After learning violin with M. Tercelj at the Ljubljana Intermediate Music School, Jernej Brence (1965) studied with Prof. Dejan Bravničar at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana and continued his violin studies in Vienna with Prof. Michael Frischenschlager and Josef Sivo, rounding them off with a master’s degree from the Musikhochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst in 1995. He perfected his playing with A. Staar, M. Russin, E. Tchugayeva and H. Fister (viola). In 1990 he published 12 Studies and 16 Etudes for violin solo. He has been active both as a soloist as well as in various chamber ensembles, has been member of international music juries, and has led master classes for violin and viola in various countries. As a soloist he has played with national and foreign orchestras and chamber ensembles, at home and throughout Europe. A number of Slovene compositions have been dedicated to him, and premiered by him. He has recorded with Radio Slovenia and the RAI. Since 1994 he has taught

at the Ljubljana Intermediate Music School and in Austria, his pupils have won numerous prizes in and outside Slovenia. The peak of his organizational endeavors has been his artistic directorship of the Bled International Music Festival which was, on the occasion of its tenth anniversary, awarded the Betetto Certificate for 2004 by the Society of Slovene Music Artist-Performers. His artistic activities have won him the Honorary Medal of Bled, the Society of Slovene Composers Award as well as the Society of Austrian  Composers Award , the Lord Yehudi Menuhin Award,Betteto award, and his playing many excellent critics in the media.