Croatian Classical Music, 20th–21st centuries

• Milko Kelemen, professor of composition in Stuttgart, who founded the Biennale; his Requiem for Vukovar, Osijek, Dubrovnik, Sarajevo,... has been performed in the music hall of the G. Pompidou Centre in Paris in March 1995 by the 2e 2m Orchestra (conducted by Paul Mefano).

  

Igor Kuljeric (1938-2006), distinguished Croatian composer and conductor, known for his volcanic energy, was finding inspiration among others in very old Croatian glagolitic heritage. We cite his reflections about Croatian music:

Pluralism and rich diversity of Croatian musical heritage - from the oldest, almost archetypal times till contemporary musical art - are rare in world's proportions. It is particularly valuable for us and I am firmly convinced that we should not neglect, not to say renounce, any layer of this national heritage. Renouncing would mean disrespect of our predecessors, and it would not be forgiven by our descendants... (Source.)

Web site: www.IgorKuljeric.com

The verses for the Austrian national anthem Land der Berge, Land am Strome, were written by Paula von Preradovic (1887-1951), Austrian writer and poetess, grand-daughter of the Croatian poet Petar Preradovic (1818-1872), with the music of W.A. Mozart.

She wrote a lot about Croatia, its people, history and nature, for example "Königslegende" in 1950, "Pave und Pero" in 1940, and "Dalmatinische Sonette" in 1933.

Everybody knows that the anthem of the European Union is the melody of "Ode to Joy" (in German, "Ode an die Freude"") from Beethoven's 9th Symphhony (and with verses of Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke). It is little known that this melody was proposed for the anthem of EU by dr. Lujo Tončić-Sorinj (1915.-2005.), born in Vienna. His paternal roots are from Croatia, from the city of Split. Lujo Tončić-Sorinj was a minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Austria in the period of 1966-1968, and the secretary general of European Council between 1969 and 1974. In 1998, he published the folowing monograph in Croatia's capital Zagreb:
Usamljena borba Hrvatske: Od pobjede jezika do pobjede oružja (Lonely Fight of Croatia: From the Victory of Language to the Victory of Arms).

Lit. An article about the anthem of EU and dr Lujo Tonèiæ-Sorinj (in Croatian)

Hrvatski glazbeni zavod, HGZ (Croatian Music Association) was founded in 1827.

Croatian Composers' Society (Hrvatsko društvo skladatelja)

Hrvatsko društvo crkvenih glazbenika (Croatian Society of Church Musicians)

See Festival of Early Music, Alojzije Prosoli.

Rudolf Klepač (1913-1994), famous Croatian bassoon (fagott) player - "Rubinstein on bassoon", professor at Mozarteum in the city of Salzburg, Austria, honorary citizen of Salzburg

Milan Turković, one of the few internationally known bassoon soloists, originates from an Austro-Croatian family. He is a member of the Ensemble Wien-Berlin (a woodwind quintet he formed together with principal players of the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic), the Concentus Musicus of Vienna, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York. Milan Truković in Jerusalem in 1994, in Salzburg in 1998.

Mia Slavenska (born in Slavonski Brod, 1914-2002), became ballerina of the Zagreb Opera (1930-33), studied also in Vienna, and joined the Paris Opera in 1933. In London she danced with Anton Dolin before joining the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (1938-42). She later formed her own company, Ballet Variante. In 1953 she established the Slavenska-Franklin Ballet company with Frederic Franklin. In 1950's she was prima ballerina of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She had the main female role in the ballet film "A Streetcar Named Desire". By the end of her career she was teaching in Los Angeles, California. Slavenska starred in a wonderful French film, La Mort du Cygne (Ballerina, 1938).

Jelko Yuresha Croatian ballet prodigy at the Royal Ballet in London since 1962

Pau (Pablo) Casals, a famous Catalonian cellist, in Zagreb in 1913,
played in Hrvatski glazbeni zavod (The Croatian Musikverein), founded in 1827.

Distinguished Croatian violoncellist Valter Dešpalj (1947), jointly with a violinist Maja Dešpalj-Begović, founded a private music school for exceptionally gifted children, see STRINGS ONLY!, Zadar, Croatia (Despalj School of Music) . Maestro Dešpalj initiated and directed the CELLOMANIA project in Zagreb in 1991.

Monika Leskovar (1981), violoncellist, is a winner of the prestigious Tchaikovsky competition in Japan for 1995 (a student of maestro Valter Despalj), the third prize at the 1997 Rostropovic competition in Paris, the second prize at the 1998 Eurovision contest for young instrumentalists, winner of the 1999 Roberto Caruana competition in Milano, Italy, the second prize at the famous ARD competition in 2001.

Luka Šulić (1987) shared the First Prize at the prestigious Witold Lutoslawski International Cello Competition held in 2009 in Warsaw. Its honorary president during his lifetime was legendary Mstislav Rostropovich. With Stjepan Hauser, he created duo of global fame, 2 CELLOS.

Luka also won special prize for the best performance of Lutoslawski's Sacher Variations.

Stjepan Hauser (born in 1986; photo from croatia.org), is a member of the Greenwich Trio founded in 2005. With Luka Sulic, he created duo of global fame, 2 CELLOS.

Duo composed of two Croatian cellists: Luka Šulić and Stjepan Hauser. See 2CELLOS Complete Official Videos, etc.

Croatian cultural society Napredak (Advancement) from Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia - Herzegovina, has a nice mixed choir called Trebević. During the 1992-95 ferocious bombing of the city of Sarajevo, they gave numerous concert in the ruined city (in conditions that are difficult to describe), as well as 30 concerts in France, including Notre Dame in Paris. Napredak also organized very successful postwar international concerts in Sarajevo, starting from 1998.

Lyra, excellent choir of the Jewish Community in Zagreb, winner of many international competitions (including the one held in Yerusalem in August 1996 on the occasion of 3000 years of the city), conducted by Emil Cosetto. He has very nicely arranged numerous folk songs from various parts of Croatia for choir singing.
Mr Cosetto is also known to have rearranged a beautiful Croatian song Fala (Thank you) as a funeral song on the occasion of Tito's death in 1980, thus distorting its original message.

Collegium pro Musica Sacra has won silver medal at the fourth International competition of church choirs "Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina" held in Jerusalem, on the occasion of 3000 years of existence of this ancient city. The Collegium has been founded in 1970.

Akademski zbor Bazilike Srca Isusova (academic choir), conducted by Robert Homen, with its 100 singers, has won the first place at VI Concorso internazionale di Musica Sacra "Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina" held in Rome in Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio in 1988, in the category of mixed choirs.

