MARTINA FILJAK
Martina Filjak is considered to be one of those young artists who have successfully made the path from a child prodigy to a mature musician. Her 'magnetic stage presence' and 'charismatic personality' regularly impress audiences and critics with a wide range of repertoire, which includes monumental pieces such as the "Hammerklavier" Sonata of Beethoven or the 2nd piano concerto of Bartok.
Since her debut in native Croatia at the age of 12 with the renowned "Zagreb Soloists" playing Mozart concerto KV 449, she has developed an extensive repertoire of piano concertos performing regularly in the most prominent concert cycles in her home country (with for example the Zagreb Philharmonic, the Zagreb Symphony Orchestra and the Croatian Chamber Orchestra) as well as with orchestras abroad.
She was featured in numerous important solo engagements both at home and internationally: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam; Hotel de Ville, Bruxelles; Philharmonic Hall, Ljubljana; Salle Cortot, Paris; Palais des Congres, Strasbourg; National Palace of Culture, Sofia; Boesendorfer Saal, Vienna; Steinway Hall , New York.
The season 2005-2006 brought her over 50 appearances worldwide where she performed as a soloist with orchestras of the Strasbourg Philharmonic, Croatian Symphony Orchestra, The Morocco Philharmonic, The Belgrade Philharmonic, as well as toured with Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and Croatian chamber Orchestra, featuring concertos of Mozart and (KV 414 and KV 466), Rachmaninov, Grieg and Schostakovitch. In the same season she held recital performances in France, Germany, Italy, Greece and Japan. Her interpretation of Beethoven's op.106 in Germany's 'Villa Musica' have earned her standing ovations and rave reviews.
In 2007-2008 she became a laureate of important international piano competitions: in the finals of the 'Busoni' piano competition in Bolzano she received the 5th prize, and in November 2007 she won 1st prize at the 58. International 'Viotti' Piano Competition between 122 contestants. In January 2008 she was awarded 5th Prize at the UNISA International Piano Competition in Pretoria and in May 2008 1st prize and Gold Medal at the 54 International Piano Competition 'Maria Canals' in Barcelona. She performed with the ensembles of Streicherakademie Bozen, Torino Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa as well as the Orquestra Simfonica del Valles.
Martina Filjak was twice awarded prizes that brought her the title of the most succesful young Croatian musician: 1993 the prize of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and 1998 the prize of the Jeunesses Musicales, Croatia.
Since childhood she was a winner of a number of international prizes that include the prize of the Boesendorfer company in Vienna, a special prize at the Okiden Competition in Japan, 1st prize at the International Competitions 'Johannes Brahms' in Austria, 'M. Masin' in Italy, 'International Keyboard Institute Competition' in New York, USA and 'Vincenzo Bellini' competition in Italy, the honorary prize on the 'Animato'competition in Paris, the 'Clara Haskil' scholarship of the Dutch foundation 'Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds' as well as the "Alfred Toepfer" scholarship.
Martina Filjak was born in Zagreb and raised in a family of pianists. She completed her musical education in the Music Academy of Zagreb, and the Vienna Conservatory. In 2001 her studies took her to the Netherlands and Germany (the cities of Rotterdam and Karlsruhe).
In search for further artistic development she took part in masterclasses (Moscow, Salzburg, New York) and regularly maintains contact with renowned artists as Cyprien Katsaris, Stephen Kovacevich, Jean Bernard Pommier. Currently she is pursuing her studies at the Soloist Class of the Hochschule fuer Musik und Theater in Hannover with Prof. Mi Kyung Kim.
During the summer 2008 Martina will perform in Music festivals in Berlin, New York, Passau and Dubrovnik. Projects for 2009 include touring Spain and China, performances with Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, Zagreb Philharmonic and the Torino Philharmonic Orchestra as well as a debut recording for the 'Naxos' label.