Nejc Pačnik


Nejc Pačnik is a Slovenian diatonic button accordion, an accordion world-champion and accordion teacher.

Early life

Nejc Pačnik was born on October 28, 1990 in Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia. He attended a primary school located in his hometown Škale and in Velenje. He continued his education at the Wood Secondary School in Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia. His interest in playing a diatonic accordion was raised early since his 4th year when his grandfather Franc showed him the first steps into this instrument and inspired him enormously.

Career

At the age of five, he started taking lessons from Tine Lesjak in Slovenia. After two years, he changed teachers and started learning from Robert Golicnik. At eight, he participated at a remarkable Slovenian Competition "Delcnjak's Memorial" for the first time and won the competition.
At the age of twelve, he participated at a charity concert where he heard the world champion accordionist Robert Gotar for the first time. The same year, under the mentorship of Robert Gotar, he performed at the Slovenian competition "Golden Accordion Award of Ljubečna" where he got into half finals.
He became a European Absolute Champion in Attimis in Italy in 2007. His beginner's competition career proceeded in 2008 when he became an absolute winner of Golden Accordion Award of Ljubecna.
Afterwards, he participated in a world championship and won the 4th place in 2005. Following two years, he won the title of a world vice-champion. In his most successful period of his competition career, he became Junior World-champion in playing a diatonic accordion in Austria. By 2010, he won more than 70th competitions at home and abroad. In 2015, he became an accordion world-champion.

Achievements