Triumphant 2019 ITTF Parkinson’s World Table Tennis Championships, which included 62 players, 12 countries, and 130 participants. A triumph of spirit. We play for history and the 10 million who could not play. Lots of traveling, flying around the globe, as the leitmotif of the year was Ping Pong Parkinson, music and sport as the challenge of living and working with Parkinson. I feel grateful and thankful to so many friends and acquaintances who help me along the way. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New 20, Happy Holidays. World Peace in One Hour, but most of all – Peace on Earth. Let’s achieve this sooner rather than later. We have everything we need, right now. Yours, Nenad Bach
Category: Music
Ivana Marija Vidovic member of the jury of the International Music Competition in Kaunas, Lithuania 2019
It was a great honour for the Dubrovnik pianist and poet Ivana Marija Vidovic to be in the jury presidency for all five categories in the piano section from age 5 to 23. The jury of the Piano section was composed by maestra Ivana Marija Vidovic (on the photo with H.E. Mr. Krešimir Kedmenec, ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Lithuania), professor Otto Niederdorfer, Austria, and director of the Kaunas Philharmonic Orchestra, maestro Justinas Kre—pšta. Ivana Marija Vidović also had the additional honour of addressing on behalf of the jury the numerous audience of the crowded Kaunas Philhramonic Hall during the final concert, awarding of all this year’s awards and this year’s Grand prix.
Klasya Modrusan and Eva Kirchmayer Bilic Croatian musicians performing in Yerevan Armenia in 2019
Klasja Modrušan (voice) and Eva Kirchmayer Bilić (piano and organ), Croatian classical musicians, had two concerts in Yerevan, capital of Armenia, in December 2019. They performed the works of Croatian composers for voice, piano and organ, and delivered a short lecture dealing with Croatian history, art and music, with emphasis on vocal music. The concerts took place in the Hall of Conservatorium Komitas (for piano) and in the Chamber Hall (for organ).
Sandra Wigh Hrascanec reviving Croatian composer and benefactor Luisa Erdoedy Lios born in Vienna
U Velikoj koncertnoj dvorani Hrvatskog narodnog kazališta u Varaždinu, 30. studenoga 2019. održala se grandiozna Glazbeno-dramska večer “Lujzina košarica”, posvećena životu i stvaralaštvu Luise Erdoedy-Lios, na kojoj je nastupila mezzosopranistica Sandra Wigh Hrašćanec, koja živi i djeluje u Beču. Grofica Lujza, naime Luisa Erdoedy Lios (1853-1924), rođena je u Beču i nakon smrti svog prvog supruga, udala se za hrvatskog grofa Rudolfa Erdoedya, gdje je provela dio svog života u njegovom dvorcu u Novom Marofu blizu Zagreba (na slici).
Ivana Marija Vidovic, Vesna Miletic and Diana Hilje honoring August Senoa
Ivana Marija Vidović, Vesna Miletić (on the photo, right and left) and Diana Hilje, Dubrovnik ladies – musicians, honored Croatian writer August Šenoa (19th ct), by organizing a very interesting program dedicated to Cvijeta Zuzoric, a famous Dubrovnik beauty and poetesse (16/17th ct). The program took place in the Šenoa House in Zagreb. August Šenoa wrote a beautiful article about Cvijeta Zuzorić. The program included classical music, as well as poetry of Ivana Marija Vidović, which she recited in Croatian and Italian languages.
Ode to Joy – Wilco’s studio album directed, edited and filmed by Zoran Orlic
The trek will kick off March 9th at the Sylvee in Madison, Wisconsin, with the rest of the dates scheduled up and down the West Coast. The run wraps April 5th with a gig at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. Along with announcing the North American tour, Wilco shared a new video for Ode to Joy track Before Us. The black-and-white clip was directed by Zoran Orlic at the Loft in Chicago and filmed during the sessions for the band’s most recent album. Zoran Orlic is a Croatian-born photographer whose connection to music has fueled a keen ability to capture emotion. His photos have appeared in numerous magazines, articles, books, and albums.
