Mario Kurtjak is a Slovenian guitarist, professor of guitar, composer and chemist with a PhD in science. Accepted as an exceptional musical talent at the early age of 16, he graduated from the Academy of Music in Ljubljana with an MA degree and diploma summa cum laude in 2010 as a student of Prof. Andrej Grafenauer. In 2018 he completed another MA study of guitar in the class of Prof. Michael Lewin at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He has received first prizes in national and international competitions, the Antonio Tarsia award, the Škerjanc prize, the February prize of the Logatec Commune, the Prešeren award of the Academy of Music Ljubljana and the Blyth Watson award at the Royal Academy of Music. He has been actively performing as a soloist and a chamber musician, with a diverse repertoire, including his own compositions.