MaksimMrvica(bornMay3,1975inŠibenik,SRCroatia,Yugoslavia)isapopularpianistfromCroatia. 　　MrvicatookuppianolessonsfromtheageofninefromMarijaSeksoandgavehisfirstpublicperformanceinthesameyear.JustthreeyearslaterhegavehisfirstconcertperformanceofHaydn’sPianoConcertoinCmajor.Whenwarbrokeoutin1991,bothMrvicaandhisprofessorweredeterminedthatthiswouldnotdisrupthismusicstudies.Inspiteofthewarandsurroundingturbulence,Mrvicaenteredin,andwon,hisfirstmajorcompetitioninZagrebin1993. 　　MrvicawentontostudyattheMusicAcademyinZagrebwherehespentfiveyearsunderProfessorVladimirKrpan,whohimselfwasapupilofArturoBenedettiMichelangeli.HethenspentayearattheFranzLisztConservatoireinBudapestandduringthisyearhewonfirstprizeattheNicolaiRubinsteinInternationalPianoCompetition.In2000,hemovedtoParistostudywithIgorLazkoandgainedfirstprizeinthePontoisePianoCompetitionin2001. 　　WhenhereturnedtoCroatiahefoundhimselftobethefocusofintensemediainterestandhemadefrequenttelevisionappearancesaswellasgivingagreatnumberofinterviews.HesoonfoundhimselfrecordinghisfirstCD,Gestures,analbumofcontemporaryCroatianpianopieces.Gesturesbecameoneofthefastest-sellingclassicalrecordingstobereleasedinCroatia,andMrvicawaseveninvitedtoofficiatethePorinawardceremony,anhonournotusuallygrantedtoaclassicalartist.