UN Chronicle: “Is Humanity able of achieving sustainable, everlasting peace? I say YES, and the time is NOW!” Musician, composer and peace activist Nenad Bach shares his ideas for achieving “World Peace in One Hour”: https://it.ly3kvgDkN. In 1984, the year he arrived in New York, the United Nations General Assembly, by resolution 39/11, adopted the Declaration of the Right of Peoples to Peace, in which United Nations Member States solemnly proclaimed that the peoples of our planet had a sacred right to peace.
Category: Music
Nenad Bach International Newsletter No. 57: Peace Maker
Protecting the existence of all species, sustaining life on Earth, exploring outer space, tackling disease and mortality, solving the pollution problem, coexisting with the environment, electing more women to leadership positions and creating real freedom that includes true private property: world peace is a prerequisite for all of these objectives. 25 years from Pavarotti and Friends in Modena, Italy. A Call for peace in Bosnia Herzegovina. 3 months after this concert, war ended. We partnered with Steve Rowe and Aerobic Table Tennis to produce instructional videos for PingPongParkinson.
Damjan Rodin 1910-1968 Croatian priest in Brasil founder of Vila Croacia in Rio de Janeiro
Damjan Rodin was one of the first Croatian priests to move to Brazil after the Second World War, where he organised the religious and community life of the ethnic Croatian community in Sao Paulo. In Rio de Janeiro he continued his important work for Croatians and Brazilians. He was born in the Šibenik hinterland (in the town of Prvić Luka on the island of Prvić) and moved to Brazil in 1947, working as parish priest in Sao Paulo. He raised a favela in Rio de Janeiro now known as Vila Croacia, part of the Senador Camara district.
Yoko Nishii presenting Dora Pejacevic and the town of Nasice in Croatia
In this article we present a nice video prepared by Yoko Nishii (Ise, Japan), dedicated to the 135th anniversary of the birth of Dora Pejačević (on the photo), the first Croatian woman composer of international reputation. In this video, Yoko plays Pejačević’s “Chanson sans paroles” in C Major Op. 5 (Song without words), accompanied with lovely sceneries from the town of Našice, where Dora was living, and where Yoko already had several pianist concerts. Yoko Nishii had nearly fifty soloist concerts in as many as 24 Croatian cities and towns. We should also stress that she speaks Croatian.
Miro Vidovic 1967-2020 world class producer with a heart of gold
Miro Vidović, born in the city of Vukovar, was one of the best Croatian music producers. Numerous distinuished musicians attended his “Morris Studio”, founded in 1997 in the city of Zagreb: 2CELLOS (Stjepan Hauser and Luka Šulić), Oliver Dragojević, Maksim Mrvica, Gibonni, Arsen Dedić, Nenad Bach, etc. He was a manager of 2CELLOS, that he directed since the very beginning. 2CELLOS said that Miro discovered them, but Miro modestly said that in fact 2CELLOS discovered him. Miro was always simple, modest, and down to the earth.
14th Epidaurus Festival organized in Cavtat on September 5-12, 2020
U subotu 5. rujna, po prvi puta u predvorju Kneževa dvora u Cavtatu, organiziramo svečano otvorenje 14. Epidaurus festivala. Njime među inim obilježavamo 130. obljetnica rođenja proslavljenog cavtačanina Tina Pattiere, koji nas je ne samo zadužio nego i podučio svojim primjerom kako moramo ustrajati u stvaranju umjetnosti i ljepote oko nas. Dijelić života ovog markantnog i sjajnog tenora će nam Franica Krampus Vidović, dugogodišnja profesorica Povijesti glazbe u Umjetničkoj školi Luke Sorkočevića u Dubrovniku, koja je i sama autorica brojnih studija i članaka o još uvijek nedovoljno poznatom pjevaču zlatnoga grla. Ostanite zdravo i raspjevano! Dobrodošli u Cavtat! The founder and artistic director of the Festival is Ivana Marija Vidović, on the photo.
