The winning video Castle Crash from Croatia has won two awards at the 14th Independent Music Awards (IMA): in the Long Form Video Cateogry, as well as in the Promo Poster Design Category. Sudar Percussion and distingusihed Croatian contemporary pianist and composer Matej Meštrović (on the photo) have created very original and nice music. Now in its 15th year, The Independent Music Awards receives submissions from artists previously on major labels as well as self-released and indie label talent from more than 94 countries on six continents.
Category: Music
Zdravko Basarić: Marija Husar Croatian singer and art director of Bonofest in Vukovar
Marija Husar is known as a singer of spiritual music and love songs and one of Croatia’s most famous singers. She is also Bonofest’s art director in the city of Vukovar. “It is incredibly important for us to show musical and spiritual quality…” she said. When Zdravko Basarić asked her why she chose spiritual music, she replied that the most supreme music is music dedicated to God and that, in general, the most beautiful art in human history is art dedicated to God. The article has been published by Wall Street International on 20 June, 2015.
Plitvice Lakes in Croatia and the sounds of water, birds and 2CELLOS
Plitvice Lakes, the most beautiful National Park in Europe, contains a series of beautiful lakes, caves and waterfalls. The 157 bird species recorded on the Plitvice Lakes so far is the third largest population of birds among the national parks of Croatia. Particularly interesting is the white-throated dipper – a rare bird dependent on clean aquatic habitats. We invite you to listen to the sounds of water, birds and 2CELLOS. The Plitvice Lakes music video by 2CELLOS had nearly 4 million views.
Giorgio Surian distinguished Croatian opera singer of worldwide reputation
Giorgio Surian is the most famous opera singer that Croatia ever had. He 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… He performed in the Scala of Milan, the Metropolitan Opera, Staatsoper in Wien, Opera de Lyon, Arena di Verona, Opera national de Paris, Royal Opera House in London, El Liceo in Barcelona, Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Teatro Real in Madrid, Salzburg Festival, etc.
Nenad Bach with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra on June 28th at the Dubuque Arboretum, Iowa, June 28 2015
Nenad will be performing with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra on June 28th at the Dubuque Arboretum, located on 3800 Arboretum Drive in Dubuque, Iowa. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. People are welcome to bring a picnic and chairs and enjoy themselves before the concert. Admission is free! The Nenad Bach Band is: Nenad Bach : lead vocal, piano, acoustic guitar, Joe DeSanctis : keyboards, backing vocal, melodica, Richard Lindsey : bass, backing vocal, Michael O’Keef e: drums, backing vocal, and Al Orlo : guitar.
Lovro Pogorelic Croatian pianist founder and art director of the PagArtFestival on the island of Pag
PagArtFestival was founded in 1999 and it has already become a tradition to have it opened by Lovro’s recital. Lovro traces his origin to Pag, and the Festival originated out of his wish to help and dignify life of the town of Pag by meaningful companionship of quality through various projects. The town of Pag is a small renaissance town made of stone, a zoning unicum well known not only by the famous lace and cheese, but also by the tradition of cultural events.
Astrid Kuljanic to perform a series of concerts in New York City May-June 2015
Originally from Rijeka, Astrid Kuljanic (left) is graduating from the Master of Music program as the first Croatian jazz musician that has ever attended Manhattan School of Music. She will be performing a series of concerts in celebration of graduation and the beginning of her American life outside of school with her family and friends. The repertoire will cover Astrid’s originals, experimental and world music (Croatian, Brazilian) arranged for voice with live electronics and performed with Mat Muntz (double bass) and Jasmin Vrban (contemporary dance).
Warren Mason – Kurt Cobain’s Music Teacher Shares His Great Musical Gift
In a neat little house in Aberdeen, surrounded by well-cared-for shrubs and trees, lives Warren Mason (left), the man who taught Kurt Cobain to play guitar and to write music. The veteran all-round musician, guitarist, fiddler and violinist plays and teaches all styles of music from folk, rock and jazz to classical on every major string instrument except harp. Warren Mason was born into the Croatian immigrant community in Raymond. His mother was Bonita Medak whose parents Joe and Yerka Medak had come over from the old country.
Oliver Dragojević to perform in Las Vegas on September 26, 2015
There will be a world music takeover of The Pearl at the Palms when Croatian pop star Oliver Dragojević (left) performs with the UNLV Symphony Orchestra and special guests on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. After sold-out performances at Carnegie Hall in New York, L’Olympia in Paris, Royal Albert Hall, London and Sydney Opera House, Dragojevic performs for the first time in Las Vegas. His style blends traditional melodies of Dalmatia, a coastal region in his native Croatia, with jazz motifs wrapped up in a modern production.
