Renwned German composer Erhard Karkoschka commented on the music written by Željko Brkanović on the left: “I have already encountered and learnd to appreciate his music at the concerts of the Zagreb Biennale… What I noticed in particular is a differentiated use of instruments, which makes his orchestral works very interesting due to sudden shifts. In the same manner the formal structure and logically controlled lines always make a convincing impression.”
Year: 2009
Pjaca
Public square or Pjaca, Plokata, somewhere even Poljana, is the central part of the city, a place dedicated to the most significant city and municipal public events and activities, a place where everything that belongs to a city comes together. A square is actually a kind of a market for our natures.
White Croats in Ukraine and their archaeological site Stiljsko near the city of Lviv
Dr. Orest Koreinski, Ukrainian archaeologist on the left, investigates the site of Stiljsko on Carpathian mountains near Lviv in Ukraine, an important site of the White Croats from 8th to 10th centuries. We provide an article by Rev. Oleh Hirnyk, dealing with a little known early history of the Croats. The whole site, with surrounding settlements, had around 40,000 inhabitants in 9th century, more than Kiev at that time!
Marin Cilic upsets number 2 seed at U.S. Open
Andy Murray of Britain has been upset at the U.S. Open, losing in straight sets to Marin Cilic of Croatia. The 16th-seeded Cilic beat the No. 2 Murray 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 Tuesday to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
NFCA Delegation Meets U.S. Ambassador to Croatia James Foley
A National Federation of Croatian Americans (NFCA) delegation of Steve Rukavina, Zvonko Labas, Joe Foley, and NFCA Fellow Jelena Rudela met with the newly approved U.S. Ambassador to Croatia, James Foley, at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday September 1st. Cathy Westley, the State Department’s Croatian Desk Officer, also met with the NFCA delegation.
Croatian guitarist competes at Francisco Tarrega competition in Spain
Srdjan Bulat, (left) a 5th year guitar student at the Musical Academy in Zagreb performed at the 43rd annual Francisco Tarrega international competition that was held from August 28th – September 4th 2009 in the Spanish city of Benicassim. This year’s competition marked the 100th anniversary of the death of Francisco Tarrega, a renowned Spanish composer and guitar instructor.
Ivanka Bubalo from Bosnian Posavina and her white shirt
Ivanka Bubalo, Croatian newspaper-woman, shared the martyrdom of exiled Croats from Bosanska Posavina, reporting about their difficulties in her numerous articles and radio reports. She is a strong representative of what we believe could be called the Croatian spirituality. A monograph “Bijela košuljica Ivanke Bubalo” has been issued by the Plehan Society and Glas koncila in Zagreb.
Julian Rachlin and Friends festival in Dubrovnik
Pianist Yefim Bronfman, violinist Lawrence Power, clarinettist Martin Frost, cellist Torleif Thedéen, double-bassist Stacey Watton, harpsichord player Jan Jansen, along with almost “traditional” participants – cellist Mischa Maisky, pianist Itamar Golan, violinist Janine Jansen and many others – are only several world-renowned names coming to Dubrovnik this year upon the invitation by Maestro Julian Rachlin to perform at the Festival from 31 August to 12 September.
Nenad Bach plays for global peace in Kansas City
Internationally renowned Croatian musician Nenad Bach (left) performed at the first ever Concert for Global Peace on Saturday August 29, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. The concert was organized by the International Visitors Council of Kansas City in collaboration with Dr. William Everett, Associate Professor of Musicology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance.
Differential Equations and Applications a new Math journal in Croatia
Differential Equations and Applications is a new professional mathematical journal in Croatia launched in 2009 upon the initiative of Professor Neven Elezović on the photo, University of Zagreb. One of its three editors in chief is Professor Mervan Pašić from the same University.
Interview: Gordana Brzović
Somebody once said – a good product is a good product, whatever we might say about it. One such product is the show “Transfer” dedicated to culture, a different kind of culture, slightly off-center from the ordinary and spiced up with the right dose of critical consideration. We talked with Gordana Brzović, director and an editor.
Blanka Vlasic jumped 208 cm in Zagreb – the second height in history
Blanka Vlašić is just one cm below the current world record. She reached the height of 208 cm at the Hanžeković Memorial Athelitic Competition organized in Croatia’s capital Zagreb.
Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic Croatian sailors Men's 470 World Champions
Šime Fantela and Igor Marenić are the new Men’s 470 World Champions at the international sailing competition organized in Copenhagen in Denmark. They are both former junior world champions in sailing, members of the Sailing club of St. Krševan from the city of Zadar, Croatia.
In Memoriam: Virgilije Nevjestić 1935 – 2009
Virgilije Nevjestić was a poet and an artist of rich, surreal and poetic expressions. He was born in the village of Kolo near Tomislavgrad (BiH) in 1935 and moved to Paris in 1968, where he built a respectible artistic career. He died on August 24th 2009, after a long and difficult illness at La Tourelle hospital in the Parisian suburb of L’Hay-les-Roses, where he had been since September of last year.
Ana Vidovic distinguished Croatian guitarist
Ana Vidović was born in Croatia in the town of Karlovac. At the age of 13 she became the youngest student to attend the National Musical Academy in Zagreb. Her international performance career includes recitals in London, Paris, Vienna, Salzburg, Rome, Budapest, Warsaw, Tel Aviv, Oslo, Copenhagen, Toronto, Baltimore, San Francisco, Houston, Austin, Dallas and St. Louis. She has a recital in Cavtat Croatia within Epiduarus Festival September 2, 2009 – 8:00 PM.
Blanka Vlasic defends her world title in Berlin 2009
High-jump queen Blanka Vlasic, one of the best athlete in the world, retained her world crown on Thursday when she saw off arch-rival and local favourite Ariane Friedrich to win gold at the World Athletics Championships. Vlasic was the only athlete to clear 2.04m in the electric atmosphere of Berlin’s Olympic stadium.
Villa Ruzic in Rijeka and Croatian Tales of Long Ago by Ivana Brlic Mazuranic
Villa Ružić, situated in the city of Rijeka, is a top monument of Croatian culture. Among other things it comprises numerous editions of the famous Croatian Tales of Long Ago published by Ivana Brlić Mažuranić in 1916. The book intended for children was translated into some fourty languages, including Chinese. The Villa Ružić is superbly directed by Mr. Theodor de Canziani Jakšić on the left.
Vladimir Beck survives in a post-catastrophic world
What would you do in the wake of a global catastrophe? How would you find food? Water? Shelter? The Colony is a controlled experiment to see exactly what it would take to survive and rebuild under these circumstances. Vladimir Beck (left) is one of 10 volunteers that are isolated in an urban environment outside Los Angeles and tasked with creating a livable society.
Loreta Kovacic to play at the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston Sept 3, 2009
Croatian pianist Loreta Kovacic and her group the Texas Slavs will be performing at the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston on September 3, 2009 starting at 7:00 p.m. The show is called Immigrants Out There, and will feature songs composed by her.
Martina Filjak clinches victory in Cleveland International Piano Competition
Two weeks of intense musical rivalry came to an end last Saturday when jurors in the 2009 Cleveland International Piano Competition crowned Martina Filjak, 30, of Croatia (left), winner of the 18th biennial contest.