Born in Dubrovnik, Croatia, in 1940, Dubravka Tomšič Srebotnjak displayed an unusual talent for the piano at an early age. She gave her first recital when she was five years old, and finished her studies at a music conservatory when she was just nine. Three years later, at the age of twelve, she was discovered by the famous Chilean pianist Claudio Arrau and sent to study with Katherine Bacon at New York’s prestigious Julliard School. She received her bachelor’s degree, specializing in the piano, while still a teenager.
Tomšič Srebotnjak’s talents enabled her to perform at many prestigious institutions when she was a student, including the New York Philharmonic, the New York Town Hall, and Carnegie Hall. Among the audience members at her Carnegie Hall recital was the famed pianist Arthur Rubinstein. He was so impressed by Tomšič Srebotnjak’s performance that he invited her to study with him. He even wrote about her exceptional performance in his memoirs.
Tomšič Srebotnjak became Rubinstein’s protégé, one of only a small number of pianists ever mentored by the master himself. The two remained friends until Rubinstein’s death in 1982.
After Tomšič Srebotnjak completed her education in the U.S., she decided to return to Slovenia, despite her early U.S. breakthrough. Since then, she has released more than 90 recordings of her recitals and concertos. She has also performed at some of Europe’s and North America’s most prestigious venues, firmly establishing herself as not just one of Slovenia’s most successful musicians abroad, but also one of the world’s leading pianists. She has performed with prestigious orchestras ranging from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London to the Vienna Symphony.
Tomšič Srebotnjak has given more than 4000 concerts during her career, has won a number of prestigious awards for her achievements, and has served as a juror at several international piano competitions. Once, in St. Petersburg, Russia, the audience was so enthusiastic that she performed no fewer than 17 encores.
For the past several decades, Tomšič Srebotnjak has passed on her skills to the next generation of talented Slovenian pianists at the University of Ljubljana’s Music Academy. She also continues to perform around Europe and the U.S. Music critics describe her as one of the best – and most original pianists of our time.