PETAR ČULIĆ is one of the most prominent guitarists of his generation. He was born on 26th June 1986 in Split and he lives permanently in Dugi Rat. He finished primary music school ‘’Lovro pl. Matacic’’ in Omis (in the class of m.mus. Neno Munitic and teachers Zoran Melvan, Goran Caktas and Angela Jerkunica). After finishing the third grade of secondary music school ‘’Josip Hatze’’ in Split (in the class professor Angela Jerkunica.-Milisic), Petar enrolled in the first year academic programme at the Arts Academy of the University of Split; the Guitar Department in the class of professor Goran Listes. He enrolled in the university programme as a particularly talented student without having obtained a secondary school degree. He graduated from univeristy in July 2008 and decided to continue his education through postgraduate studies in Koblenz (Germany) at „Koblenz International Guitar Academy“ in the class of professor  Hubert Käppel.

He is teaching guitar in primary music school ''Lovro pl.Matacic'' in Omis, music school "Josip Hatze" in Split and music school in Makarska.

Up to this date, he has performed more than 300 successful soloist recitals and has held more than 850 concerts all around Croatia and Europe. He has been a member of numerous juries of experts in Croatian and international competitions (Concorso di Gorizia, Guitar art Festival, Male žice Dalmacije, Porečki Tirando,...). He is giving masterclass in Croatia and abroad.  Petar performed his first recital at the age of twelve. Besides numerous soloist performances, he has also played in duets and quartets, as well as with string orchestras (at the age of eleven he performed the concert for guitar and orchestra in D major by A.Vivaldi).

Throughout his studies, he has achieved extraordinary results in both national and international competitions ( in England, Wales, Greece, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Slovenia, Montenegro..). As a solo performer, Petar has won 33 prizes, among which 21 first prizes (5 second and 7 third prizes). As a teacher, Petar has won 19 first prizes, 25 second and 10 third prizes in different natuional and international competitions, despite the very small number of students in his class.

He is director of guitar summer school in Omiš (Croatia).

He is the initiator and founder of Split Guitar Festival which has been held three times so far and has hosted more than 60 famous masters of guitar, as well as 550 other participants from 35 countries from five continents (Europe, South America, North America, Asia and Australia).

From his recitals we would like to single out an invitation to perform at prestigous Norfolk and Norwich Festival in Great Britain. This festival gathers some of the world's greatest names in music, acting, dancing and visual arts, and it is festival with the longest tradition in Great Britain (the first festival taking place in 1772). This year's most famous participants were: London Philharmonic, Balanescu Quartet, Tomas Vasary, the Budapest Symphonic Orchestra, Andy Sheppard, John Williams... Petar was the youngest solo-performer at the festival. Concert was held in Assembly House, the place where some of the world's greatest classical musicians such as Frederick Chopin, Nicolo Paganini, Franz Liszt, Anton Rubinstein had held their solo-concerts.

Petar has been composing from the very beginning of his guitar education. He wrote his first composition when he was 12, which he has performed in three different competitions and won the first prize each time. Some of his compositions where chosen by international comittees to be performed in the final concerts of the competitions.

He has participated in numerous seminars held by famous guitar pedagogical experts from Croatia and foreign countries (William Kanengiser, Scott Tennant, John Dearman, Matthew Greif, Pavel Steidl, Aniello Desiderio, Carlo Marchione, Tilman Hoppstock, Zoran Dukić, Costas Cotsiolis, Marco Tamayo, Jaime Zenamon, Predrag Stanković, Ramon Carnota Mendez, Goran Krivokapić, Alexander S. Ramirez, Ana Vidovic, Darko Karajić, Marcin Dylla, Denis Azabagić, Goran Listeš, Lorenzo Micheli, Fabio Zanon, Judicael Perroy, ...)

May 16th 2005. in the foyer of the Croatian National Theatre in Split he held a guitar recital and promoted his first CD.

He is the winner of the city of Dugi Rat annual award for extraordinary achievements in musical and cultural creativity.

He won two Chancellor's awards in the academic year 2005/06. One for extraordinary results achieved throughout his studies, and special award for extraordinary artistic achievements.  


Reviews

"Petar Culic is a fine representative of the new generation of guitarists. He has a strong and confident sound, a natural musicality, and a relaxed and friendly stage presence. He is a talented young guitarist that deserves to be heard."


...William Kanengiser, member of Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (Grammy 2005)


''Petar is a musician who plays with his heart full and wins his audience by sincerity and exceptional inspiration. Petar's guitar playing is extraordinary and superb, and his deep connection with the instrument is what makes his style unique. Petar Culic is one of the most talented guitar players, whose hard-working personality, ambition and persistence will surely take him very far!''

... Ana Vidovic

Selection of reviews:

«...during those 60 minutes of the concert, Petar was emitting charisma and it became absolutely clear why the most respectable music experts think he is one of the most prominent young guitar players in the world...»

«...Petar Culic provided all the guitar and classical music lovers with a superior experience ...»

«... the audience showed admiration for each performed tone ...»

«...Petar displayed all the qualities necessary for being a top world musician: impressive technical skills, unbelievable musicality, excellent tone, remarkable artistic impression, maturity in introducing different historic periods, as well as the artist's praiseworthy choice of the programme, which was diverse...»

 «...if we were only able to listen, and not to see, we would probably never say that such beautiful and mature interpretations are the works of such a young musician...»

 «...Petar's musical development has to fill us with admiration...»

 «...the audience were amazed by Čulić's interpretation of his own composition mysteriously named «M», and overall reach of the concert considerably outgrew the expected student framework...»

 «...the audience's cordial and loud applause which invited Petar three times to play an encore, was indeed the best proof that Petar Čulić left his audience deeply impressed...»


Some interesting facts about Petar Culic career

- the first public performance: December 1993, Dugi Rat
- the first international competition: April 1997, Viareggio, he won I.prize
- the first concert with orchestra: October 1997, Split (A.Vivaldi-Concert for guitar and orchestra in D-major)
- the first written composition: October 1998, "The Little prince"
- the first solo-concert: August 1998, Dugi Rat
- Croatian TV documentary about Petar: April 1999, Zagreb
- solo-concert programme 1999. - Dugi Rat (Croatia), Omiš (Croatia), Hvar (Croatia),
Baška Voda (Croatia), Podstrana (Croatia), Preko (Croatia);                                                         
A.de Mudarra: Fantasia
J.S.Bach: Cello suite II, BWV 1008
 -Prelude
 -Allemande
 -Courante
 -Sarabande
 -Menuet I,II
 -Gigue
F.Sor: Introduction et variations sur Air Malbroug
M.Giuliani: Sonatine, op. 71, No. 3
 -Andantino sostenuto
 -Tempo di Marcia
 -Scherzo
 -Finale-Allegro
P.Culic: The Little prince
S.Rak: Voronež
- the first solo-concert in Zagreb: October 2000.                                           
- CD: May 2005.
- On the state chamber music competition Petar won the first prize as teacher and player; December 2006.    
- he won two rector of the university awards; December 2006   
- he won two first prizes at international competition in Greece; January 2007
- he won two first prizes at international competition in Slovenia; April 2007
- first Split Guitar Festival; April - May 2007
- he received the first invitations to participate in jury of experts and hold master courses abroad; 2008
- concert ‘’Petar Čulić and Friends’’ and performance at Split Summer Festival; 2008
- he graduated from Arts Academy in Split; July 2008.
- he enrolled in Koblenz Guitar Academy postgraduate programme, December 2008.