See Katarina Livljanić.

Brodosplit male choir from the city of Split is conducted by Vlado Sunko, distinguished Croatian conductor and composer. The coir became the world champion at the 5th World Choir Games, Graz 2008, in the category of male chamber choirs. It is especially known for beautiful interpretations of spiritual songs of Christian inspiration from Croatian and international repertoire.

Cesarice, a small women's choir founded in 1993 (students of the University of Zagreb), with repertoire mostly related to Dalmatian folk songs, and conducted by Bojan Pogrmilovic, has won the first place on prestigiousIX Concorso Internationale do Canto Corale 1998, held in Verona, Italy. During the XI Concorso Internationale held in 2000, among 24 participating choirs from Europe and Australia, the Croats occupied four first places: Dalmatinke from Split and Blajke from Blato on the island of Korcula (women's choirs), Luka from Ploce and Vokalisti Salone from Solin (men's choirs). This is already fifth consecutive win of Croatian choirs on this prestigious international competition in Verona.

International Violin Competition Vaclav Huml, Zagreb, Croatia

Međunarodno pjevačko natjecanje Milka Trnina, Zagreb, Croatia

Petar Perica (1881-1944) wrote verses for two sacral songs still extremely popular among the Croats: Do nebesa nek se ori (in 1900, at the age of 19) and Rajska Djevo (in 1904, at the age of 23). In 1901 he entered the Society of Jesus. Killed without trial by communist partisans in 1944 on the islet of Daksa near Dubrovnik.
Many thanks to Br. Ivo Domazet SJ for the photo.

Krsto Odak (1888-1961), important Croatian composer of sacral music, in particular church music inspired with old Croatian glagolitic texts.

Hrvojka Mihanović Salopek: Digital Recording of the Croatian Mariological Heritage

Hrvojka Mihanović Salopek: Stella Maris Croatiae project

We recommend you to visit nice web pages of Josip Degl'Ivellio (church music), and also www.slavulj.hr, a choir founded in 1864 in the city of Petrinja. The earliest known Croatian choir was Zora (Dawn) founded in the city of Karlovac in 1858.

Viktor Radelj (Radeglli, 1861-1941), Croatian composer born in Constantinople in Turkey from Croatian parents, most probably from the region of Konavle near the city of Dubrovnik, where the second name Radelj still exists. He studied music at the conservatories in Milan and Paris. His first opera, La Colomba, was composed when he was 45 years old. However, his most interesting opera was Shaban, composed as a Turkish opera, ie, with oriental rythms and melodies. Its premiere in the Volks-Opera in Vienna in 1918 (on 20th and 24th February and 1st March), under the baton of S. Sternich from Zadar, was described by Dr. Eles Blenefeld in the Vienese daily Neues Wiener Journal.

Information by the courtesy of Dr. Miho Demovic. Additional information about Viktor Radelj:

• Miho Demović: Glazba u Dubrovniku za vrijeme austrougarske uprave, u pripremi, 2015
• Naš zemljak kompozitor turske opere, Prava Crvena Hrvatska (PCH, weekly founded by Fran Supilo, published in Dubrovnik from 1905 till 1918), March 1918, p. 1.
  
• Smrt hrvatskega skladatelja v Carigradu [PDF], Jutro (Morning, daily, except Mondays), Ljubljana, 28 October 1941, p. 5 (in the right column);

The first opera for children in history (in which children play music, sing and dance) was composed in 1918 by Franjo Štefanović (1879-1924), a Croatian composer born in Petrovaradin, educated in Zemun, Osijek, and Zagreb. Its title was "Šumska kraljica" (Forest Queen). The corresponding text (to which the opera was composed) was written by Mihovil Peitz. Premiered in 1921 in the city of Petrovaradin, it is still popular among children. Information by Zov Srijema, prosinac 2016, str. 4-5 (Glasilo Zajednice protjeranih Hrvata iz Srijema, Baèke i Banata). Šumska kraljica in Sombor.

It is little known that Igor Stravinsky (1882-1972), distinguished Russian pianist and composer, had two of his sisters-in-law married to descendants of the noble Croatian family of Jelacic. More precisely, one of his mother's sisters, Sophia, was married to Aleksandar Jelacic (1874-1916), from the Russian branch of the Jelacic family, and another, Catharina, was married to Nikola Jelacic.

Igor Stravinsky mentions him in his 1937 autobiography as a person with merits in his musical development. Many thanks to Mrs. Marija Ljiljana Fabricius-Ivsic from Koeln, Gremany, for this information. Concerning Stravinsky's mother Ana, see here.

Dora Pejacevic (1885-1923) is the first important female composer in Croatia (the first known Croatian women composer is Jelena Pucic-Sorkocevic). In her short life she left behind her a rich opus of 58 pieces; she was portrayed among others by Maximilian Vanka (see below). Her works have been played already during her lifetime in Dresden, München, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, and in the town of Našice in Croatia, wher she spent her childhood. A regular Memorial of Dora Pejačević is held in Našice. Yoko Nishii Japanese pianist issued 2CD in Tokyo with music of Croatian female composer Dora Pejačević.

Dora Pejačević: Allegro, [wma] 9.2 MB,
live performance in the chapel of Prandau - Normann palace, Valpovo, 2005,
Mirta Pletersek-Blaskovic (violin) and Petra Gilmung (piano), with kind permission

Dora Pejaèeviæ, portrait by Maxo Vanka, distinguished Croatian painter

Boris Papandopulo (1906-1991), distinguished Croatian composer and conductor

Boris Papandopulo u Poljicima (Gradac kod Gata) 1983., dirigira svoju Poljičku pučku misu. Fotografija iz monografije
Nedjeljko Mihanović & Hrvojka Mihanović-Salopek: Povijest društva Poljičana, Zagreb - Podstrana 2021.

A distinguished Croatian composer Ivan Brkanovic (1906-1987) was born near the town of Kotor in Boka kotorska. He studied at the Music Academy in Zagreb. Among others he was a director of The Zagreb Philharmony and professor at the University of Sarajevo. He composed Bokeljsko kolo, Konavosko pirovanje, opera Zlato Zadra (Gold of Zadar), etc.

Berislav Klobucar (1924-2014), one of the greatest Croatian conductors, born in Zagreb, student of Lovro pl. Matačić, started his impressive career leading the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra.

• He conducted the Vienna State Opera for more than forty years (1133 performances in 56 operas!).
• During ten years Klobucar directed Symphonic Orchestra and the Opera in Graz, Austria.
• During nine years he was director of the Opera of Stockholm, Sweden.
• During six years Berislav Klobucar was director of Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra in Nice, France.

