Finalist: Ivan Danko

Ivan Danko (1979) began to play the oboe at the age of 10 at the Special Art School in Banska Bystrica (1989 - 1993) in the class of professor Karol Šikula. In 1993, he became the absolute winner and Laureate of the Children's Music Festival of Jan Cikker in Banska Bystrica.  Ivan Danko graduated at the Slovak State Conservatory (1993 - 1998) in the class of professor Koloman Oberländer as the "Best graduate" and in years 1996 and 1998 won the 1st Prize of the National Competition of the Slovak Conservatories. In 1998, he continued his studies at the Academy of Music in Bratislava.

Since 1999, he studied oboe at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich in the class of professor Günther Passin, where he graduated in 2003 with the highest mention and obtained the diploma "Musiker". During 2003 - 2005 he continued his studies with the professor Günther Passin in the Master class at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich.

Since 2001, Ivan Danko holds the position of the 1st Solo Oboe at the State Opera House in Stuttgart. He is often invited as solo oboist by other first class orchestras such as Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin , Bamberger Sinfoniker, Münchener Kammerorchester and Württembergisches Kammerorchester, with whom he played concerts all over Europe and Asia. Since 2005, he is also the solo oboe in the orchestra Solistes Europeens Luxembourg (conductor: Jack Martin Händler) and performs as soloists at the concerts of the European Music Academy (EMA) Schengen.