Josef Karlíček (b. 1973) began his musical training at the age of six. He studied at the Pilsen Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, and later continued his education at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, where he completed the Konzertexamen.
During his studies, he participated in masterclasses with Daniil Shafran, Frans Helmerson, and Young-Chang Cho.
Karlíček has appeared at international competitions across Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Africa. He has given over 50 performances with orchestras in Germany, Japan, and the Czech Republic, performing both the standard cello concerto repertoire and virtuoso works, including compositions by David Popper.
His work has been documented through recordings for Czech Radio, as well as live broadcasts for RTBF (Belgium) and Musicbird Radio (Japan).
In 2006, he took part in the European tour Encounter with Stradivari, performing on the 1696 Stradivari cello “Lord Aylesford.”