Diana Brekalo was born in Stuttgart as a child of Croatian immigrants. She received her first piano lessons at the age of six as a student of Ana Hartauer, who has unfortunately since passed away. Diana's new piano teacher, Monika Giurgiuman, discovered early on her many talents not only as a solo piano player but also as a piano accompanist and chamber music pianist.

At the age of 12 Diana Brekalo had already won four 1st prizes in piano solo and two 1st prizes in the chamber music competition ,,Jugend Musiziert", a scholarship from the ,,Oscar und Vera Ritter Stiftung" and the Förderpreis der Kreissparkasse Baden-Württemberg (1997).

As a student of the Stuttgart School of Music, Diana Brekalo received special support in the gifted class (STUVO). In the spring of 2001 she was accepted into the preliminary class of the University of Music in Stuttgart by Prof.S.Rudiakov, where she began her studies in March 2004. In 2006 she received the ZEIT scholarship from the German Foundation for Musical Life, which enabled her to study at the renowned Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Since 2006 Diana Brekalo has been a scholarship holder of Jehudi Menuhin's "Live music now!" in Stuttgart and since 2008 also in London. In addition, Diana has been sponsored by both the Simon Phillis Award and the S.Rachmaninoff Award in 2007/2008, the Worshipful Companies of Insurers and Innholders, and in 2009/2010 by the Leverhulme Trust.

In 2008 Diana Brekalo completed her Bachelor's programme in Music (Hons) with distinction and started her Master's programme in Music (performance) in 2008, which she also completed with distinction in 2010.

Chamber music courses with Prof. M.Uhde, R.Gleissner, R.Piernay, R.Bowman, C.Prégardien, as well as piano master classes with Prof. G.Lohmeyer, D.Borsan, G.Amiras, B.Morrison, J.Rink, R.O'Hora, M.Roscoe, F.Gamba and O.Gardon enrich her education.

Diana Brekalo regularly performs in the most prestigious concert halls throughout Europe, Japan, USA, China (Shanghai Oriental Arts Centre Concert Hall, Forbidden City Concert Hall, Beijing), Andorra, Croatia, Bosnia, Great Britain (Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, St.John's Smith Square, St. James' Piccadilly, Regent Hall, Fairfield Hall, Bridgewater Hall, West Road Concert Hall), as well as live on television programs and radio. The pianist has also performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Since 2014, she has given several master classes in China, Germany and England and is also a regular juror at Jugend musiziert and in London, among others. Since 2020, her piano students have been awarded prizes at Jugend musiziert. In 2021, her performance of the Clara Schumann Piano Concerto was featured in the Canadian film ,, The white Fortress" at the Berlinale International Film Festival.

Awards

As a solo pianist she has won numerous national and international piano competitions:

1997: 2nd prize at the Matthaes Piano Competition

1998: 1st prize winner of the competition "Jugend musiziert

1999: 1st prize at the international piano competition in Pinerolo, Italy

2000: 1st prize at the XIV International Piano Competition in Ibiza, Spain

2000: 2nd prize at the German-French Lions Club Competition

2007: Managing director's prize at the Jaques Samuel Piano Competition, England

2008: 2nd prize at the International Piano Concerto Competition in Hastings, England

2008: 3rd prize at the Oxford Music Festival Competition, England

2009: 1st prize at the International Piano Concerto Competition in Croydon, England

2010: "Domovnica" award (Croatian Oscar) in the category: Most successful female classical artist of the Croatian main daily newspaper "Vecernji List" at the big Croatian media event in Bad Homburg, Germany

2012: 1st prize at the Piano Concerto Competition in Cambridge, England

2012: 1st prize at the Manchester Midday Concerts society competition in Manchester, England

2010/11 Artist in Residence and Lecturer at Middlesex University, London

Diana Brekalo made her debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall in London in April 2011. She performed the world premiere of a piano concerto composed for her by the English composer Peter Fribbins, as well as Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.1 on the same evening.

Since September 2011 Diana Brekalo has been working as a lecturer at the University of Music in Würzburg.

CD

In May 2012 the live recording of her début with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall (April 2011) was released on CD.