In 2016 Miran Vaupotić won First Prize and special “Haydn Award” at the 12th International Aram Khachaturian Conducting Competition in Yerevan, Armenia. He conducted many symphony orchestras and ensembles including London Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Budapest Symphony Orchestra MÁV, Cairo Symphony Orchestra, Belarusian National Philharmonic, Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional Argentina, Orquesta Sinfónica UNCuyo, Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, North Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, State Youth Orchestra of Armenia, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Zagreb Soloists.
Intersteno international meeting in Croatia's capital Zagreb 2016
The annual council meeting of Intersteno and Intersteno Parliamentary and other professional Reporters’ Section was held in Zagreb from October 5-7, 2016, and was organized by the Croatian Shorthand Association, with Josip Hanjš as its president, on the photo. The event saw participation of 65 members of Intersteno and IPRS from 17 countries: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, South Korea, China, Hungary, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA and Croatia. Judging from the results of this three-day event, and the reactions and impressions from the participants, the city of Zagreb was an ideal choice of host for this international event.
Mara Vitols Hrgetic of Venezuela and Don Markusic of Australia describing their bussiness work in Croatia
Mara Vitols Hrgetić of Venezuela (on the photo, of Latvian parents) and Don Markušić from Australia, were guests of Marijan Ožanić in his monthly interview dedicated to entrepreneurship in Croatia. An example of Mara Vitols Hrgetić is quite interesting since she is a Lathuian born in Venezuela, married to a Croatian (also born in Venezuela) Josip Hrgetić, who started the FORUM Centre in Zagreb, aiming, among others, to economically connect Croatians from diaspora to the country of origin of their predecessors.
Croatian Tales and Stories for Russian readers published in 2016
This wonderful and simple book will help the Russian reader enter into the world of Croatian language. The texts composing the book are provided without any simplifications with respect to the Croatian original. The book is supplied with the translation into Russian and with indispensable lexical and grammatical explanations, using the method of Ilja Franko. The front cover page has the following motto: Let us learn a language by reading interesting books!
Double success of Croatia in the Davis Cup finals against the winning Argentina in Zagreb 2016
In November 2016, unusually manyu Argentinean tennis fans visited Zagreb, due to the Davis Cup finals in Croatia’s capital. Even prior to the match, Croatia secured the double success: being in the finals (after eliminating such superpowers like the USA and France), and the fact that the selector and trainer of the Argentinean team, Daniel Orsanic (on the photo), has Croatian origin on his father’s side. This is the first win of Argentina in the Davis Cup, after as many as four finals. Croatia already had one title of the Davis Cup champion in 2005. It is interesting that the final in Zagreb was attended by famous soccer player Diego Maradona, whose great-grandmother also has Croatian roots.
Ivana Marija Vidovic had exciting pianist concert tour in China in October 2016
Very successful and interesting pianist tour of Ivana Marija Vidović (on the photo, right, with Carrie Ren) throughout China, during several weeks, jointly with Albanian clarinetist Fatos Qerimaj ( Duo cLAVinet ), included the following cities: Beijing, Baoding, Liuzhou, Nanning, Fuzhou, Wuxi. This tour was her first encounter with ancient and friendly civilisation, which has left her in the state of total euphoria.
Zagreb AdvEnt Days among the most interesting in Europe
The Zagreb Advent Days are among the most beautiful events of this kind in Europe, accompanied with a peaceful mood, specific music, domastic food, and unusual sceneries in richly decorated Croatia’s capital. In the recent years, Zagreb was voted the best Christmas place in Europe. On the photo the advent wreath created by members of the OZANA Association for persons in need.
Vukovar 1991 – 2016 and music inspired by the destiny of the Baroque city on Danube river
Twenty five years have passed since the 1991 Vukovar tragedy. We provide several music expressions inspired by the events which marked Croatian contemporary history, as well as that of contemporary Europe. Among others, we provide music by Nenad Bach, Tomislav Ivčić (on the photo), Veritas aeterna, Dalmatino, Klapa Adriaticum, Buco, Miroslav Štivčić and others.
Marija Miletic Dail exhibiting her Five medallions of Croatian history in San Pedro on 19 Nov 2016
The first panel was named “Seoba Hrvata” – “Croatian Migration”, the second “Krstenje Hrvata” or “Christening of Croats”, the third “Matija Gubec” or “Matija Gubec’s crowning”; the 16th century revolutionary, put to death with a hot iron crown. The fourth “Ante Starcevic – Otac Domovine”, “Ante Starcevic, father of our homeland. And the fifth “Alojzije Stepinac”, our cardinal and Blessed Martyr, imprisoned by communists. The opening of the exhibition will be on 19 Nov 2016 at 6:30 PM in Croatian Cultural Center of Greater Los Angeles.
Christian Pulisic rising USA soccer star in Germany has Croatian roots
Christian Pulisic’s grandfather Mate, on the father’s side, was born in Croatia on the island of Olib. Jurgen Klinsmann, the head coach of the U.S. national team, revealed his delight about Pulisic’s development and onward potential: “This player’s potential is limitless.” Pennsylvania native, now just 18 years old (born in 1998) and being hailed as the next great hope of American soccer by his coaches and teammates, plus pundits and fans.