Jelko Yuresha 1937 – 2020 distinguished Croatian ballet dancer
Belinda Wright and Jelko Yuresha (on the photo), English and Croatian dancers, established partnership as “Ambassadors of Dance”, performing throughout the world. Jelko Yuresha, born in Croatia’s capital Zagreb, studied ballet under Ana Roje, Nadine Nicolaeva Legat, Kathleen Crofton, Tamara Karsavina and worked with choreograhphers Leonid Massine, Vladimir Bourmeister, Frederick Ashton, Serge Lifar, Bronislava Nijinska. He appeared with Margot Fonteyn in the BBC-TV production of “Sleeping Beauty” (1959), was The Principal Dancer of The English National Ballet (previously London Festival Ballet) and danced Principal roles with British Royal Ballet.
Mia Slavenska 1916-2002 Croatian ballet prodigy
Mia Slavenska, the greatest Croatian female classical dancer in history, was born in Brod na Savi, Croatia, on February 20, 1916, the daughter of Milan and Heddwiga (Palme) Eorak. Her early teachers include Josephina Weiss, former Ballerina of the Vienna State Opera, Margarita Froman, ballerina of the Bolshoi and Maximilian Froman, soloist of the Bolshoi. Mia Slavenska was a student at the Royal Academy of Music, Zagreb, Croatia for five years, where she majored in piano. She studied ballet in both Vienna and Paris. She came to the United States in 1939 and was naturalized in 1947. She married Kurt Neumann and had one daughter, Maria. We draw your attention to an excellent film Mia Slavenska – A Dancer’s Journey (60 min.) , by Maria Ramas and Kate Johnson.
2CELLOS Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser about their families and concerts
Concert on the King Tomislav square in Zagreb, in front of fifty thosand people Luka Šulić – about his family and concerts (speaking in Croatian) Luka Šulić about Šulić beach and his…
Zoran Orlic world class music photographer: Live From Chicago!
The Croatian-born photographer relocated to Chicago at an early age and began photographing bands in college. As a young musician might, he took his mantra seriously: practice, practice, practice. It wasn’t until he chanced upon the work of one of the greatest rock photographers of all time that lightning struck, and he realized what he wanted to do with his life. “I shot Jeff,” Orlic says of his first photo shoot with Wilco’s founder, Jeff Tweedy. “They liked it, and the rest is history. I just kind of never left.” From the perspective of the bands and record labels for whom he works, Orlic’s easygoing manner and ability to produce images efficiently and without getting in the way are equally as important as his artistic prowess.
Yoko Nishii plays Sergei Rachmaninov
I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to all others who have assisted and supported me in various ways in making this CD. In particular, great support was given by Tokamachi City which is known as a host town for Croatia for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Croatia is my second home where I’d studied and spent seven years. Tokamachi City has a warm friendship with Croatia since the 2002 FIFA World Cup and it was really special for me to get a chance to make the recording at such a city. I hope that this CD would contribute to a further development of a beautiful friendship between Japan and Croatia.
Tino Pattiera 1890-1966 distinguished Croatian tenor promoted by Franica Vidovic Krampus
Tino Pattiera was born in 1890 and died 1966 in his beloved town of Cavtat. He was a world-renown opera singer. His voice was a heroic, dramatic and delightful tenor, with perfect diction and pronunciation for both the German and Italian opera opus. He was an irresistibly attractive figure on the stage and is remembered by his attractive voice and appearance. Among other accomplishments, he was a lead in The Saxony Kingdom Opera House in Dresden and guest soloist at The New York Metropolitan Opera. He was among the greatest Croatian singers in history. With this article we mark 130 years since the birth of Tino Pattiera in the town of Cavtat, near the city of Dubrovnik.
Nenad, Who Plays Ping Pong
Nenad Bach is a world-class musician that decided to stop performing publicly after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2010. In the wake of his diagnosis he discovered that playing ping pong helped to alleviate his symptoms. Now he’s attempting to help millions of others do the same. Official Selection of 2020 Mountainfilm Festival. Featured on Directors Library, May 28th, 2020. Daily Short Pick on FilmShortage.com, May 27th, 2020.
Radojka Sverko singing Croatian National Anthem on the occasion of Statehood Day on May 30th, 2020
Radojka Šverko, Croatian diva, was singing Croatian National Anthem during the celebration of the Statehood Day on May 30th, 2020. On 30 May 1990, the first modern multi-party Croatian Parliament convened, following the 1990 Croatian parliamentary election. Croatian Deit (Sabor) is one of the oldest in Europe. During many centuries the Croats had their bans (viceroys) and their assembly called Sabor (Deit). The oldest known Sabor was held in Split in 925 and in 928 (devoted more to religious than to secular questions), and in 1076 when Dmitar Zvonimir was elected the Croatian King by the “unanimous choice of the clergy and the people”.
