Alja Mandič was born in 1989 in Ljubljana, Slovenia .
She started playing cello at the age of 8. Her musical talent has been recognized already at the early stage. At 16 she has already been accepted to Music University Zagreb to the class of prof. Valter Dešpalj and two years later she has also been accepted to his class to International Music Academy Liechtenstein.
Alja graduated and obtained her Bachelor and Master’s Degree with highest honours.
She continued her studies at Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, Switzerland in the class of Monika Leskovar.
Since 2013 her artistic way is influenced by collaboration and supervision of Gavriel Lipkind.

Alja has been improving her skills in several master courses and cooperating with greatest cellists of our time such as F. Helmerson, D. Geringas, A. Rudin, A. Bylsma, M. Perenyi, G. Hoffman, C. Hagen, G. Lipkind, R. Latzko, L. Fenyö, C. Bohorquez, D. Ferschtman, O. Mandozzi and many more. 

Alja is also very active as a chamber musician.
She performed, among others, with Mischa Maisky, Giovanni Sollima, Monika Leskovar, Anni Schnarch, Petr Jirikowsky,
is a member of WISE (Wienner International Soloists Ensemble) and Cellomania ensemble.

As a soloist and chamber musician she has performed in Europe (Slovenia , Croatia, Italy, Greece, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark,) Israel, Russia, Japan and USA in concert halls such as Cankar Concert Hall (Ljubljana), Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall (Zagreb), Teatro la Fenice (Venice), Musikverien (Vienna), Concertgebow (Amsterdam), Israeli Opera (Tel-Aviv), and many more.

She took part in festivals like Amsterdam Cello Bienalle, Cello Academie Rutesheim (solistic performances with orchestra in 2010 and 2014), Bad Ragaz Music Festival, Aurora Chamber Music Festival, Dubrovnik Summer Festival, Keshet Eilon Summer Festival, Evmelia Festival and many others.
In December 2014 she is going to be a faculty member at Crescendo Festival in Florida.

As a winner of Slovenian national competition Alja received a special prize; recording sessions awarded by RTV Slovenia . Her recordings were chosen to present Slovenia at an International festival Concertino Praga.
She has also received a scholarship from the Northern Light Music Festival (Minnesota, USA).
As an overall winner of the International Cello Competition Alpe Adria (Italy; 2004, 2008), she won an European concert tour. Alja is currently not taking part in competitions.