The 13th annual composition course this summer as part of the “UPBEAT” International Summer Music School in the town of Milna on the beautiful Adriatic island of Brac in Croatia. The composition course consists of: a series of daily group meetings with Professor Joel Hoffman (left), cultural and outdoor group activities in Milna and nearby on the island of Brac, and final concert of works by course participants. The course will focus on works written for the Milna Ensemble, which consists of the composer-performers who are members of the course.
Category: Music
Nenad Bach International Newsletter No. 41 Winter Peace Dec 2015
2015 was an exciting year to say the least. Let the Winter Peace roll in, and I would like to wish everyone a belated merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah let’s all work for world peace in one hour in 2016! Scoring a documentary film about Croatian most prominent ballerina Mia Slavenska. Film Mia, A Dancer’s Journey will be distributed in 2016. Produced by Brenda Brkusic. While in Zagreb, I was privileged to be part of the future art exhibition by Robert Gojevic, a very talented photographer and editor in chief of the Blur Magazine. Future is now. I drove autopilot Tesla Model S. Jamie Cohen is a brilliant man and one of the most prominent and progressive teachers who wrote an important book.
Bernard Luketich 1931-2015 president of Croatian Fraternal Union in the USA during 37 years
Bernard Luketich was instrumental in the organization of the National Federation of Croatian Americans (NFCA) when a strong need existed for unifying all Croatians living in the United States. He was the recipient of numerous citations and prestigious awards from the Croatian government, was honored as Man of the Year by the United CFU Four County Lodges, CFU Scholarship Foundation Inc., the Fraternal Societies of Greater Pittsburgh and several other fraternal organizations, including John Jordan Upchurch Award for distinguished leadership and service to the fraternal benefit system. He liked to play tamburitza, Croatian national instrument.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New 2016 accompanied with beautiful Croatian Christams carols
Croatia has as many as 500 traditional Christmas carols, the oldest ones dating from the 12th century, and sung also today. This number is probably greater than in the case of any other nation in the Christian world. We provide several video recordings to illustrate this important religious and musical heritage of the Republic of Croatia, which was a source of inspiration for numerous composers. On the photo a Christmas detail from the wooden portal of Andrija Buvina in the Split Cathedral, dating from 1214, of 530 cm of height. This is a top monument of Croatian culture.
Adventski koncert Splitskih virtuoza i Mai Suzuki pod ravnanjem maestra Wladimira Kossjanenka
Komorni orkestar Splitski virtuozi održao je adventski koncert u foyeru Hrvatskog narodnog kazališta Splitu 12. prosinca 2015. Koncertom je ravnao Wladimir Kossjanenko, a kao gošća večeri nastupila je mlada japanska violinistica Mai Suzuki pobjednica Međunarodnog natjecanja „Vaclav Huml“ 2013.g. Na programu su bila Četiri godišnja doba Antonija Vivaldija, Simfonija br.3 u D-duru Luke Sorkočevića i Rumunjski plesovi Béle Bartóka.
Ivana Marija Vidovic istaknuta hrvatska pijanistica nastupila u Cankarjevem domu u Ljubljani
Gallusova rasprodana dvorana, za klavirom Dubrovkinja Ivana Marija Vidović, Simfonijski orkestar Cantabile i maestro Grdadolnik ispratili su ovu 2015. godinu na spektakularan način u subotu 19.12. Naša je dubrovačka pijanistica i pjesnikinja imala čast nastupiti u potpuno rasprodanoj Gallusovoj dvorani u Cankarjevem domu u Ljubljani uz palicu maestra Grdadolnika i Simfonijski orkestar Cantabile tumačeći Klavirski koncert u cis molu Nikolaja Rimskog Korsakova, op. 30, skladanog između 1882.-1883. godine.
