Monika Krajnc Štih is a guitar teacher at the elementary music school and performing arts grammar school in Velenje, Slovenia.
She obtained her Bachelor’s and Masters degree at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, Austria, her mentor was prof. Martin Mysliveček. In her Masters dissertation she researched the life of one of the most important guitarists, Ida Presti and for this purpose she interviewed the revered guitarist and composer, John W. Duarte, and published the interview in the dissertation. She attended guitar seminars with professors Jerko Novak, Istvan Romer, Tomaž Lorenz, Abel Carlevaro, David Crosky, John W. Duarte, Pavel Steidl.
As a secondary school student she won many first prizes when competing solo or with chamber music. She released a CD with her husband Boris – in one of the first guitar duos in Slovenia. Since then, she performed as a soloist or a member of various chamber ensembles.
She dedicated a big part of her teaching career to developing guitar orchestra – not just at the music school in Velenje, but in the whole country. The guitar orchestra of music school Velenje won a first prize and performed with the orchestra of ZGF 2017 Zagreb Guitar Festival.
Her students are achieving the highest recognition awards and prizes at competitions on a national and international level.
She is also a member of juries in regional, national and international competitions, as well as a technical advisor for the national competition for young musicians TEMSIG.