Maksim Mrvica facts for kids

Maksim Mrvica (born May 3, 1975) is a famous Croatian pianist. He is known for playing a special kind of music called classical crossover. This means he mixes classical music with modern styles.

Maksim's 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 just nine years old. Only three years later, he performed his first big concert. He played a piano piece by a famous composer named Joseph Haydn.

Studying Music During Difficult Times

In 1991, a war started in Croatia. Even with the challenges around him, Maksim and his teacher were determined to keep his music studies going. Despite the war, Maksim entered a big competition in Zagreb in 1993 and won!

He then studied for five years at the Music Academy in Zagreb. After that, he 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. There, he won first prize at the Pontoise Piano Competition in 2001.

Becoming a Global Music Star

Maksim Mrvica was noticed by Tonči Huljić, a composer who had worked with the music group Bond. Tonči then introduced Maksim to a British music manager named Mel Bush. EMI Classics, a big music company, also became interested in Maksim.

The Piano Player Album

Soon, Maksim started working on a new album called The Piano Player. This album gave a fresh, modern twist to classical pieces by composers like Handel and Chopin. When it was released in 2003, it became very popular, especially in Asia. It sold incredibly well, reaching top spots on music charts.

Unique Performances

When Maksim performs live, his shows are often very exciting. His manager, Mel Bush, helps create special lighting, stage designs, and video effects. These effects make Maksim's piano playing even more amazing to watch.

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

Music Adaptations and Collaborations

Maksim's music has inspired other artists. For example, his instrumental song "Claudine" was given Chinese lyrics. A singer from Hong Kong named Edmond Leung wrote and sang this new version.

In 2004, Edmond Leung loved Maksim's "Claudine" so much that he asked for permission to add words to it in Cantonese. Their teamwork led to a beautiful 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 them:

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