Željko Brkanović is distinguished Croatian composer of contemporary music. He composed the "Diptych for bayan and camera orchestra" which has been played by the Soloists of the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra in Moscow. It was composed in 2006 upon the request of a famous bayan virtuoso Vitalij Muntjan (Russia - Croatia), who was also the first one to play the piece.

Edin Dino Zonic, born and raised in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a winner of Golden Karma National Awards for 2006. He founded Unity Through Music, a nonprofit organization. As composer, conductor and cultural ambassador, Maestro Zonić is dedicated to continuing the expansion of peace and unity through music, music that bridges cultural, national and religious barriers to bring the universal message of peace.

An outstanding Croatian composer is Frano Parač. We recommend you to enjoy his music.

Lovro von Matačić, one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century (1899-1985), started his career in 1919 as conductor of orchestras in Osijek, Novi Sad, Ljubljana, Belgrade, Riga, and in Zagreb in 1932. From 1942-1945 he was conductor of the Vienna Opera. After 1945 he was imprisoned by the Yugoslav communist regime, and jointly with Croatian painter Kristian Krekovic sentenced to confiscation of all movable and immovable property. <.p>

In 1950's he became organizer of Festivals in Dubrovnik and Split. In 1956 Matacic moved to Germany to conduct East Berlin Opera and the famous Dresden Staatskapelle, then conducted at Bayreuth in 1959, and from 1961 to 1966 was Gereralmuikdirektor in Frankfurt. He was also guest conductor in Vienna Opera, Milan Scala, in Chicago, Naples, Palermo, Rome, London, Cleveland, Tokyo, Prague, etc., and was elected the honorary director of the Japanese Orchestra in Tokyo. From 1970 to 1980 he was conductor and artistic director of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, and almost simultaneously from 1973 to 1979 had the same role in the Monte Carlo Orchestra.

• the Bruckner Medal and of the International Bruckner Society, recipient of the Bruckner Ring from Viennese Symphonic Orchestra (one among only a few of the most outstanding conductors),
• recipient of the Smetana Medal from the Czech government and Janacek Medal,
• Hans von Bellow Medal from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra,
• medal for artistic work from the Prince Rainer of Monaco,
• the Cross of the First Order for Science and Art from the president of Republic of Austria,
• and of numerous recognitions in Croatia.

Under his baton great performances were accomplished (and recorded by Columbia Records) by Yehudi Menuhin, David Oistrakh, Enrico Caruso, Beniamin Giglio, Maria Callas, Herbert von Karajan, Bruno Walter, Arthur Rubinstein and others. Lovro Matacic founded a fund for specialization of young conductors. One of predecessors of his noble family participated in the defense of Siget under the leadership of legendary Nikola Subic Zrinski in 1566. In 1945, during the communist rule in ex-Yugoslavia, he has been sentenced to death (this information has been provided to the author of this text by two independent sources: dr. Miho Demovic and mr. Josip Moser), only due to the fact that he was an active and top musician in Croatia during the WWII, and liberated upon the intervention of Croatian diaspora and his wife Elizabeta Lilly Matacic. Having spent more than one year in the Yugoslav communist prison, he was expelled from Croatia to Skopje, capital of Macedonia (as well as dozens of other top Croatian intellectuals), where he laid the foundations of the Skopje Opera. Upon intervention of Krste Crvenkovski, a Macedonian politician, he had the chance to work again in Croatia (but only in Rijeka) from arround 1953. (This information by the courtesy of Mr. Josip Moser, b. in 1942).

Milan Horvat (1916-2014), distinguished Croatian conductor, collaborated with world's most famous orchestras. He conducted the National Symphony Orchestra in Dublin, Symphony Orchestra ORF in Vienna, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra. He has PhD in Law.

Dinko Fio (1924-2011)

Dinko Fio (1938-2011)

Zlatko Pogrmilović is a conductor, classical singer and vocal pedagogue.

Simone Young, a famous Australian conductor, has Croatian roots on her mother's side. She was the first woman in her generation to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic; the first woman to lead the Komische Opera in Berlin, the NHK in Tokyo, the renowned all-male Vienna Philharmonic. From 2001 to 2003 she was chief conductor of Opera Australia in Sydney. She also conducted The Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival in 2000.

...So her success, then, is 10 per cent inspiration, 90 per cent perspiration? "Yeah. Otherwise you're just not going to get there." Young's percentages are probably more even than that. The daughter of an Australian schoolteacher-turned-lawyer ("Dad's a very strong man; one day when he was already quite old he just decided to swap careers") and a Croatian-born dressmaker ("Mum struggled to learn English in the 60s; Dad took Croatian evening classes"), her earliest musical memories involve tinkering on an ancient piano at her grandmother's house, aged three. Source.

Vjekoslav Šutej (1951-2009), a renowned conductor (for four consecutive years conducted the Viennese Symphonic Orchestra during Christmas concerts held in Vienna, with the participation of such famous singers like Jose Carreras - concert in Arena di Verona in 1995, Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, the event being transmitted worldwide), from 1990 to 1993 musical director of Teatro La Fencie in Venice, conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Sevilla (Spain) from 1990 to 1996, and the Houston opera orchestra (the USA) from 1992 to 1997, conducted Carmen in Arena di Verona.

Zlatan Srzić graduted in conducting from the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst under Professor Milan Horvat in Graz, Austria. He graduated in violin from the Zagreb Academy of Music. Music Director of the Zagreb Chamber Orchestra “Gaudeamus” since 1978. He conducted in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Hungary, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. He performed with huge success at the Brive International Music Festival in France.

Zlatan Srzic was awarded the Jean-Fredenc Perrenoud Prize at the Vienna International Conducting Competition in 1994. Since 1977 he has been engaged as lecturer and conductor of the Osaka Kyoiku University Symphony Orchestra. Since 1998 he has been chief conductor of the Kansai City Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as guest conductor of Osaka Chamber Orchestra and Nara Philharmonic Orchestra (Japan). He recorded for Croatia Records, Suzy-CBS and KCPO Japan. Zlatan Srzic was Chief conductor of the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra since May 2004.

Source www.ivanamarijavidovic.com

Wladimir Kossjanenko, associate professor at the Academy of Music of the University of Split, founded The Virtuosos of Split chamber orchestra in 2013.

See [Bezić].

Additional information: Croatian glagolitic singing.

See here.

See his articles and books here.

Frano Kakarigi, born in the city of Dubrovnik, is Professor of double bass and chamber music in Granada, employed also as double bassist at the City Orchestra of Granada in Spain.