Ivo Pogorelich world renowned pianist a frequent guest of Croatian concert halls in Zagreb and Dubrovnik
Ivo Pogorelich, distinguished pianist, is a frequent guest of numerous concerts halls throughout the world, including Croatia. He is a recipient of several high Croatian honors in the field of culture, such as: Orlando Award (Dubrovnik Summer Games (1981), Vladimir Nazor Award (1985), Order of Croatian Morning Star (Red Danice Hrvatske) with the figure of Marko Marulić (1999), Porin Award for a special contribution to Croatian music culture (1997), Milka Trnina Award (2002). In the recent season 2014/2015 Ivo Pogorelich has given triumphal recitals and concerts in Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Great Britain, Lithuania, Croatia, Spain, Turkey, Japan as well as in China. His brother Lovro Pogorelić is also a pianist and professor at the Academy of Music of the University of Zagreb, Croatia.
Yoko Nishii's Christmas concert on 23rd Dec 2015 in Japan includes Croatian composer Dora Pejacevic
We are very pleased to announce that Yoko Nishii, Japanese pianist, will have a Christmas Concert on December 23rd 2015 at Oita (Oita-iichiko Hall, Oita-city, Japan). It includes among others the works of Dora Pejačević (1885-1923), the first Croatian womean composer. Yoko Nishii is the author of the double CD containing the pianist works of Dora Pejačević, published in Tokyo in 2015. She studied piano at the Music Academy “Ino Mirković” in Lovran, Croatia.
Ana Vidovic why is she considered to be one of the greatest contemporary classical guitarists?
We provide a few selected video recordings of recent appearances of Ana Vidović, distinguished Croatian guitarist living in the USA. Among them there are several recordings from 15 March 2015 in AsamSaal Ettlingen, Germany, of impressive quality and variety, ranging from classical to pop music. She started playing guitar at the age of 5, and by 7 had given her first public performance. At the age of 11 she was performing internationally, and at 13 became the youngest student of the Academy of Music of the University of Zagreb in history.
Ivan Padovec distinguished Croatian classical guitarist from the 19th century
Ivan Padovec 1800-1873 (known also as Johann Padowetz or Jean Padowetz), was distinguished Croatian guitar player and composer. His original compositions reveal virtuosity of a great master. He also composed pieces for guitar accompanied with other string instruments. During his lifetime he had numerous concerts concerts not only in Croatia, but throughout Europe: in Vienna, Graz, Prague, Brno, Budapest, Frankfurt, Hannover, Hamburg, London, etc. He constructed a ten string guitar with two necks, which is kept in the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zagreb. In 2006 the Mel Bey publishing company in the USA has issued his collected works. Padovec was born in the city of Varaždin, known for its Baroque architecture and a rich music tradition.
Cheah Chan Duo open Nov 13 2015 DiMenna concert with music by Croatian composer Dora Pejacevic
The Cheah Chan Duo are thrilled to be opening Some Enchanted Evening, the first concert of their seventh season—and their first appearance at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music (450 West 37th Street)—on Friday the 13th of November at 7:30pm (tickets are $20 at the door) with an art song by Dora Pejačević (1885-1923), one of the most significant Croatian composers of the early 20th century and one of the most important woman composers from that time as well. Author of over a hundred works including a symphony, the first piano concerto penned by a Croatian composer, several formidable large-scale chamber music compositions, and some 33 art songs, Pejačević began composing at the age of 12.
Stephen Kovacevich distinguished classical pianist of Croatian origin in London
Stephen Kovacevich was born in San Pedro, Los Angeles, USA, to a Croatian father and an American mother. As a soloist and conductor, he has frequently performed and recorded works by, amongst others, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and Bartók. He has directed the London Mozart Players, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in this way. Stephen Kovacevich is one of the most revered musicians of his generation. He has won unsurpassed admiration for his interpretation of Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart and Schubert. He has given master classes and recitals at Dartington International Summer School for many years. Had two concert appearances in Croatia’s capital Zagreb, in 2012 and 2015 (on the occasion of his 75th birthday).
Nenad Bach Newsletter October 2015
Nenad Bach: Several months passed like a wink and here we go into another Fall or should I say Autumn of 2015. There is no perfect moment to start a family, build a home, produce an album or finish the Newsletter… I am trying to finish this Newsletter for the last few weeks and finally today is the day. I will try to remember at least 5% including a performance with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and visit to the Emergency Room in Croatia. I am searching for boredom but can’t find it. Here are few Events I would like to share with you.
