Living in a small town in Croatia, 24-year-old music students, Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, are living a dream come true – and quickly! After posting a self-made music video of them performing Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” on their cellos, the longtime friends received more attention than they ever expected.
Within days, the video became a viral sensation and received millions of views. It got the attention of Sony MASTERWORKS who signed them to a record deal. Concurrently, they received a phone call from legend Elton John who invited them to join him on his European tour this summer.
Their debut album is slated for a July 2011 release and will feature Sulic & Hauser’s unique spin on hits by Guns N’ Roses, U2, Trent Reznor and Kings of Leon among others.
Of the repertoire Stjepan says: “Both Luka and I love classical music and have studied it for years, but we are really excited to put our own take on classics by some of our favorite pop and rock artists.”
Luka and Stjepan made their first national TV appearance as 2CELLOS with a performance of “Smooth Criminal” on The Ellen DeGeneres show on April 25th, 2011.
Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser are extremely accomplished musicians both having played the cello since childhood. They recently completed their studies, Luka at the acclaimed Royal Academy of Music in London, and Stjepan at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Luka has performed all over the world at renowned venues including London’s Wigmore Hall, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Vienna’s Musikverein and Konzerthaus. He has won a series of international prizes including first prize at the VII Lutoslawski International Cello Competition (Warsaw, 2009). Stjepan has also performed around the world in most European countries, South Africa, New Zealand, Asia and the USA, with debuts in London’s Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall, South Bank Centre and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. He was the last pupil of Mstislav Rostropovich. In his short career, Stjepan has already been awarded first prize in twenty-one national and international competitions, and he has performed twice for Prince Charles at Buckingham and St James‘s Palace.
For more information on 2CELLOS (Sulic & Hauser) visit:
www.2CELLOS.com; www.facebook.com/2cellos; www.twitter.com/2cellos