Vaclav Huml is distinguished Croatian violinist and pedagogue of the Czech origin (Beroun, Bohemia, 1880 - Zagreb, Croatia, 1953). He studied in Prague with Otokar Sevcik, and concerted in Lavov. Since 1903 he was working and living in Zagreb as a teacher of violin and chamber music at the Croatian Music Institute School. From 1921 until his death he was a professor at the Music Academy. Besides that he performed as a soloist and as a member of chamber ensembles, and was a co-founder and the first violin of the Zagreb Quartet in 1919.

During his pedagogical career he educated more than 200 violinists, so he is regarded as a founder of the Zagreb Violinistic School. Among his students are Vlado Kolić and Zlatko Baloković. In memory of the Huml's work and activity the Croatian Music Institute founded an award in 1953 bearing his name for the best graduates of string instruments at the Music Academy in Zagreb. From 1977, in Zagreb, every four years, the International Vaclav Huml Violin Competition is holding on. Source.

Svetislav Stančić (1895-1970) was a Croatian pianist and distinguished music pedagogue.

Rudolph Matz (1901-1988) is perhaps the greatest cello theoretician in the world (opinion expressed by Leonard Rose). He wrote manuals for cellists that even today are considered among the best for young cellists throughout the world. Matz studied cello, composition and conducting at the Zagreb Academy of Music, and became professor of cello at the University of Zagreb in 1950, where he stayed until his retirement in 1972. He wrote about 300 vocal and instrumental compositions, about 100 of them for cello. He is the author of the monumental 32 volume Prve godine violoncella in Croatian (1948-1962), translated into English as First Years of Violoncello. He also wrote the widely used For Young Hands, 54 Short Etudes.

Rudolph Matz was a top Croatian sportsman. As a sprinter he won the first place in the Prague in 1921, beating also German sprinters. He was a record holder in Croatia on 100 (for 11 years!), 200, 4x100, and 400 m. He stressed that the work of a music educator is similar to that of a trainer.

Matz served as a jury member at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1966, 1970 and 1974, and at Gaspar Cassado's competition in Florence in 1973. Matz was also a pioneer in establishing the field of music therapy as a profession in Croatia.

He founded among others the Zagreb Chamber Orchestra, predecessor of the Zagreb Soloists (I Solisti di Zagreb).

Since 1996, an annual International Competition Rudolph Matz is held in Dubrovnik, organized by Croatian String Teachers' Association.

A monograph published in honour of Matz has been written by an american musicologist:

Margery Enix: Rudolf Matz - Cellist, Teacher, Composer, Dominis Music, Ottawa 1996

Rudlf Matz contributed greatly to the affirmation and development of music therapy in Croatia.

Jointly with distinguished Croatian psychiatrists Vladimir Hudolin and Darko Breitenfeld, Rudolf Matz initiated founding the Association of music therapists in Croatia, which gathered physicians, musicologists, defectologists, pedagogues, and psychologists. Rudolf Matz was its first president, and later its honorary president. He delivered numerous lectures, and presided over international congresses and symposiums in Zagreb, which has become one of the world centers of music therapy. He organized a systematic education of young music therapists at the Academy of Music of the University of Zagreb, which started in 1974. In 1971, Rudolf Matz founded and directed the choir called the Zagreb physicians-singers.

University of North Carolina, Greensboro, USA, keeps archival material:

• Rudolf Matz Biography
• Rudolf Matz Archival Materials,
• The Contents of the Rudolf Matz Cello Music Collection

K suncu prosi vsaka ro¾a, verses by Croatian poet Dragutin Domjaniæ, and music by Rudolf Matz (other version of the same song)

Lit.

• Zrinka Jelèiæ: Veliki opus vedrine / Rudolf Matz, Muzej Grada Zagreba, Zagreb 2017.
• Rudolf Matz – A Great Work of Good Cheer
• Rudolf Matz: The Greatest Cello Theorist in the World

Rudolf and Margita Matz Memorial Collection was set up in their appartment in Zagreb, Mesnička 15, which once famed for its encounters with musicians and intimate concerts. In 1967, Matz was visited by a celebrated cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. Rudolf Matz composed the melody of the anthem of the cultural society Napredak (Advancement) in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Elly Bašić (1908-1998), b. Lerch, of the Jewish origin, having completed the study of piano at the Zagreb Academy of Music, became a very original music teacher. She developed the so called Functional Music Pedagogy (FMP), which since 1965 formed a basis for the Elly Bašić Music School, which exists also today. She claimed that every child had a music ear and a feeling for rhythm. See Denis Vasilj's wonderful monograph about Elly Bašić: [Vasilj].

Radovan Lorković (1932), professor of violin in Basle in Switzerland and concert master, conducted a concert ensemble Musica Viva - Basel. See his article written in Croatian: Sjećanja na neke nastupe i djelovanje hrvatskih glazbenika u Švicarskoj.

Katarina Livljanic founded a French international Dialogos Ensemble in Paris in 1996. This vocal ensemble has singers from Norway, Venezuela, Bulgaria, Sweden, France and Croatia, specialized for Middle Age music and liturgical tradition among Mediterranean cultures. Their program includes also old Croatian glagolitic singing from Istria and very archaic singing from the island of Hvar. The glagolitic chant from medieval Croatia has been performed and recorded with great musicological interest.

Photos from www.ensemble-dialogos.org

In 1999 a CD Terra Adriatica was issued, under the title Chants sacrés des terres croates et italiennes au Moyen-Age, Dialogos Ensemble/Katarina Livljanic, Paris, ED 13107. The ensemble has won prestigious awards of French critiques like Diapason d'or and Monde de la Musique.

Example: Puce moj [mp3], that is, Popule meus, from Poljica.

Katarina Livljanich is lecturing Middle Age music at Sorbonne in Paris. In 1998 she founded a department for interpretation of Gregorian coral at the University of Limerick, Ireland, which is one of very rare in the world. Since 2002 she is artistic adviser of the Festival of Early Music in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

• Dialogos - ensemble vocal de musique médiévale, direction: Katarina Livljanic (official web site)
• CHANTS GLAGOLITIQUES, Dialogos en concert "Terra Adriatica", chants sacrés des terres croates et italiennes au Moyen âge
• La Vision Tondale, deux concerts à Paris au Musée Nationale de Moyen-Âge, 2003, see La Vision de Tondal, Dialogos, Katarina Livljanic, CD information

Croatian glagolitic singing

Véritable révélation de l'année, l'album Terra adriatica a été largement salué par la critique et a notamment été élu "Diapason d'or" et "Choc du Monde de la Musique" en 1999.

