MAKSIM MRVICA

Maksim Mrvica (Croatian pronunciation: [ˈmaksim ˈmr.ʋitsa]; born May 3, 1975) is a popular pianist from Croatia. In 2003, Maksim released one of his first albums, The Piano Player.

Mrvica took up piano lessons from the age of nine from Marija Sekso and gave his first public performance in the same year. Just three years later he gave his first concert performance of Haydn’s Piano Concerto in C major. When war broke out in 1991, both Mrvica and his professor were determined that this would not disrupt his music studies. In spite of the war and surrounding turbulence, Mrvica entered in, and won, his first major competition in Zagreb in 1993.

Mrvica went on to study at the Music Academy in Zagreb where he spent five years under Professor Vladimir Krpan, who himself was a pupil of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. He then spent a year at the Franz Liszt Conservatoire in Budapest and during this year he won first prize at the Nikolai Rubinstein International Piano Competition. In 2000, he moved to Paris to study with Igor Lazko and gained first prize in the Pontoise Piano Competition in 2001.

When he returned to Croatia he found himself to be the focus of intense media interest and he made frequent television appearances as well as giving a great number of interviews. He soon found himself recording his first CD, Gestures, an album of contemporary Croatian piano pieces. Gestures became one of the fastest-selling classical recordings to be released in Croatia, and Mrvica was even invited to officiate the Porin award ceremony, an honour not usually granted to a classical artist.

http://ecards.emiclassics.co.uk/maksim2/index.htm

* I  am so glad to have being blessed with the gift and passion for good Music and Art.

Muso, my favorite magazine for classical music, features Maksim Mrvica, the Croatian classical/pop crossover pianist. Maksim studied at the Music Academy in Zagreb under Professor Vladimir Krpan,  a pupil of Arturo Benedetto Michelangeli. He then spent a year at the Franz Liszt Conservatoire in Budapest winning first prize in the Nicolai Rubinstein International Piano Competition. A year later in 2000, he moved to Paris to study with Igor Lazko and there, in 2001 he gained first prize in the Pontoise Piano Competition. His talent and image makes him appealing to a large and varied audience and led to a career performing for international beauty pagaents, the MTV awards, and sponsors such as American Express and BMW.

Here he is, a classical pianist like you’ve never seen before, performing Rimsky-Korsokav’s Flight of the Bumblebee.

According to Maksim…

“Well, it’s not a question of money … I just always wanted to take a different approach. It’s a question of experimenting. I always wanted to try something different, something new. I want to reach as many people of all ages with classical music. That’s my dream.”

And that’s what it’s all about, right?

Maksim Mrvica permorms The Flight of the Bumblebee.

These are one quick fingers….

Russian gymnast Anna Pavlova fought valiantly to recapture some of the former glory of this gymnastics powerhouse. Although ultimately disappointing, her choice in floor exercise music was not.

She jumped, tumbled, and danced to Maksim Mrvica’s “Exodus,” which, if you haven’t heard it, is worth a listen.

Just as good, if not better, is his performance of Croatian Rhapsody. Enjoy!

I was on Maksim Mrvica  concert today. He plays so great. So tenderly, so smoothly, so powerfully, so passionately. I like his pop approach toward classic music. Even though that was classical concert today, there were half of teenagers and students. He is one of those who brought back piano music to younger population. In addition to that…he looks gorgeous!

Definitely one of my concerts of the year. Two of my favorites from Youtube:

Ah, comme j’aimais le temps où je pouvais déclarer aimer Amélie Nothomb sans avoir l’impression d’avoir des goûts communs, et où cela ne me coûtait pas 17,90 € de me délecter de son style…

Peu importe : l’essentiel, c’est que je n’ai toujours pas envie de la quitter arrivée à la dernière page de Ni d’Eve, ni d’Adam, comme je ne voulais pas qu’elle me laisse à la fin de Métaphysique des Tubes.

Amélie Nothomb sait “donner envie”, et pour moi, c’est le plus beau compliment qu’on puisse faire à un artiste.

Amélie Nothomb parle si bien de la fuite que j’ai l’impression d’avoir raconté mes sentiments les plus intimes à une amie qui me dirait “comme je te comprends”. Amélie sait que fuir n’est pas lâche, c’est se laisser emprisonner qui l’est. Amélie sait le raffinement, le dévouement à la beauté si cruelle soit-elle, Amélie sait la délivrance du mouvement, ce qu’on peut éprouver pour un pays qui nous attire éperdument, Amélie sait.

J’ai refermé mon livre comme on quitterait un confident, et souri béatement. J’étais bien. Zen. Comme je ne l’avais pas été depuis longtemps.