Branka Beretovac opera primadona of Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb
Branka Beretovac, soprano, was primadona of Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb for 35 years. She graduated from the Academy of Music of the University of Zagreb. In 1967, she became a permanent soloist at the Opera Stadt Theater in German capital Bonn. Upon returning back to Croatia in 1969, she had successful opera appearances in Croatia and throughout Europe: Bonn, Geneve, Monte Carlo, Paris, Madrid, St. Petersburg, Kiev, Berlin, Salzburg, Brno, Vienna, Luxembourg, Frankfurt am Main, Solingen, Ulm, Budapest, Frieburg and elsewhere. She had a fruitful collaboration with distinguished Croatian conductor Lovro von Matačić.
The city of Zagreb struck in 2020 with the earthquake of 5.5 degrees on the Richter scale
As if the vicious corona pandemic was not enough! In March 22nd 2020, at 6:24 AM, the city of Zagreb was suddenly struck with the earthquake of 5.5 degrees on the Richter scale. This was the strongest earthquake in Croatia’s capital since 1880. We mention in passing another earthquake in Zagreb 1909, which was quite important, since it led Croatian scientist Andrija Mohorovičić to the discovery of the MOHO layer, conisdered as the most important discovery in the history of seismology (the science about earthquakes). The 2020 earthquake brought a lots of damage to the city, easpecially to its central part. During the period of one month only, Zagreb has experienced as many as eight hundred additonal smaller earthquakes and tremors. The earthquake damage is estimated at 5.52 billion Euros.
Nenad Bach International Newsletter No. 55: Livestream
I will perform a few songs starting with a ping pong game that will go to 11 points, just one game then a song on a guitar, move to piano and at the same time you can send your questions opinions, desires, concepts, recommendations, connections etc., all live. The times for the livestream on Saturday April 25, 2020 will start at 10:00 a.m. New York Eastern Standard Time. This will be Midnight in Sydney, Australia, 11:00 p.m. Tokyo, 10:00 p.m. Singapore, 7:30 p.m. New Delhi, 4:00 p.m. Zagreb Croatia, 3:00 p.m. London, 11:00 a.m. Buenos Aires and 7:00 a.m. Los Angeles time.
Renata Pokupic Croatian mezzo-soprano praised for her expressive interpretations
Much in demand on the concert platform, Renata Pokupić appeared with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, sang with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and with Collegium Vocale Gent as well as DSO Berlin. She has also sung with Orchestre de Paris and Orchestre des Champs-Elysees, with Hofkapelle Esterhazy, with Handel Festival Goettingen, with Scottish Chamber Orchestra, at Mozarteum Salzburg with Le Cercle de l’Harmonie, with Orchestre de Paris, with the Bach Choir, with the Academy of Ancient Music, with Classical Opera and had an extensive tour of “Tribute to Lorraine Hunt Lieberson” with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
Starlings Rhapsody in Siroki Brig in Bosnia and Herzegovina – lesson for Europe and more…
Starling, or čvorak in Croatian, provides us with surprising lessons of social tolerance and help. See a short video from Bosnia and Herzegovina, shot in the city of Široki Brig (or Široki Brijeg, i.e., Wide Hill), which is not far from Međugorje. The duration of this very educative video is 1 minute and 19 seconds. Incredible starlings show on large transmission line was captured in the village Dobrkovići. The name of the Dobrkovići village is funny: Till the Moustache!
Yoko Nishii between the Dobro Restaurant in Tokyo and Tokamachi
By the end of 2019, distinguished Japanese pianist Yoko Nishii has visited the city of Tokamachi, which is the seat of “Croatia – Japan Friendship House”, completed in 2012. Except for having the purpose of cultural center, it also serves for preparations of Croatian sportsmen for the forthcoming 2020 Summer Olympic Games to be organized in Tokyo. Yoko Nishii has visited Tokamach for completing the material for her newest CD, which will contain pianistic works of Rachmaninov. She was surround by a small team of professionals, because everything had to be registered under the best acoustic conditions.