Postal address: Compagnie Dialogos 137 avenue de Choisy 75013 Paris - France Tel/fax: +33. 1. 45.53.40.00 E-mail: dialogos@wanadoo.fr

Regarding the glagolitic chant in Croatia see also Following the Cross - Lenten chants from the island of Hvar, Croatia, by Nenad Bach Music Ltd., New York.

Vlado Kolitsch (Vlado Kolić, 1899-1979), born in Zagreb, was a renowned violin pedagogue. He studied at the Zagreb Conservatory under Vaclav Huml. His musical debut in the USA was in 1925, at Cargnegie Hall in New York, playing a violin which had been used by Mozart in 1786. Vlado Kolitsch became a professor at the Academy of Music in Los Angeles, USA.

He is inventor of the Kolitsch shoulderest, patented [PDF, click on the photo below ] in 1936 (a previous version of the violin shoulder rest has been patented by another Croatian in 1930, also from Zagreb: Mirko Medaković, [PDF]). The Kolitsch shoulderest is manufactured in many countries.

Vlado Kolitsch was in possession of a Mozart's violin.

Once when Vlado Kolitsch met Zinka Kunc-Milanov, she reminded him that they have met 25 years ago in a Zagreb church when she, as a little girl singing in the church choir, held a candle for him who was a boy violinist, so he could warm up his fingers before playing in the cold church. Information by the courtesy of Vladimir Novak, Zagreb.

Accordcase is important equipment for every cellist, guitarist, hornest etc. The best, ultralight (3-5 kg) accordcases have been designed using carbon fibre technology by Mr. Robert Schenk in Pula, Croatia.

These cases are used by many outstanding musicians, like Mstislav Rostropovic, Yo-Yo Ma, Valter Despalj, Sting, Carlos Santana, Al Di Meola, to name just a few. Many thanks to Mr. Nenad Bach for this information.

The Dubrovnik Summer Festival, which puts on dramatic, music and ballet art, was founded in 1950. A special attention is devoted to the plays of Marin Drzic and William Shakespeare. Especially famous is the Hamlet performance on the old tower of Lovrijenac. Due to its exceptional ambience, offering enormously powerful aesthetic experiences, it is regarded to be the best stage for Hamlet in Europe.

An important cultural manifestation held in Zagreb is the Music Biennale, devoted to contemporary, experimental and avant-garde music. It has already a long tradition: in 1995 we had the 18th Biennale. Let us mention only a few names: Milko Kelemen (the founder of the Biennale), Josip Magdić, and Igor Kuljerić.

Cantus Ansambl, ensemble composed of two quintets (string and wind quintet) was founded in Zagreb in 2001.

The Osor Musical Evenings (Osorske glazbene veceri ) have been founded in 1976 by Mr Danijel Marusic, a well known Croatian film producer (known for having produced "Naše malo misto"). Osor is a beutiful and very old stone town at the joint of two islands - Cres and Losinj. The music evenings take place each year in July and August with classical repertoire, including masterpieces of Croatian masters, old and new.

Katja Markotić, mezzo-soprano and director of the Rovinj Summer Festival.

Festival of Early Music, Croatia, conceived in 2004, has been opened by Katarina Livljanić and her Dialogos ensemble, Paris, by performing La Vision Tondale in the famous Euphrasius Basilica in Porec. The organizer of the festival is Udruga Prosoli "Sveta glazba"/ Associazzione Prosoli Musica Sacra (Association Prosoli "Sacred Music"), Zagreb. Directors of the festival are Alojzije Prosoli (Croatia), Francis Biggi (Italia) i Avery Gosfield (USA). The festival is traditionally held in Istrian towns, mostly in Dvigrad, a small mediaeval town abandoned in 1630 because of the plague and malaria. One of the aims of the festival is to renew the town.

International Festival ORGANUM HISTRIAE UMAG

Svrha Prandau Festivala u Donjem Miholjcu je, među inim, obnova kulturne baštine i stvaranje novih sadržaja kroz promicanje vrijednih crkvenih orgulja i vrhunskog koncertnog prostora dvorca Mailath.

Epidaurus Festival in Cavtat was founded in 2012 by Croatian pianist Ivana Marija Vidović.

epidaurusfestival.com

The Zagreb Guitar Trio: Darko Petrinjak, Istvan Römer, Goran Listes

Zoran Dukic (1969), a Croatian classical guitarist, a student of maestro Darko Petrinjak in his native Zagreb, is one of the most prominent players of the new generation. He won an amazing number of prizes, more than any other guitarist in the world. Here are some of them (source www.gitarrist.net):

He had solo concerts in more than 30 countries on all five continents. He is teaching at the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague, Holland, Hochschule für Musik in Aachen, Germany and at the Escuela Superior de Musica de Barcelona, Spain.

Viktor Vidovic (1973) and Ana Vidovic (1980), brilliant guitarists (brother and sister); Ana has won the 1998 International Guitarist Competition "Francisco Tarrega in Benicasim, Spain, among forty competitors up to the age 32, see Toutes les qualités d'une jeune virtuose at Societé luxembourgeoise de guitare classique. She also won first prizes at Albert Augustinum International Competition" in Bath, England, at the "Ferdinando Sor Competition in Rome. She had concerts in London, Paris, Vienna, Salzburg, Rome, Budapest, Warsaw, Tel Aviv, Copenhagen, Tronto, San Francisco, Houston, Austin, Dallas, St Luis. Ana entered the Music Academy in Zagreb at the age of 13, as its youngest-ever student. Listen to her numerous recitals.

Watch and listen to Ana's concert in the Kennedy Center
in Washington DC, 2004.

Robert Belinic (1982) has been acclaimed in the New York press as "a consummate musician of grace and stature who turns mere notes into magic." Croatian guitarist Robert Belinić was the sole winner of the 2001 Young Concert Artists European Auditions in Leipzig, Germany. In 2002, he became the first guitarist to win the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York. He is recipient of the Fergus New Artist Prize, Princeton University Concert Prize and the Beracasa Foundation Prize.

Let us mention a young Bosnian Croat Dejan Ivanovic from the town of Tuzla (born in 1976), who took part in the prestigious International competition for classical guitar in Madrid in 1998 as a representative of Croatia, and won the first prize and the special prize.

Antonio Macan, born in 1988 in Frankfurt am Main, started to play piano at the age of four. He is now a young and very perspective pianist.

Zlatko Josip Grgić, Croatian guitarist, nicknamed "Torres' Whisperer".

