Sensitivity, a strong sense of musical expression and technical precision characterise the playing of Slovenian cellist Ema Krečič Rode. Based in Ljubljana, she is active as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player.

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Ema has distinguished herself at numerous national and international competitions. In 2026, she was selected as one of the three finalists for the Fanny Mendelssohn Förderpreis. In 2023, she won the Sir Ian Stoutzker Prize. She was also awarded second prize at the Concorso Mainardi Competition in Salzburg and won the first prize at the Musica Goritiensis International Competition in 2022, TEMSIG in 2021, and the Petar Konjović Competition in Belgrade in 2019.

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She often performs as a soloist and as orchestra guest member with professional orchestras both in Slovenia and abroad. Ema has as well participated in prestigious chamber music festivals, performing with renowned musicians such as Antje Weithaas, Lukas Hagen, Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, Jonathan Brown at events like the Pau Casals Festival, Montecastelli Festival, Ljubljana Festival, New Music Forum, Bled Festival, Carpe Artem, Nei Suoni Dei Luoghi, and the Piran Music Evenings. 

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Since March 2026, she has been a member of the Beija-flor String Quartet. Most recently, the quartet performed to great acclaim on a multi-concert tour of Japan. For the 2026/2027 season, the quartet is among the “Featured Artists” of the Stiftung Mozarteum.

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She also devotes herself to singing. In 2024, she completed an eight-year solo singing program, studying with Barbara Nagode for six years and Marta Močnik Pirc for two years. Helena Fojkar Zupančič has also had a significant influence on her vocal development. In recent years, she has focused on combining the cello and singing, and in 2027, she will release her first album, which will be based on this combination. 

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Ema Krečič Rode began playing the cello at the age of seven. Her training with Damir Hamidullin in Ljubljana and Igor Mitrović in Klagenfurt was followed by formative years in the class of Jaka Stadler and Karmen Pečar at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana from 2017 to 2020, and subsequently by studies with Clemens Hagen at the University Mozarteum Salzburg from 2020 to 2025, including one year of study with Enrico Bronzi. As a recipient of a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, Ema also completed one semester of her postgraduate studies with Matthias Bartolomey. In recognition of her academic achievements, she twice received the Prešeren Prize from the Academy of Music, University of Ljubljana. 

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During her studies, Ema attended masterclasses and seminars with renowned professors, including Jens-Peter Maintz, Julian Steckel, Marc Coppey, Philippe Muller, László Fenyő, and Reinhard Latzko.

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Ema Krečič Rode plays an Italian cello that once belonged to the cellist and professor Heinrich Schiff. It was made by Angelo Radrizzani in 1932.