Biography

Miha Firšt studied at the music academies of Ljubljana, Graz and Zagreb. He is principal double bassist of Camerata Sinfonica Austria and a member of several concert-active chamber ensembles: Trio Firšt, Salzmusique, Projekt 212 and the Ljubljana Soloists.

He regularly works in opera productions by the Slovene Chamber Music Theatre, as a chamber musician at Sonc Festival, Ljubljana Jazz Festival and Festival Ljubljana, and with the SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana orchestra and the Zagreb Philharmonic.

From 2016 to 2019 he was section leader of the double basses of the Salzburg Philharmonic. He has also worked with the Berlin Symphony, Zagreb Soloists and all Slovenian professional orchestras.

As a soloist he has performed with the Ljubljana Soloists and the Celje String Orchestra, of which he has been a member for twenty years. He released the solo album Nižje ne gre with works by contemporary Slovenian composers.

In 2019 he received the Celje Star award for outstanding achievements in culture.

He taught at music schools in Celje, Slovenske Konjice, Ljubljana and Škofja Loka. His double-bass and chamber-music pupils have won gold distinctions and first prizes at the national Temsig competition and international competitions.

He is the author of numerous arrangements and educational sheet-music materials, initiator and coordinator of the Ambassador of Culture education programme, and author of essays and lectures on arts and cultural education, media literacy and critical information processing.

He made his stage debut in the musical theatre performance Ljubezen za 17,50 dolarja, based on Charles Bukowski.

In 2018 he premiered Patrick Süskind’s monodrama The Double Bass. He currently performs in his original monodrama Komedija o artu, for which he also composed Eternal Composition — the longest piece of music in the world.

He is producer of the music-theatre performances Muzikal Kure?!, Možiček, Strašni Beethoven and A Date with Slovenian Composers.

He is director and artistic head of the music programmes of Hiša kulture Celje and executive producer of the musical Veronika Deseniška.