Miho Demović (1934-2023), historian of Croatian music. See a part of his impressive bibliography: [Demović].

Stanislav Tuskar, historian of Croatian music. See [Tuskar].

See her very interesting monograph [Breko Kustura].

Radovan Vlatkovic (1962), is distinguished horn soloist, playing in the Philharmonic Orchestra of Berlin.

Ivan Supičić (1928), is a Croatian musicologist.

Vjera Katalinić (1955), Croatian musicologist.

Zagreb Academy of Music is a part of the the University of Zagreb.

See Rudolf Matz - Music Therapy

Croatian National Theatre (Hrvatsko Narodno Kazalište, HNK) - Opera

Josip Kašman (1850-1925), born on the island of Lošinj, baritone, and the first Croat that had opportunity to sing in the New York Metropolitan (in 1883)

Milka Trnina (or Ternina, 1863-1941); according to Giacomo Puccini, author of the famous opera Tosca, she was the best "Tosca" that he had opportunity to listen to (on the London première in 1900); see Milka Ternina at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; only in Convent Garden in London Milka had 56 performances between 1895 and 1906. Also, she was the first Tosca in Great Britain and in the United States.

She sang at the ceremony of coronation of the Russian Tsar Nikolai II. One of the waterfalls of the Plitivice Lakes (a famous National Park in Croatia) is named after Trnina already in 1898. In 2005/2006, Lady Jadranaka Beresford-Peirse organized an exhibition at the Royal Opera House in London, dedicated to Milka Ternina. See also the following monograph: [Premerl].

Marko Vušković (1877-1960), born in the town of Supetar on the island of Brač (just by the city of Split), was distinguished Croatian baritone. Listen to some selected recordings of his appearances.

Marija Barbieri: Marko Vušković

Maja Strozzi-Pecić (1881-1962), Thomas Mann wrote about her in his Dr. Faustus ("...she is probably the best soprano of both hemispheres"), while Igor Stravinski devoted his four compositions to her.

A famous Croatian opera singer Tino Pattiera (1890-1966) was born in the lovely town of Cavtat near Dubrovnik. His career started in Croatia, in the Opera of Osijek, where he sang as baritone. He had a great career in Dresden and Berlin. Pattiera was teaching singing in the Prague and in Vienna (Academy of Drama and Music). He is buried in his native town of Cavtat.

Ančica Mitrović b. Gjurski (Rijeka, Croatia, 10.XII.1894 – Zagreb, Croatia, 20.VI.1986), opera singer

Zinka Kunc-Milanov (1906-1989)

Đurđa Milinković (Georgine von Milinković, 1913-1986), was Croatian mezzo-soprano of Czech origin.

Srebrenka Sena Jurinac (1921-2011), legendary Croatian artist who shaped the entire opera world.

Dragica Martinis (b. Balić, 1922-2010)

Nada Puttar-Gold (1923-2017) interpreted more than fifty opera roles and appeared more than 1,000 times on opera stages and at concert halls throughout the world.

She was a member of the Berlin State Opera in the late 1950s and of the Frankfurt Company until 1964.

Nada Puttar/Gold sang as a guest artist in Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Spain, and Russia. Her repertoire included Giuseppe Verdi, Richard Wagner, and Richard Strauss.

Biserka Cvejić (b. Katušić) (1923), laureate of the French Legion of Honor in 2001.

Ruža Pospiš-Baldani (1942)

Mirjana Bohanec (1939) is a Croatian opera singer, diplomat and a film star.

Dunja Vejzovic (1943)

Vladimir Ruždjak (1922-1987): Album on YouTube containing 33 videos.

Branka Beretovac (1944), opera primadona of Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb.

Giorgio Surian (1954), the greatest Croatian opera singer in history,  is the internationally acclaimed bass-baritone of worldwide reputation. Thanks to the incredible vocal capabilities, he has made more than 160 appearances in his career so far.

He sings in different languages that, alongside Croatian, include Italian, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Czech, English... After starting his international career in La Scala in Milan, he interpreted more than 160 opera roles (sic!) in world's best concert halls like The Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden in London, Straatsoper in VIenna (Wien), Opera de Lyon, Arena di Verona, Teatro la Fenice...

See his videos, as well as his 2015 participation at the Dvigrad International Early Music Festival, Croatia, with his fantastic interpretation of Pergolesi's La serva padrona.

Jama Jandrokovic, American soprano married to a Croat, for her Zagreb appearance chose also three songs by Dora Pejačević (Dear Mother, My Angel ; I Believe, My Dear, and The Scream ).

Vitomir Marof, distinguished Croatian baritone.

Max Emanuel Cenčić, Croatian singing prodigy, is gifted with the most beautiful countertenor voice of our time. He was a member of the Vienna Boys' Choir, subsequently pursuing a solo career. He was awarded as the best new singer of the year 2003 by "Opernwelt" magazine. His performance of Andromeda Liberata in Tokyo was named the best concert of the year 2005 in Japan. Since 2007 Max EmanueI Cenčić is recording with the top-label EMI/Virgin Classics.

Examples of Croatian Christmas carols:

• Radujte se narodi (Rejoice, peoples) [mp3]
• Svim na Zemlji mir veselje (Peace and joy to all on the Earth) [mp3]
• Marija Vidović, 2021
  

• The Christmas Song (live performance),
• Bach: "Eilt, ihr angefochtnen Seelen".
• Amazing Grace, Croatian TV
  

Renaata Pokupić is distinguished Croatian mezzo-soprano praised for her expressive interpretations

Leon Košavić (born in 1991), baritone, studied at the Academy of Music in Zagreb under the guidance of distinguished Croatian opera singer Giorgio Surian. His appearances include numerous west european countries, the United Kingdom, etc. He is part of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel under the guidance of José van Dam. Listen to

• Duo L. Košavić, J. Gebhart: Mozart "Pa-pa-pa!"
• Stille Nacht - Tiha noć - 2CELLOS, L. Košavić, D. Kedžo, Zvjezdice,
• Leon Košavić sings - Aprite un po' quegli occhi (W.A. Mozart "Le nozze di Figaro").

Franjo Dugan (1874-1948), studied mathematics and physics at the University of Zagreb, and was outstanding organ player and composer, the Zagreb Cathedral organist since 1910.