OZANA nonprofit organization for persons in need founded in 1991 in Croatia's capital Zagreb
OZANA is a non-profit organization for persons in need founded in 1991., upon the initiative of Katica Radonić, who worked in the Camphill, in Scotland, and wanted to share her great experience in her native city. OZANA was founded with the mission to enhance the quality of lives of children and young persons with developmental difficulties, as well as of their families. Various activities are organised through different workshops, using mostly natural materials. In 2016, OZANA celebrates 25 years of existence. On the photo Vjera Lukavečki, director of OZANA.
Daniel Orsanic captain of the 2016 Argentinean Davis Cup representation has Croatian roots
Daniel Orsanic, the current 2016 captain of the 2016 Davis Cup representation of Argentina, has Croatian roots on his father’s side. More specifically, his grandparents Ivan and Ivana Orsanic originate from Croatia’s capital Zagreb. We owe this information to Carmen Verlichak, Croatian writer in Argentina, who also sent a nice photo of his grandparents taken in Croatia in 1941.
Miro Gavran's play "All About Men" translated into Estonian and premiered in Tallinn in Nov 2016
Miro Gavran’s play “All About Men” has been premiered in Tallinn, capital of Estonia in Vana Baskini Theatre on November 11th. So far it had 16 premieres in theaters from Rio de Janeiro to Zagreb, Moscow, Prague and Krakow. It was translated into ten languages which helped promote this Croatian writer whose work was translated into 38 languages and whose plays had more than 300 premieres and 3 million viewers all around the world.
Astrid Kuljanic participating A Concert Benefiting the Syrian American Medical Society in NY Nov 29th 2016
Featured performance, of which Astrid Kuljanić will be a part of: “He Will Be Our Brother,” A Concert Benefiting the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) Tuesday, November 29th, 2016, Saint Peter’s Church at 619 Lexington Ave, New York, NY. Special performances by renowned New York City musicians, including Edmar Castańeda, Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, Kevin Hays, Gregoire Maret, John Ellis, Matt Clohesy, Magos Herrera, Vitor Gonçalves, Rogerio Boccato and Asaran Earth Trio. The admission is free and open to public. Hope you can join us in helping this extremely important fundraiser!
Bojan Bogdanovic Croatian basketball player in NBA scored a career-high 44 points
Bojan Bogdanović is a Croatian professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also represents the Croatian national basketball team. Standing at 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in), he plays at the shooting guard and small forward positions. On 22 July 2014, Bogdanović signed a three-year, $10 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets. On 15 March 2016, he scored a career-high 44 points in a 131–114 over the Philadelphia 76ers, to match Drazen Petrovic’s Nets record.
Keiichi Tahara Japanese photographer author of the monograph Les Anges de Croatie
Photomonograph about Croatian baroque churches Distinguished photographer Keiichi Tahara from Japan (lived in Paris from 1973 to 2004), prepared a photomonograph dedicated to Croatian Baroque churches:
Hrvojka Mihanovic Salopek presenting Croatian Mariological Heritage of the Sisak Bishopric
Veneration of Mary, Mother of Mercy, in the city of Sisak near Croatia’s capital Zagreb is the ninth film in the series Digital Recording of the Croatian Mariological Heritage, under the auspices of the Committee for Education, Science and Culture of the Croatian Parliament and the Council for Culture of the Croatian Conference of Bishops. The project leader, scenarist and director is Hrvojka Mihanović-Salopek, Ph.D, who deserves our deep gratitude for her excellent work, as well as the producers, Alojzije Prosoli and Krešimir Renzo Prosoli. On the photo two angels from the Sisak bishopric.
6 Croatian Tech Firms Make 2016 Deloitte Fast 50
The highest-ranked Croatian firm on this year’s Deloitte Technology Fast 50 was Osijek-based software developers Gauss in 19th place. Next on the list was electric car and parts manufacturer Rimac automobili in 20th spot, followed by software design and development firm Axilis (22nd), Zadar-based digital marketing company Telum (23rd), mobile phone manufacturers and tech firm Hangar 18 (28th) and software development outsourcing firm Serengeti from Zagreb in 39th place.
Vinkovci Automns – Vinkovacke jeseni 2016 Croatian folklore manifestation presented by Yoko Nishii
Vinkovačke jeseni (Vinkovci Automns) is a Croatian folklore manifestation organized each year in the city of Vinkovci since 1966. The impetus to prepare this presentation of Vinkovačke jeseni came from Yoko Nishii, Japanese pianist. She is a well known guest in Vinkovci, where she already had several concerts organized by Matrix Croatica, promoting, among others, Dora Pejačević, the first internationally known Croatian woman composer. In September 2016 she had a concert just during the Vinkovačke jeseni manifestation, and offered us her beautiful photos, a selection of which we are happy and proud to present for the readers of the CROWN.
Goran Filipec of Croatia awarded by the prestigious Grand Prix du disque F. Liszt in Budapest in 2016
The Ferenc Liszt Society from Budapest announced the results of the 39th International Grand Prix du Disque, awarded to the world best recordings of the music of Liszt. Goran Filipec is this year’s recipient of this prestigious award with his album Paganini Studies, published by Naxos. The Liszt Society inscribed his name in the illustrious line of past winners, such as Vladimir Horowitz, Claudio Arrau, Zoltan Kocsis or Alfred Brendel with the mention that “Liszt himself would have greatly appreciated his performance”. The ceremony award took place on October 20th 2016 in the former Academy Liszt in Budapest, during which Goran played the Reminiscences of Norma.