U boj, u boj! sung by Kwansei Gakuin University Choir from Japan in Croatia's capital Zagreb 2014
Connection between Croatian arias and Japanese students is already well known. Male choir of one of the most prestigious Japanese universities – Kwansei Gakuin University, Kobe – for its anthem chose “U boj, u boj “, the famous air from the Croatian opera “Nikola Subic Zrinski”. Japanese choirs are singing this air exclusively in the Croatian language for the last 90 years, and it is believed that the persona and life of Nikola Zrinski of Siget found its admirers in distant Japan because of his courage and honourable samurai death in 1566. The opera was composed by Ivan pl. Zajc 1832-1914, distinguished Croatian composer, on the photo.
Srđan Bulat continues to play contemporary Croatian composers
One of the best Croatian musicians of the his generation, guitarist Srdjan Bulat does not give up in his commendable effort to perform contemporary Croatian composers in numerous international performances. This unknown music amazes the audience, as evidenced by the critics from the Italian town of Lodi where Bulat appeared a week ago.
An Encounter with Oliver Dragojevic in Houston May 7-8 2015
Oliver’s lightening May USA and Canada tour for 2015 is done. He sang in Cleveland, Montreal, New Orleans, Houston, St Louis, and Mississauga on this tour to sold out or nearly sold out crowds. On the Facebook page for the tour is written: “6 performances, several time zone changes, twice crossing Canada-USA border, 9 flights, 700 miles by the car, taking photos and signing autographs to over a 1,000 fans! All of that in just 11 days!” We all love Oliver Dragojevic, and we are looking forward to seeing him again. Viva Las Vegas!
Nenad Bach to be featured on Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight May 15, 2015
Croatian-American musician and composer Nenad Bach (left) will be featured on Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight with Kathy Millar on 100.7 WHUD. The program aims to introduce listeners to the artists who live and perform in the Hudson Valley and Westchester, New York. The interview will air on 10:30 p.m. this Friday May, 15, and it will also feature Nenad’s song “Everything is Forever”.
The 2nd International Flute Summer Academy in Karlovac, Croatia July 5th-12th 2015
The Croatia Flute Academy is an international flute summer course, which presents a week full of intensive workshops, flute-clinics, seminars, shows, masterclasses, concerts, 1-1 Lessons, round-tables & ensemble-rehearsals. Flutists of all ages and levels are welcome to apply for a place. It will also feature guest professors from all over the world including Damjan Krajačić(left) of Croatia.
Zoran Orlic captures musician Richard Thompson for his new album "Still"
Richard Thompson is the latest musician to be captured through the lens of photographer Zoran Orlic (left). This time it is for Thompson’s new album “Still” due to be released in June and which is being produced by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Orlic’s photos have appeared in numerous magazines including Rolling Stone, newspapers, websites and music packaging.
Hrvojka Mihanovic Salopek and her Stella Maris Croatiae project
Hrvojka Mihanović Salopek, PhD, of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, is the director of important cultural project Stella Maris Croatiae , the aim of which is to present the most important examples of the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Croatia, including noted Marian shrines and an anthological selection of Marian works from the theological, artistic and musical heritage. Dr. Mihanović Salopek and her team deserve our deep gratitude for her project and for their fantastic achievement, this time concentrated on the Southern Croatian islands and on Slavonian wheat fields.
Zdravko Basaric: Everything is Forever when I met Nenad Bach
I first met Nenad during Christmas mass in the Church of Saints Cyril & Methodius and St. Raphael in Manhattan. It was during my visit to New York (1998) where I was promoting my novel Rhapsody on the Island of Susak for Croatian emigrants and the American public. During prayer I saw a tall man, with a distinct black hat. Very soon after the mass I had the honor of meeting him. This man is a Croatian American recording artist, composer, performer, producer and peace activist. The author of the article is Zdravko Basarić, Croatian writer, on the photo.
Max Emanuel Cencic Croatian countertenor singing from Versailes and St Petersburg to Budapest and Vienna
We are pleased to announce, that performances of our successful production of Siroe (the opera by Johann Adolf Hasse), directed by Max Emanuel Cencic, will be resumed on April 18th 2015 in semi-staged version at Budapest’s Vigszinhaz. Following this, there will be a performance in concert version in Theater an der Wien, Vienna, on April 21st. The high carat cast will be the same as in Versailles, consisting of Max Emanuel Cencic in title role.
Croatian American Radio Club of Chicago Celebrates 80th Anniversary
Like many great things Croatian, it all starts from a social gathering. Think legendary soccer team Hajduk Split. The soccer team was started after a group of students in Prague went to a pub after a soccer game. It was during this ‘social gathering’ the great club was created in 1911. 24 years later in 1935, another ‘social gathering’ took place, this time in Chicago in the home of Ivan Majdak. It was agreed a radio station was needed for the Croatian-Americans in Chicago, as a means to hear news of the homeland, news of the community, and preserve the language and traditions, a way to keep the cultural identity alive.
World Premiere of Nenad Bach's new video "Daughter's Eyes"
Announcing the world premiere of Nenad Bach’s new video “Daughter’s Eyes” which is the 4th Music Video out of Bach – Orlic audio video laboratory. The video was filmed at the Bella Donna Chapel in Adriatica, McKinney, Texas on April 14, 2014. It premieres today on the first day of Spring, March 20, 2015.