Ivana Marija Vidovic and Vesna Miletic had a piano concert in Krakow, Poland, 2019
The Piano duo Fantasia, Vidović and Miletić performed at the XIth International Royal Piano Festival in Krakow in the Hall of the Cultural Centrum Dworek Bialopradnicki . The piano duo Fantasy performed splendidly works by Mendelssohn, Schubert and Debussy. The evening began with Andante from Luka Sorkočević’s 3rd symphony. Croatian most famous woman composer Dora Pejačević, whose piano works were arranged exclusively for this duo by Dubrovnik musician Nena Ćorak, shone in the end.
Vladimir Novak: Croatians in America, fascinating photomonograph published in 2018
 Vladimir Novak (1928-2016)
Yoko Nishii's concert in Porec promoting Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and Croatian Olympic Committee
Poreč je 13. i 14. rujna 2019. ugostio kampanju Hrvatskog olimpijskog odbora i zemlju domaćina idućih ljetnih Olimpijskih igara – Japan, odnosno glavnog grada domaćina Tokija u cilju da širu javnost upozna s hrvatskim natjecateljima kao i gradom domaćinom na Olimpijadi. U petak 13. rujna 2019. u kazališnoj dvorani Pučkog otvorenog učilišta Poreč japanska pijanistica Yoko Niishi održala je koncert, u kojem izvela odabrana djela hrvatske skladateljice Dore Pejačević, Franza Liszta i Sergeia Rachmaninoffa.
Epidaurus Festival in Cavtat directed by Ivana Marija Vidovic 10th – 22nd September 2019
Programme: Clara Schumann / A life for the music (on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of her birth), Magics of the Italian Opera, Let’s meet Wagner, Norah Wanton – piano, guitar and voice (Spain), The Magic Fiddle – Miron Peku (Albania), Piano duo Fantasia – Ivana Marija Vidović (on the photo) & Vesna Miletić (Croatia), Rembrandt the great – Lecture by Marijke Brekelmans (Holland),… closing gala concert CAMERATA EPIDAURUS Croazzolla Concertante (Croatia) Ferdinando Redavid clarinet (Italy) & Frano Kakarigi kontrabas double bass (Spain) & Ivana Marija Vidović piano (Croatia).
Ivana Vidovic – Vesna Miletic Croatian pianist duo in Trento in Italy 2019
U organizaciji festivala klasične glazbe Piano piu piano iz Trenta dubrovačke pijanistice Ivana Marija Vidović i Vesna Miletić održale su prošlog tjedna koncert za pamćenje. Održan u prekrasnom srednjovjekovnom gradu Cavalese podno impresivnih Dolomita, pobudio je odličan odaziv educirane, probrane i zainteresirane publike koja je sve pažljivo pratila te izmamila i dva dodatka. Na programu su bila zastupljena djela Mendelssohna, Schuberta, Debussyija, Faurea a nadasve ih je raznježio Andante iz 3. simfonije Luke Sorkočevića.
2019 ITTF Parkinson's World Table Tennis Championships
One of the tools that is used to fight, slow down or just make the effects of Parkinson’s manageable, is the physical activity of playing Ping Ping, also known as Table Tennis. Nenad Bach wrote a song about it, and asked me to direct a video. This is the promo of the upcoming Official video. Love Ping Pong – (If I Had Another Life) Official Promo. October 11th – 13th. We are Ping Pong Parkinson. Mission: To help anyone with Parkinson’s Disease through ping pong (primarily) – and to have fun while doing it.
Marko Mimica distinguished Croatian bass-baritone graduate of the Academy of Music in Zagreb
Marko is a graduate of the Academy of Music in Zagreb, Croatia. He was a participant in the 2011 Salzburg Festival’s Young Singers Project, and reached the final of Cardiff Singer of the World in 2013. In 2008 Marko made his professional debut at the Croatian National Theatre, Zagreb. On the concert platform, Marko made his debut at the BBC Proms in 2014 in a performance of Salome conducted by Donald Runnicles. Further appearances have included the Verdi Requiem with the Rundfunk Choir, Berlin and for the Deutsche Oper, Berlin; Creon Oedipus Rex with the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai in Torino, Modena, Ferrara and in Napoli with the Orchestra e Coro del Teatro San Carlo; etc.
