One More Dawn: Music Monday

The name of Maksim Mrvica may not be one you are familiar with, but the fact is, this guy is an incredible classical crossover pianist who has been thrilling audiences for years with his unique style and flair.

Born in Sibenik, a small, medieval town on Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, Maksim first wanted to play the piano from the age of 8yrs old when he caught sight of the instrument at his friend Alexander's house. His parents knew nothing of classical music but were supportive of their son and helped him enrol in Sibenik's state music school.

He was 15 when war broke out in Croatia and life became almost unbearable for the Mrvica family. Bombs fell almost constantly on Sibenik: Maksim remembers “There were more than 1000 grenades a day. At one point there were seven whole days when we stayed in the basement and didn’t see the sun. “But you got used to it: you had to go on living.”

For Maksim, living meant playing the piano. He would meet his teacher Marija Sekso in the basement of Sibenik’s music school and forget the war, losing himself in the music for hours at a time.As well as grenades, there was the constant threat of being attacked by Serbian snipers – any time spent outside was a danger.

For three years the whole family slept each night on the concrete floor of the shelter in their basement. They occasionally were able to escape to a house on one of the islands off Sibenik’s coast, but although he was away from the bombs, being away from his piano was tortuous for Maksim and, despite the dangers; he always welcomed the family’s return to the city.(Maksim official website)

It would seem that even with all these challenges, it didn't stop Maksim from reaching his dream and in 2001 after meeting music impresario Mel Bush he signed his first record deal.

What I love about Maksim's style of music is how he takes a really well known piece of classical music and mixes it with a techo beat or electronic sound to create such a unique and individual sound. He has a real passion for music which shows in the way he performs and sometimes he plays so fast that his fingers are just a blur.At other times, the pieces are so gentle and tender that you just get carried away in the moment - it is so beautiful.You really feel the emotion of the piece through the way that he plays.

I had the opportunity a few years ago to see him perform live in concert with my friend Jillian and I remember just sitting in total awe the whole way through the concert. We got to meet him afterwards and were impressed by how humble he was and how appreciative he was of his fans. In meeting him you really get the feeling that his music isn't just a job, it's a way of life and he is just pleased to share his passion with others.