News

Mak has just returned from his first USA tour! The tour was marked with success and you can read a little about his activities in the Lancaster Eagle Gazette and at Mak's Official Facebook Page. Mak will be returning to Lancaster this summer where he will be performing the famous Boccherini Quintet with the Arianna String Quartet and the Fantasia para un Gentilhombre of the spanish composer J. Rodrigo with the Lancaster Festival Orchestra directed by Maestro Gary Sheldon.

Mak's recording of the G. Zamboni's Ceccona won the Fan vote competition at the Indie Top 100 Chart and has brought Mak a publishing of the song on the Chart's next compilation as well as an invitation to the European Indie FV tour in Fall 2010.

In the course of his solo recital at the University Festival Hall in Zadar, Croatia - 8. February 2010 at 20.00 - Mak will premiere a piece by M. Ivkovic called Prelude, written specially for the concert.

Sunday 13. December 2009:

Zagreb Guitar Quartet will perform the Concierto de Aranjuez (arr. for 4 guitars made by A. Gelo) with the Zagreb Soloists and the Symphony Orchestra of the Croatian National Television as well as doing a performance of the well known Sting's Fragile in collaboration with Macedonian Vocalist Kaliopi

Christopher McGuire about Mak's recording of the J. Rodrigo Toccata:

"The very demanding and complex Tocatta by Joachim Rodrigo performed by Mak Grgić is a tour de force of guitar playing and musical interpretation. Music of this scale is rarely played so well by guitarists because it requires a high level of virtuosity both physically and artistically. Mak succeeds brilliantly in both areas. I have visited with him at length about it (long distance via Skype) and I find his ideas on phrasing and his ability convey his intent are at a very mature level. I will personally keep a close eye on this young (21 year old) artist because I can see a bright future for his career in the broader classical music world."

Christopher McGuire
Artistic Director, GuitarSociety.org

American guitarist Christopher McGuire is one of the most unique voices in classical guitar today. Chris has taught for 25 years at several colleges and universities including the University of Dallas and has been a judge at the Guitar Foundation of America competition. He is a beloved artist and mentor, and brings musicians from around the world to perform in Fort Worth and Dallas Texas.  He has played with some of the great musicians of our time, including Charlie Byrd, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Roland Dyens.

October, 2009

Poreč concert review:

"Last night the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč hosted a young and extraordinary gifted guitarist Mak Grgić from Slovenia, whose successful performance was the last in this year's summer concert series.”...he performed dashingly, enrapturing the audience with genuineness, with an exceptional technique and a delicately polished sense of music..."

D. Cukola Zeneral, glasistre.hr (Croatian internet portal), 29. August 2009

Click to read the whole review.

Jana - An interview with M. Grgić

"Mak Grgić got his name after his father's favorite poet Mehmed Alija Mak Dizdar, one of the greatest and most acclaimed Bosnian poets of the 2nd half of the 20th Century. An ordinary walk with his father from some time ago sketched out his path for life--actually his love for the guitar. A world youth karate champion until a couple of years ago, after years of hard work and education, a month ago Mak received a standing ovation at a famous international festival in Russia. Critics predict him success, but one step at a time – he is just 22."

Excerpt from the 2009 July's portret of Mak in Jana, the popular Slovenian family magazine. Read the whole Interview in English (PDF) or click to read the original article in Slovene.

About the Rodrigo's Toccata para guitarra:

The spanish virtuoso tradition of the guitar finds in Joaquin Rodrigo's Toccata one of its best examples. Toccata was written in Estivella (Valencia) in 1933 at the request of Regino Sainz de la Maza to be performed in his second concert tour in South America, and was the second work composed for the guitar following his Zarabanda Lejana. Although Toccata was announced in the collection "Bibliotecca de Musica para guitarra" that Sainz de la Maza had with Union Musical Espanola, the work was never published or premiered. In Rodrigo's mind the work remained aloft, perhaps due to the personal circumstances in which it was written, and thus, ten years after its composition, he used it again as the first movement of his Concierto de Estio for violin and orchestra. Toccata para guitarra posseses an internal structure which, far from almost improvised liberty, responds to the sonata form utilized freely.

Excerpt from the Introduction to the Toccata, written by L. Neri

HISTORY:

June 2009, The Palaces of St. Petersburg International Music Festival - Mak's Concierto de Aranjuez debut in Russia with the St.Petersburg Symphony Orchestra and conductor Vladimir Lande met with a standing ovation from the public!

"Integration has begun!" - not one, but two guitars (!) are battling against the old frames in classical music. Yes! A classical guitar is an instrument worthy of standing side-by-side with other instruments with dignity! Following the steps of numerous other chamber groups, taking names after famous composers, and in a good will to honour the famous name, Nejc Kuhar and Mak Grgić have formed the "Sergei Prokofiev" Guitar Duo!

It is a pleasure to announce, that Nejc Kuhar, a young Slovenian composer, just finished his Sonata no. 1 for guitar solo, which he wrote and dedicated to Mak. The Sonata no.1 will be shortly added to the Repertoire. Keep checking for the News for the date of the Premiere! The Sonata no. 1 is published by Les Productions d'OZ, Canada.

After the successful solo recital at the International Guitar Festival "Festival Kitare Kras" in Slovenia, Mak gave an interview for the National Radio of Slovenia. The concert was recorded and can be listened to regulary on the Radio's branch in Koper Capodistria as well as on the program Ars of the National Radio of Slovenia.

The newly formed guitar duo with the young guitarist and composer Nejc Kuhar was invited to perform at the popular concert series called Jesenske Serenade (Autumn Serenades) organized by Jeunesse in Slovenia.

On the 11th of June Mak will make his Russian debut in St. Petersburg's Palace of Beloselsky-Belozersky. Follow this link to read more about this beautiful 18th century palace.

Just added: new photos from the trip to Dubai and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Enjoy!

Listen to the new Sample Recordings of the beautiful Kapsberger Toccata no.6 and the J. Rodrigo Toccata for guitar (composed in 1933, only to be rediscovered in the 21.century) and others.

Crossover: Visual meets Acoustics; an artistic collaboration with Isak Berbic, Lecturer in Photography & Multimedia; College of Fine Art + Design? |? University of Sharjah; United Arab Emirates. Check out his recent article about Self-Representation in the Arabian Gulf!

For all fans of celebrities: ZGQ performed at the famous footbal star's wedding! Check out the photos and a video of Niko Kranj?ar's wedding! The ceremony took place in a beautiful small church of St. John the Baptist in Zagreb on the 18.7.2008. The informal festivities were held afterwords in Kranj?ar gallery, where, amongst others, the festival Guitar days is being held.

Coming up: an official CD containing Kuhar's music (Duhovin, Six miniatures for solo guitar, Carpe Diem, Svašta, Niagara falls, etc.). Pieces performed will include collaborations with most of Slovenian best young artists.

On the 9. April performing on Moerski Guitar Festival. Selection of repertoire will include pieces of Brouwer and Cagalj.

On the 7. January 2008 performing Kuhar's Duhovin for voice and guitar in Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana.

Studio recordings of Bach, Brouwer and ?agalj! Click here to listen.

Currently making collaboration with a fantastic young saxophone player from Croatia, named Petra Horvat.