Ana Vidovic's classical guitar recital in Baden-Baden in Germany in 2019
Ana Vidović, distinguished Croatian guitarist living in the USA, had an extremely demanding classical guitar recital in Baden-Baden, Germany, containing masterpieces of Bach, Guiliani, Scarlatti, Tarrega, Mangore, Sor and Albeniz. Ana Vidovic comes from the small town of Karlovac near Zagreb, Croatia, and 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 to attend the prestigious National Musical Academy in Zagreb where she studied with Professor Istvan Romer.
Dunja Vejzovic Croatian prima donna
Croatian mezzo-soprano Dunja Vejzović studied at the Zagreb Academy of Music and began her career at the Zagreb National Theatre. She sang in the leading opera houses in Europe and America. Her versatile repertoire includes amongst other roles Venus in Wagners Tannhauser, Eboli in Don Carlo, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Abigaille in Nabucco, Adalgisa in Norma. She sang under conductors as Herbert von Karayan, Lovro von Matacic, Georges Pretes, Lorin Maazel, Carlos Kleiber, Riccardo Muti, Christoph Eschenbach, Zubin Metha, Giannandrea Gavazzini, Nello Santi, Eugen Jochum and Armin Jordan.
Sandra Wigh Hrascanec Croatian contralto/mezzosoprano singer living in Vienna
Croatian contralto/mezzosoprano has a very unique dramatic voice of enormous beauty, warmth, depth and passion, the kind of voice that not only soothes but makes you shiver. Her concerts are always sensational experiance for audience. As a theatrical and inspiring artist, she has performed in more than 500 solo concerts/performances in different ganres, at festivals, readings, varios functions and presentations, mostly in Austria and Croatia, as well in Japan in both 2008 and 2011 (as a part of the Concert Tour). Since November 2014, she has become regular guest by Wagner Gala Concerts “Peter Svensson and friends” in Vienna.
International festival of early music in Dvigrad, Istria, Croatia 2019
Alojzije Prosoli (on the photo), the founder and director of the Musica Sacra (Sveta glazba) associationa in Croatia, continues with his activities in promoting classical music in Croatia by organizing the XVIIth International Festival of Early Music, in the medieval town of Dvigrad in Istrian peninsula, Croatia. The festival is organized in unique ambience in the world, in the mediaeval town of Dvigrad, abandoned in 18th century. Dvigrad is placed near the town of Kanfanar in central part of Istrian peninsula.
Yoko Nishii speaking about Croatia at the Japanese TV in February 2019
Yoko Nishii, Japanese pianist and proponent of Croatian classical piano music in Japan, as well as of Japanese music in Croatia, was a guest of Japanese TV on 14th Febrary 2019. She described some of her numerous concerts in various Croatian cities (till 2018, she had as many as 48 soloist concerts in 24 cities, and innumerably many other appearances). She also described some of the cultural values of the country, as well as a little bit about Croatian cuisine. Yoko Nishii is fluent in Croatian language.
Nenad Bach International Newsletter No. 52: The Start of a New Year 2019
Dear All, the year 2018 was a productive and exciting year and 2019 which just started looks like even more exciting… and I hope as productive as well. Focus WORLD PEACE, promoting my idea of World Peace In One Hour through four Human Passions that connects us all. ART, SPORTS, GASTRONOMY and FASHION. These four passions unite us regardless of skin color, religion, education, status in society, personal wealth or political alliance. If you have a Parkinson’s diagnose and love Ping Pong, there will be the ITTF Parkinson’s World Table Tennis Championships from October 11-13 here in New York. If you play any of 500+ instruments and want to play for World Peace in One Hour in the orchestra that has ALL the instruments of the world, apply!
Miljenko Matijevic in Croatia in the cities of Zagreb and Pula
Miljenko Matijevic was born in Croatia’s capital Zagreb in 1964. He became one of the greatest singing stars in entire rock history. In the recent years his popularity has spread to the Far East, especially in South Korea, where he had numerous appearances. His unique voice continues to attract millons of listeners throughout the world, for classic songs like “She’s Gone”, “Can’t Stop Me Lovin’ You”, “I’ll Never Let You Go”, “We All Die Young”, etc. Miljenko: “Thank you to my country with all my heart for opening your arms and showering us with such a graceful experience. I hope everyone enjoys what we have created.”