It is maybe worth mentioning that the German pianist Alfred Brendel, at that time 10 years old, met Franjo Dugan in Zagreb, who gave him lessons that he found extremely useful. He also appeared at a children's theatre in Zagreb. In Dugan's textbook Music Acoustics (in Croatian), published posthumously,

Franjo Dugan st., Glazbena akustika, Kiklos - Krug knjige, Zagreb, 2014., ISBN 978-953-56937-6-5 (302 str.)
(information at kiklos.hr@hotmail.com )

Franjo pl. Lučič (1889-1972), Croatian composer, was playing organs not only in the Zagreb Cathedral, but also in the Zagreb Synagoge. Listen to his Angus Dei composed in 1940, or Fantasy in C-minor.

Anđelko Klobučar (1931), organ player and church music composer, played throughout Europe, including the church of Notre Dame in Paris, Westminster Abbey in London, Basilica of St. Maria degli Angeli in Assisi.

It is estimated that on the territory of Croatia about 800 (eight hundred) organ instruments existed in various churchs. More than 100 (hundred) of them were destroyed during the Serbian aggression on Croatia in the 1990s. It was a planned destruction, often in tragic circumstances, especially on the Croatian territory of Banovina (more than 30 destroyed organs and the accompaning churches), i.e., the area of Sisak, Petrinja, Karlovac etc.

Information by maestro Edmund Borić-Andler (organist), during his public lecture organized by Društvo Zagrebačke klasične gimnazije (Sodalitas Gymnasii Classici Zagrabiensis) in Zagreb, 16th of April 2018.

The Sea Organ in the city of Zadar is a unique musical and architectural object conceived in 2005 by Croatian architect Nikola Bašić, with assistance of Ivan Stamać, an expert in audio engineering. The sea waves produce spontaneous, random music by means of tubes built under a set of large marble steps along the coast.

Many tourists come to listen to this musique aleatoire, and enjoy unforgettable sunset with a view to nearby islands. In 2006 the Sea Organ in Zadar, Croatia, obtained the European Prize for Urban Public Area in Barcelona.

Any admirer of classical music certainly knows the Zagreb Soloists, conducted by maestro Tonko Ninic (until 1997).

In the last 50 years they had more than 3500 concerts, among others in the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall (London), in Carnegie Hall (New York), Musikverein (Vienna), in Mozarteum (Salzburg), in Hercules (Münichen), in Tonhalle (Zürich), in Teatro Real (Madrid), in Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), in Salle Pleyel (Paris), in Santa Cecilia (Rome), in Cajkovski concert hall (Moscow), in Opera House (Sydney), in Festival Hall (Osaka), in Coliseo (Buenos Aires), in Victoria Hall (Singapur). They also had solemn concerts at the General Assembly of the UN.

The Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra

The Zagreb String Quartet, founded in 1919, which performed about 5,000 concerts until the end of 20th century, many of them throughout the world.

Croatian neurophysiologist Ante Padjen living in Canada, McGill, formed the orchestra I Medici McGill's Musicians, playing viola. Half of the orchestra is composed of physicians, medical students and researchers.

Padjen became a McGill professor of pharmacology via studies in Scotland and a stint at the National Institutes of Health in Washington.

"I became interested in human destiny," said Padjen, who believes music contains a balance that also applies to science. "You can't appreciate the parts without the whole - not the fingering, not the rhythm, not the notes." In a similar vein, he says, research on cells or molecules is meaningless without a larger context.

Padjen contends that children are hard-wired to learn music as well as language. Medical school applicants should play an instrument as a prerequisite for enrollment, he said, "because music is the great expander." In the interest of linking science and music, I Medici concerts include lectures on the relationship between music and the brain.

The non-profit I Medici got off the ground as Padjen's string quartet 30 years ago. "My sanity valve," says Padjen, who officially formed the orchestra in 1989.

Saša Britvić (1965-2015) and Mario Penzar (laureate of the 1989 Flor Peeters International Organ Competition in Mechelen, Belgium) founded in 1999 in Zagreb the Croatian Baroque Ensemble which specialized in Baroque music.

Zvjezdice (Little Stars), all girls' choir, founded in 1985 in Zagreb, conducted by Mr. Zdravko Šljivac, became two-times world champions of the Llangollen International Music Festival of choir music (Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod), Llangollen, Wales, UK, in 2001, and Outstanding Prize at Sligo Choral Festival in Ireland. They are often compared with the Vienna Boys Choir. Little Stars were elected as Cultural Ambassadors of the European Union Parliament. They had very successful concerts in Norway (Oslo, Stavanger), France (Paris, Nantes, Auxerre), Italy (Milano, Riva del Garda), Switzerland (Zürich), Germany (Füssen), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo), Austria (Salzburg), USA (New York, Pittsburgh, Dayton, Northern Kentucky, Cincinatti, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Chicago), etc. You can listen to their singing of Croatian Christmas Songs. Maestro Zdravko Šljivac conducted also the World Children Choir in Paris.

Duo Balyk - Natasha and Volodimir Balyk, playing domra (a kind of mandolin) and bajan (a kind of accordion)

Melita Lorkovic (1907-1987) was an internationally known classical pianist... Her successes were tempered by the years shortly after the war [1945] when her husband Radoslav Lorkovic Sr. was shot by Tito's communist regime. Following a devastating period of being thrown out on the street with two children and losing her position at the University [of Zagreb], she survived in a small flat teaching neighborhood kids piano lessons... At a concert in Belgrade Tito himself attended the performance and was so impressed that he went backstage and asked if there were any personal favors he could grant Ms. Lorkovic. Melita responded, "Yes. Could you tell me where you shot my husband?" ...

Source: Radoslav Lorkovic, grandson of killed Radoslav Lorkovic Sr. Mr. Radoslav Lorkovic Jr, a contemporary USA musician, was born in Zagreb, Croatia, in 1958. A detailed description of his activities is available on his web site: Radoslav Lorkoviæ.

Melita Lorkovic was professor at the Music Academy in Zagreb (1929-1945), at the Music Academy in Belgrade (1948-1960), and at the National onservatory in Kairo (1960-1972).

Ref. Radovan Lorkovic; Melita Lorkovic (1907-1987) Pozajići | Lorkovići | Melita i ja, Zagreb, 2012., s popratnim CD-om, ISBN 978-95-7168-06-3

Branka Musulin (1917-1975), Croatian pianist, studied piano under the guidance of Svetislav Stanèiæ already since the age of eight in her native town of Zagreb, Croatia. After studies at the Academy of Music of the University of Zagreb, that she completed in 1936 (i.e., at the age of 19), Branka Musulin continued her studies in Paris with Alfred Cortot and Yvonne Lefébure, and then in Rome with Max von Pauer in Germany and Alfredo Casella.  She played under the baton of Hans Müller-Kray, Willem Mengelberg, Hermann Abendroth, Franz Konwitschny, Karl Böhm, Georg Solti and Sergiu Celibidache. She had numerous pianist concerts throughout Europe, especially in her native Croatia and in Germany, as well as in Japan. Since 1958, she lectured at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt am Main.

