Slovenian soprano Nika Gorič began her vocal studies alongside her ballet training at the Ballet and Music School in Maribor, graduating in 2009. She obtained her BA from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, Austria, and completed her Master’s degree in Performance, with Distinction, at the Royal Academy of Music in London. She is currently continuing her studies on the Royal Academy Opera course under the tutelage of Lillian Watson and Jonathan Papp. Nika’s studies are generously supported by the Charles Mackerras Opera Scholarship and previously by Maria Callas and Stanley Picker Award, Slovenian Ministry of Culture and Josephine Baker Trust.

Nika has recently been awarded the Regency Award; Clifton Prize; Helen Eames Prize and Lillian Eldee Award for female singers. She was also a finalist and prize winner in the Joan Chissell Schumann Lieder Prize competition and most recently a finalist and Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra Award winner at the International Competition for Young Opera Singers ZINKA MILANOV in Croatia. Nika is a member of the Academy Song Circle and a regular soloist in the Kohn Foundation Bach Cantata series.

Nika recently made her debut as Susanna with Royal Academy Opera at Hackney Empire and previously performed the roles of Suor Dolcina and La prima sorella Cercatrice in Suor Angelica. While studying in Graz Nika’s operatic roles include Barbarina in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Sandman in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel and Elisetta in Cimaorsa’s Il matrimonio segreto as well as understudying the roles of Susanna, Gretel, Anna Reich and Despina. Her operatic highlights at RAM include scenes as Ellen Orford in Britten’s Peter Grimes, Nina in Massenet’s Chérubin, Adele in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Despina in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte and Adina in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore.

On the concert platform highlights have included recitals at King’s Place singing Berg’s 7 Frühe Lieder, the Oxford Lieder Festival with Michael Dussek, Kioi Hall in Tokyo as part of the EU Japan Fest and most recently at the Klavier Festival Ruhr with Graham Johnson. She has taken part in the Festival Maribor with Richard Tognetti and in the concert Gala Slovenica in Marburg Germany, performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 in Paris and London and Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

A versatile singer, Nika is also in regular demand as an oratorio soloist, performing works from all eras at venues all over the UK, including performances in the Birmingham Cathedral, St Martin-in-the-Fields and Graz Cathedral. Her recent projects have included Bach’s Cantata Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen in the Duke’s hall; Bach’s B-minor Mass and Magnificat; Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater; Händel Dixit Dominus; Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang, Haydn’s Paukenmesse, Vivaldi’s *Gloria*…She has also appeared on BBC Radio 3’s ‘In Tune’ singing a duet from Bach’s Cantata Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis.

Nika has participated in masterclasses with Elly Ameling (Wigmore Hall), Susan Bullock, Angelika Kirchschlager, Helena Lazarska, Matjaž Robavs, Sabina Cvilak and most recently was invited, as part of the Verbier Festival’s Academy, to take part in public masterclasses with Thomas Quasthoff.

Nika is particularly looking forward to performing roles of Fortuna and Pallade (L’incoronazione di Poppea) with the Royal Academy Opera conducted by Jane Glover and singing Messiah as part of Opéra National de Bordeaux. This summer, as a member of the Salzburg Festival Young Singers Project, Nika will take part in a new production for children of The Fairy Queen, participate in public masterclasses with Malcolm Martineau, Thomas Hampson and Christa Ludwig, and work alongside festival artists. Future engagements include performing Norina (Don Pasquale) with Slovene National Theatre.