Yoko Nishii Japanese pianist issued 2CD in Tokyo with music of Croatian female composer Dora Pejacevic
Yoko Nishii, Japanese pianist, entered Music Academy “Ino Mirković” situated in Lovran, Croatia with full scholarship for 2 years. Thanks to her great talent and dedicated work, she completed the academic program in only 2 years of studies (normally it lasts 4 years) and graduated with excellent grades under prof. Evgeny Zarafiants in September 2000. In 2012 she has produced and given the concert of the complete piano works by the first Croatian female composer “Dora Pejačević” as a project “the Cultural Transmission from Ise to the World” in Ise, Japan. In February 2015 she has released 2CD ” Dora Pejacevic: Complete Piano Works ” (a set of 2 CDs) from Japanese CD label “Herb Classics”. Yoko Nishii speaks Croatian language.
Frano Zivkovic Croatian guitar prodigy invited at the age of 8 by Tommy Emmanuel to play with him
Frano Živković, born in 2005 in the city of Rijeka, Croatia, is an authentic guitar prodigy. He is playing very nontrivial pieces from classical music, but he also adores modern modern fingerstyle guitar play, and his special inspirationa is Tommy Emmanuel, the greatest contemporary fingerstyle player of the world. Tommy already had several concerts in Croatia. During his appearance in the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb in 2013, Tommy Emmanuel invited Frano, then at the age of 8, to be his special guest in the program, where they played together some well known pieces composed by Tommy. He also played with Lars de Rijck, a well known guitarist from the Netherlands.
Ivana Marija Vidovic and the 9th Epidaurus Festival in Cavtat in Croatia 9-19 September 2015
U srijedu 9.9. otvorit će svoja vrata po deveti put, 9. Epidaurus festival. Uz zvuke sa Sicilije, zanimljivih prizvuka tradicionalnih instrumenata s otoka, a uz novitete koje su unijeli u siciljanski melos, s glavnim tumačima Mario Gulisano (glas, te instrumenti bodhrŕn, cajon, dumbek, tamburin, židovska harfa), Marco Carnemolla – fretless bas gitara i vokal, te Valerio Cairone – mala harmonika, gajda, vokal s koncertom Živahni Mediteran festival će započeti. Glazbenicima će se pridružiti i autentičan ples uz tradicionalne plesače Antonija Litrica & Stefaniju Tanteri. Ravnateljica festivala je Ivana Marija Vidović, istaknuta hrvatska pijanistica i pjesnikinja.
Marko Bosnjak brings the whole region to tears
11 year old Marko Bošnjak (left), an ethnic Croat from the region of Rama in Bosnia and Herzegovina, brought the whole region to tears with his phenomenal rendition of Jennifer Hudson’s “One Night Only”. The jury, the entire studio audience, the other contestants, the hostess and Marko himself, were brought to tears. Marko is a contestant on Pinkove Zvijezdice which had 6,000 children audition from Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Only 20 made it to the actual show.
Mia Negovetic interpreting Croatian National Anthem on the occasion of the Victory Day on 5th August 2015
Mia Negovetić is only 12 years old girl from the city of Rijeka, Croatia, who had the honor to interpret Lijepa Naša (Our Beautiful), the most beautiful national anthem, accompanied with Klapa Sv Juraj of the Croatian Military Marine, during the celebration of the 20 years of Humanitarian and Liberation Operation Storm in 1995. Mia is from the family of musicians, her favorite subject in school is mathematics, and she would like to become a cook and have a family.
Ana Rucner Croatian cellist and Klapa Sinj celebrating the tradition of Sinjska alka
On 5th August Croatia is celebrating Liberation Day, remembering not only the Storm Liberation Operation from 1995, but also endevours of generations of Croatian people during many centuries. Here we provide a beautiful video from the town of Sinj, featuring Sinjska Alka and Croatian cellist Ana Rucner, with typical songs from the Sinj area interpreted by Klapa Sinj, as well as the famous air U Boj, sang in Croatia’s capital Zagreb by the Kwansei-Gakuin Choir from the city of Kobe, Japan. Finally, we end with a testimony of Dr. Slobodna Lang, distinguished Croatian humanitarian activist, professor at the University of Zagreb.