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Pianist Ivan Galiæ - Scent of a Dream album - CD Review, November 21st, 2022

For pianist Ivan Galiæ, the most important aspect that he looks at when interpreting a musical piece is the public's reaction and the intensity of the emotional experience that the listeners have. "The program we recorded for my first album," says this young pianist from Bosnia and Herzegovina, "is a selection of some pieces that I've been singing for a long time for the public and which surprised the public through their simplicity, as well as the complexity, character and vibe they create." Pianist Ivan Galiæ chose songs with contrasting aspects for his first album, which premieres at Radio Romania Muzical. These include pages from Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms and modern works composed by Ivo Maèek, a prominent Croatian musician of the 20th century, of which Ivan Galiæ says: "Ivo Maèek's works, too little known but of remarkable quality, are worth listening to on my album. Artistically speaking, such works are deeply rooted in the music tradition of late Romanticism. They show a composer with great personality and extraordinary music qualities, completely devoted to his vocation. It is very important for me to pay homage to one of the best Croatian piano composers."

The songs on the Scent of a Dream album highlight pianist Ivan Galiæ's bold personality (28 years old), as well as his fondness of Romantic music and his sensitivity. The album was recorded at Festeburgkirche in Frankfurt and was released on July 15th, 2022, at the Genuin Classics German house. Born in 1994 in Gorica, the pianist studied at the Academy of Music in Zagreb, then at the Franz Liszt University in Weimar, and his professors included Ljubomir Gačparoviæ, Grigory Gruzman and Christian Wilm Müller. In 2009, the musician won the Chopin Golden Ring Competition in Ljubljana, followed by significant prizes and musical competitions in Zagreb, Berlin and Hamburg. Until now, he developed in several symphony orchestras in Mostar, Zagreb or Weimar, and performed recitals and concerts during several festivals in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Italy and France.

Larisa Clempuș