KAROL SAMUELČÍK / SLOVAK GUITAR TRIO

Slovakia

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Karol Samuelčík studied at the Conservatory in Žilina (2007–2011) under Ján Labant, continuing at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava (2011–2016) with Jozef Zsapka, where he graduated with highest honors and received the Rector’s Award. His studies were further enriched through exchange programs at the Conservatorio Superior de Música in Vigo and Barcelona. He currently teaches at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava.

Karol has appeared across Slovakia and in countries including Spain, Austria, Portugal, the UK, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, China, and Hong Kong. Solo tours in South and Central America have taken him to Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, and Costa Rica. As a soloist, he has also performed with various orchestras, from the Slovak Philharmonic and Košice State Philharmonic to Cappella Istropolitana, Musica Cassovia, and the Hong Kong Metropolitan Pop Orchestra. His performances have brought him to renowned stages including the Purcell Room at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, Shenzhen Concert Hall, Kolarac Concert Hall in Belgrade, Suk Hall in Prague, and the Slovak Philharmonic Concert Hall.

Three CDs mark his discography: a 2016 debut featuring Albéniz, Bach, and Asencio; Impresiones de Catalunya (2019), exploring Catalan music; and Sudamericanía (2022), highlighting Piazzolla, Gnattali, Assad, Pixinguinha, and Jobim. He performs in a guitar duo with András Csáki and collaborates with violinist Daniel Rumler. His research on the right-hand little finger technique culminated in the 2022 publication The Development of the Right Little Finger in Guitar Playing. Since 2025, he has been an artist collaborator with Knobloch Strings.

Awarded first prizes at the J.K. Mertz International Guitar Competition (2012) and the Thailand International Guitar Competition (2016), and recognized by the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe (2012/2013), he was also named Slovakia’s Student Personality of the Year in Arts and Culture (2016/2017).

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SLOVAK GUITAR TRIO

Three distinguished young guitarists – Karol Samuelčík, Filip Babić, and Augustín Mušuta, have come together to form the Slovak Guitar Trio, a chamber ensemble founded on the exchange of cultures, generations, and artistic sensibilities. Their story began at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, where they first met in different roles: Karol as a professor, and Filip and Augustín as his students. Today, reunited on stage as colleagues, the teacher and his two former students perform side by side, transforming this personal connection into a broader artistic statement.

With extensive solo experience across Europe and worldwide, having collaborated with numerous chamber ensembles and orchestras, the three musicians now unite their forces in a unique trio, open to dialogue and the exploration of the guitar’s expressive possibilities. The ensemble, bringing together artists with diverse artistic perspectives and cultural backgrounds, offers an international approach to music, blending a wide spectrum of sensibilities into a dynamic chamber sound.

Rooted in Slovakia yet transcending local and cultural boundaries, the trio’s concerts aim not only to showcase the virtuosity of the classical guitar but also to affirm its power to connect people across borders, languages, and generations, promoting cultural exchange and building direct links between communities through music and art.