Lit.: Main. Ernst Krause, Josef Hegenbarth: Das Bildnis Branka Musulins. Verlag der Kunst, 1958 - German

BRANKA MUSULIN. She should not be forgotten. Short video from 1957, Stuttgart. Photos.

• Branka Musulin / L. van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Major, Op. 58: III. Rondo - Vivace
• Beethoven Diabelli Variationen, Branka Musulin (1917-1975)
• Branka Musulin plays Chopin. Piano Concerto 1 (1960s, from LP)
• Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58: I. Allegro moderato, conducted by Karl Böhm
• L. van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58: III. Rondo - Vivace, conducted by Karl Böhm
• Branka Musulin plays Ravel Piano Concerto in G
• Jean Françaix - Branka Musulin & Hans Müller-Kray (1951) Concerto pour piano (1936)
• Schumann - Branka Musulin & Karl Böhm (1954) Concerto op. 54
• Branka Musulin spielt Chopin 2. f-Moll Konzert
• Skrjabin gespielt von Branka Musulin
• Branka Musulin collection of links, Japan
  

Vladimir Krpan (1938-2025), distinguished Croatian pianist and music educator, served as a president of EPTA (European Association of Piano Teachers) during many years. More infromation about maestro Krpan is available here.

Ida Gamulin, distinguished Croatian pianist

Ivo Pogorelic, is distinguished Croatian pianist (1958). See his concert in Japan in 1983. We suggest you to visit ivopogorelich.com.

Lovro Pogorelić (1970), is excellent Croatian pianist, brother of Ivo Pogorelić. More information about Lovro Pogorelić.

Silvije Vidovic, borther of guitarists Ana and Viktor, is a top Croatian pianist. He is now employed at the Music Department at the Florida International University, USA. With his siblings and friends, he co-founded Karlovac Piano Festival, which promotes artistic achievements in his birthplace Karlovac in Croatia.

Maksim Mrvica, a young pianist born in 1975 in Sibenik, who has won the Nicolai Rubinstein International Competition of Pianists in Paris in 1999, and the International Pianist Competition Pontoise in Paris in 2001 (his second name - Mrvica - means "crumb" in Croatian language!).

He was at the age of 15 when bombs fell almost constantly on his native city of Šibenik. Maksim remembers "There were more than 1000 grenades a day. At one point there were seven whole days when we stayed in the basement and didn�t see the sun. "But you got used to it: you had to go on living."

MAKSIM Mrvica The World Premiere Performance. Rachmaninoff-Rimsky-Korsakoff: Flight of the Bumble Bee.

For three years the whole family slept each night on the concrete floor of the shelter in their basement. They occasionally were able to escape to a house on one of the islands off ©ibenik's coast, but although he was away from the bombs, being away from his piano was tortuous for Maksim and, despite the dangers, he always welcomed the family's return to the city. For more details see here.

Martina Filjak is distinguished Croatian pianist of younger generation, winner of the prestigious Cleveland International Piano Competition in 2009. For more information see here.

Kemal Gekic is a Croatian-born American concert pianist and Full Professor of Piano Performance at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, USA.

Goran Filipec young and charismatic Croatian pianist of pronounced virtuosity

Bruno Vlahek, distinguished Croatian pianist and composer.

Lana Genc, excellent Croatian pianist.

Dražen Domjanić is Croatian pianist born in the town of Čakovec, living with his family in Liechtenstein. He served as the artistic director of Musik & Jugend (Music and Youth) which organized many master classes and concerts aiming to help young musicians from Central Europe, with emphasis on Croatia.

The well known musical ``The Canterbury Tales'', which played in London for quite a long time, was directed by Vlado Habunek, an outstanding name in theatrical life of Croatia.

The violinist Zlatko Baloković (1895-1965); he was in possession of Guarneri's famous violin "the King" from 1735 (one of the last violins built by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, "the King" was named in honour of King Joseph of Hapsburg, estimated to nine million dollars); he donated "the King" to his beloved city of Zagreb in 1964;

During the WWII he was the president of the American Croatian Congress (in New York), and president of the Committee of All Nationalities, which organized humanitarian help in many coutries. In 1966 his widow Joyce Bourdon Baloković founded Zlatko and Joyce Baloković Scholarship from which HAZU allocates stipends for gifted Croatian students to study at Harvard University.

When Nikola Tesla died on 7th January 1943, Balokoviæ played on his violin during the commemorative program organized by the New York Public Radio on 10th January 1943 (playing Ave Maria by Franz Schubert and Tamo daleko; see [Popovèak, p. 83]). On that occasion, a famous Mayor of the city of New York Fiorello La Guardia had also participated with his commemorative speech.

In Zagreb, there is a music school named in his honor: Zlatko Baloković Music School.

Lit. Borivoj Popovčak: Zlatko i Joice Balokoviæ, donatori Strossmayerove galerije starih majstora, HAZU, Zagreb 2020.

Ljerko Spiller (1908-2008) was a famous Croatian and Argentiean violinist, of the Jewish origin. He graduated the study of violine from the University of Zagreb, Croatia. In 1930 he started to lecture at the Paris École Normale de Musique. In 1935 he was one of the winners of the prestigious Warsaw Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition.

On the eve of WWII he moved to Argentina, where he continued his very fruitful activity. Spiller is the author of one of the best violin textbooks for children (Kinder lernen Geige spielen, published by PAN in Zürich, Switzerland).

He frequently played Croatian composers, like Ivan Mane Jarnovic, Franjo Dugan, Milko Kelemen, Krsto Odak, etc. In 1997 he obtained the Order of Danica Hrvatska (The Order of Croatian Morning Star) from president Franjo Tudjman.

More information by Zlatko Stahuljak, in Croatian.

Carolina Blašković, Croatian violinist

Miroslav Miletić, viola player, founded the Pro Arte string quartet in Zagreb, which in 1970's was among 10 best string quartets in the world. Among his numerous students was Hiroshi Hirano, violist from Japan (Tokyo). As a composer he promoted Croatian folklore and church music (in particular from the island of Hvar). He considers the Croatian folklore music the most beautiful and the richest in the world. In 1975, accompanied by the Leningrad Philharmonic, he played his Viola concert. Maestro Miletic collaborated also with K. Stockhausen on electronic music. He has his works published at Schott, Berben, Meckverlag, Pizzicatto etc, and an LP issued in the USA.