Timeless Elegance in Every Note: The Exclusive Experience for Your Luxurious Event with Platinum Pianist
The Path That Became Platinum Pianist
My story starts in Slovenia, during the independence war, where my very first piano lessons took place at the local fire station. It wasn't exactly the ideal setting to fall in love with music, but that's exactly what happened. From there, the path kept unfolding: a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance in New Jersey, earned alongside a Bachelor of Music in Piano Pedagogy from the University of Ljubljana back home. I then moved to the University of Hawaii for my Master's in Piano Performance, where I was fortunate to pick up several awards along the way.
Everything built toward my Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano Performance at UC Santa Barbara, where I was honored with the UCSB Graduate Division Fellowship to support my dissertation research on the Istrian Scale — a piece of musical heritage close to my own roots. My devotion to classical music has always lived alongside something else, too: a love for the kind of lively events where people can simply enjoy a song without pretense, and even find themselves dancing when a familiar tune comes on.
Building a Musical Experience, Not Just a Performance
As Platinum Pianist, my repertoire spans today's biggest hits, pop, timeless ballads, classical works, and rock pieces reimagined for solo piano. What I think sets my performances apart is simple: an energetic, outgoing presence, the ability to pick up a song on short notice, and a genuine commitment to shaping each playlist around the client in front of me — never a generic set list recycled from event to event.
For me, music has always been about more than notes on a page. It has the power to carry people back to a memory, a feeling, a moment in time. My goal with every event is to build something specific to that couple or that room — an experience guests will still be talking about long after the night ends.
Milestones Along the Way
I've been lucky to collect some meaningful recognition throughout this journey — winning the 2024 American Protégé competition for a performance of Rachmaninoff, which led to a Carnegie Hall debut in November 2024. Earlier in my career, I placed in the Los Angeles International Liszt Competition, the UCSB Chamber Music Competition, NJMTA in Princeton, the International Music Competition Francesco Forgione in Italy, and several National Piano Competitions in Slovenia, among others.
Over the years, I've performed at prestigious venues and festivals, corporate functions, weddings, fashion shows, fundraisers, private celebrations, and as a soloist alongside orchestras. While I was living in Santa Barbara, I also held a regular residency as the pianist at the Rosewood Miramar Beach Hotel.
More Than Just Playing
My classical training combined with years spent exploring other styles means I can adapt comfortably to almost any kind of event — from an intimate backyard wedding to a large-scale celebration. To me, performing has never just meant playing piano; it means shaping an atmosphere that genuinely resonates with the people in the room, whether the moment calls for something lively or something quietly ceremonial.
Music as a Bridge
Beyond performing, I care deeply about building a community that embraces cultural diversity. As someone from a young immigrant family myself, I see music as a way to bring people together and foster real understanding across backgrounds. That belief shapes the musical choices I make in every performance I give.
The Harder Parts of the Journey
This path hasn't come without real challenges. Moving to the U.S. on my own, working through the immigration process, learning a new language, and later balancing a career with motherhood have all tested my resilience in different ways. Becoming a mother reshaped how I understand the world — though it also came with something harder to swallow: the realization that women are still, even now, judged or misunderstood for choosing to continue an artistic career while raising a family.
Despite those obstacles, I've continued building — releasing music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora, and founding the Santa Clara Piano School along the way.
Looking Forward
As I keep growing in this field, my hope is to push the traditional idea of a piano performance into something more — a genuine, transformative connection built through music. I hope that whatever creativity and dedication I bring to each performance encourages others, across every age group, to chase their own passions a little more boldly.
Website: platinumpianist.com
Instagram: @platinumpianist
