Maksim Mrvica facts for kids

Maksim Mrvica (born May 3, 1975) is a talented Croatian pianist. He is famous for playing classical crossover music. This style mixes classical music with modern sounds.

Who is Maksim Mrvica?

Early Life and Music Journey

Maksim Mrvica was born in Šibenik, a city in Croatia. He started learning to play the piano when he was nine years old. Just three years later, he performed his first big concert. He played a piece by the famous composer Joseph Haydn.

In 1991, a war began in Croatia. Even with the war happening, Maksim and his piano teacher decided that his music studies would continue. Despite the difficult times, Maksim entered a major music competition in Zagreb in 1993. He won first place!

After that, Maksim studied at the Music Academy in Zagreb for five years. He then spent a year at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. During this time, he won another important award at the Nikolai Rubinstein International Piano Competition. In 2000, he moved to Paris to continue his studies. He won the Pontoise Piano Competition in 2001.

Maksim's Global Success

Becoming a World-Famous Pianist

Maksim Mrvica's talent was noticed by Tonči Huljić, a composer. Tonči introduced Maksim to Mel Bush, a British music manager. Soon, EMI Classics, a big music company, became interested in Maksim.

In 2003, Maksim released his album called The Piano Player. This album featured new versions of classical pieces by composers like Handel and Chopin. The album became very popular, especially in Asia. It earned "Gold" status in countries like Singapore and China. It even went "Double Platinum" in Hong Kong, meaning it sold a huge number of copies!

When Maksim performs live, his concerts are often very exciting. They include special lights, stage designs, and video effects. This makes his shows a unique experience for the audience.

One of Maksim's songs, "Exodus," was used by Russian gymnast Anna Pavlova. She used it for her floor routine at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Music Adaptations

Songs and Collaborations

Maksim's instrumental song "Claudine" was so popular that a Chinese singer named Edmond Leung from Hong Kong added lyrics to it. Edmond loved Maksim's performance of "Claudine." He asked Maksim if he could create a version with words. In 2004, they worked together on a song called "信望愛" (which means "Trust Hope Love").

Maksim's Albums

Maksim Mrvica has released many albums throughout his career. Here are some of his well-known albums:

• Gestures (released in 1999)
• The Piano Player (released in 2003)
• Variations Part I & II (released in 2004)
• A New World (released in 2005)
• Electrik (released in 2006)
• Pure (released in 2007)
• Pure II (released in 2008)
• Greatest Maksim (released in 2008)
• Appassionata (released in 2010)
• The Movies (released in 2012)
• Mezzo e Mezzo (released in 2014)
• Croatian Rhapsody (released in 2015)
• New Silk Road (released in 2018)