Maksim Mrvica
Born (1975-05-03) 3 May 1975
Šibenik, SR Croatia
OriginŠibenik, Croatia
GenresClassical crossover, Classical
Occupation(s)Pianist
Instrument(s)Piano
LabelsLisinski Studios / EMI Music

Maksim Mrvica (Croatian pronunciation: [mâksim mr̩̂ʋitsa]; born 3 May 1975)[1] is a Croatian pianist. He plays classical crossover music.[2]

Biography

Mrvica was born in Šibenik, Croatia. He took piano lessons at the age of nine.[2] Three years later he gave his first concert performance of Haydn's Piano Concerto in C major. When the Croatian war of independence started in 1991, both Mrvica and his professor were determined that this would not disrupt his music studies. In spite of the war and surrounding turbulence, Mrvica entered in, and won, his first major competition in Zagreb in 1993.[1]

Mrvica went on to study at the Music Academy in Zagreb where he spent five years under Professor Vladimir Krpan,[1] who himself was a pupil of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. He then spent a year at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest[1][2] and during this year he won first prize at the Nikolai Rubinstein International Piano Competition. In 2000, he moved to Paris to study with Igor Lazko and gained first prize in the Pontoise Piano Competition in 2001.

International appeal

Mrvica was spotted by Tonči Huljić, who composed several tracks for the crossover string quartet, Bond, and introduced Mrvica to British impresario Mel Bush.[1] EMI Classics was also interested in Mrvica and soon a new album was underway.[1] This album was The Piano Player, which gave a new spin to compositions by Handel and Chopin. Since its release in 2003 it has been successful, in Asia, where it has achieved Gold status in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and mainland China, Platinum in Taiwan and Croatia and Double Platinum in Hong Kong.[2] It was also in the number 1 slot in the HMV international pop chart in Hong Kong for twelve consecutive weeks.

Under Mel Bush's management, Mrvica's performances generally take place against a backdrop of special lighting, stage and video effects.[3]

Mrvica's piece "Exodus" was used as the floor music of Russian artistic gymnast Anna Pavlova in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Adaptations and arrangements

There is a Chinese lyrical version added to the non-lyrical song of Maksim Mrvica's "Claudine". This musical piece was sung and written by singer Edmond Leung from Hong Kong. According to Boxup.com, Edmond was so captivated by Maksim's performance of "Claudine" that he asked Maksim's permission to do a lyrical version in Cantonese. Soon after in 2004, their collaboration produced the bittersweet ballad called "信望愛" (sun3 mong6 ngoi3) ("Trust Hope Love").

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
CRO
(For.)

[4]
JPN
[5]
KOR
[6]
UK
[7]
Gestures
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: EMI
The Piano Player
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: EMI
39 76
Variations Part I & II
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: EMI
1
A New World
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: EMI
3
Electrik
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: EMI
22 50
Pure
  • Released: 2007
  • Label: MBO
Pure II
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: MBO
Greatest Maksim
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: EMI
70
Appassionata
  • Released: 2010
  • Label: Universal
23
The Movies
  • Released: 2012
  • Label: Universal
17
Mezzo e Mezzo
  • Released: 2014
  • Label: Universal
15
Croatian Rhapsody
  • Released: 2015
  • Label: Universal
22
New Silk Road
  • Released: 2018
  • Label: MBO
65

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Maksim Mrvica". vecernji.hr (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 5 December 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Mrvica to dazzle on the ivories Archived 2017-12-06 at the Wayback Machine, Taipei Times, April 16, 2004. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  3. Maksim Mrvica Returns to Seoul Archived 2012-10-02 at the Wayback Machine, The Korea Times, September 27, 2009. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  4. Top lista foreign album chart positions:
  5. "マキシムのランキング情報 : アルバム" [Maksim ranking information: albums]. Oricon News (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2023-05-31. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  6. Circle (formerly Gaon) Album Chart positions:
  7. "Maksim full Official Chart History". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 2023-05-31. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  8. Cumulative sales of The Piano Player:
  9. Cumulative sales of Appassionata:
  10. "2013년 Album Chart (국외)" [2013 Album Chart (Overseas)]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  11. Cumulative sales of Mezzo e Mezzo:
  12. Cumulative sales of Croatian Rhapsody:
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