the performance of Concertino for trumpet, strings and timpani by Boris Papandopulo.
