The world's biggest truffle was found in Istrian peninsula in Croatia, weighing 1.3 kg!

The hilly area around the town of Ilok, is known since Ancient times as "Delicium Mundi", due to high quality white wines from their wineyards. The most famous is TRAMINAC, known as Royal Wine. It was served during the coronation of Queen Elisabeth, and is still represented in the Queen's collection of wines. The town of Ilok suffered very much during the Greater Serbian aggression on Croatia in 1990s.

Martin Bogdanovich arrived to the USA as a young fisherman in 1908. After years of hard work he became the proprietor of the fish factory "Star Kist" in San Pedro, the largest in the world.

Lidia Bastianich (born in Croatia, in Istria), was proclaimed the best cook in the USA in 1999. She is chef of her own Felidia restaurant in Manhattan (New York), and coowner of another two restarants in New York, and one in Kansas City.

Zinfandel was often called the "mystery" grape because its European origins were oddly uncertain. Bottled wines bearing the varietal label "Zinfandel" appeared as early as 1883 in California. Hence, Zin is known as "California's grape". However, since recently (2001), due to joint efforts of the USA and Croatian specialists, we know that the american zinfandel originates from Croatia, more precisely, from Kastel Stari near the city of Split. There it is known under the names of mali plavac and crljenak.

The search of the origin of zinfandel has been initiated in the second half of the 20th century by mr. Miljenko "Mike" Grgich, one of the greatest american winegrowers (born in Croatia, on the Peljesac peninsula, famous for its "double insolation" of grapes: simultaneously from the sun and from the sea reflection). As a young student of agronomy in Zagreb, dissatisfied with the communist rule in ex-Yugoslavia, he emigrated to the USA. With the advent of free Croatia in 1990s, he returned back to his homeland.

Mr. Miljenko Grgich had first drawn worldwide attention in 1976 as a result of the famous "Paris Tasting" in which an all French panel of judges chose his 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay over the best of the white Burgundies in a blind tasting. His wines have been enjoyed not only on special occasions by world leaders such as Presidents Reagan and Clinton, Queen Elizabeth II and President Francois Mitterand. His wines are being offered on tables of the White House in Washington. For more information see Grgich Hills, and also at HIC (in Croatian).

The Croatian name for a cook is KUHAR. It is interesting that in Istria (important peninsula on western part of Croatian coast), near the town of Zminj, there is a small village of Kuhari (= cooks). Moreover, mr. Josip Pino Kuhar, born in the village of Kuhari, is outstanding kuhar in Croatia.

The world's biggest truffle was found in Istria, weighing 1.3 kg!

The Pag Cheese

http://www.croatianhistory.net/etf/cook.html

Croatian cook-book
Creative cooking at Podravka, Koprivnica
Croatian cuisine
Croatian cakes and sweets, by Maja and Mladen Sokele (in Croatian)
Gastronaut - Croatian cusisine
La cuisine et les vins, ambassade de Croatie en France
King of Chips

New Croatian Organization in the San Francisco Bay Area

www.crocenter.com
 

The San Francisco Bay Area is home to thousands of Croatians, but unlike some
other Croatian communities in the US and Canada, we don't have a Croatian
center. The Croatian youth here has finally taken the initiative and has begun
the process of organizing a non-profit organization which will promote Croatian
culture in the Bay Area. We will hold various fundraising social and educational
events in the hopes of one day, building a Croatian Center.

Our first event, a New Year's Eve celebration, was a success and our next one,
the Petar Graso concert on the 5th of February, should be as well. We welcome
all Croatians. Our new website, http://www.crocenter.com , will serve as our
"Virtual Center" and will allow us to communicate as well as provide resources
on all things Croatian. Our plan through the website is to add discussion
boards, a blog, articles, historic resources, and potentially an online store
of Croatian products. The ideas and enthusiasm are flowing wildly. We now need
to take action.

If you live in the greater San Francisco Bay Area or are planning on visiting
the area, please visit our website www.crocenter.com  to check out our
upcoming events. If you're not from the area, please stop by online to see what
we're up to. We also welcome all Croatians to join our mailing list (visit us
online for more info).

We have sadly been seeing a division and a lack of interest among Croatians in
our area over the years. I know this is not something unique to our area, but
it's sad. We hope to reverse the effect.

Pozdrav iz Kalifornije,

Emil Jakovcevic

     The Congressional Croatian Caucus which the NFCA has long been working in support of becomes official today, January 26, 2005.  The bipartisan Co-Chairs of the Croatian Caucus, Congressman George P. Radanovich (R-CA) and Congressman Peter J. Visclosky (D-IN), have sent letters to all of their Colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives informing them of the formal Caucus launch and notifying them that to become founding Members, they must respond by today.
 
     The NFCA is sponsoring a kickoff celebration with a Capitol Hill reception on Tuesday, February 1, 2005 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM in the Energy and Commerce Committee Room 2322, at the Rayburn House Office Building on Independence Avenue and South Capitol Street in Washington, DC, in support of the Co-Chairs who established the Caucus.  The NFCA will be serving fine Croatian wine and food to celebrate this special occasion.  Members of Congress interested in the Caucus as well as invited members and friends of the NFCA will be in attendance.
 
     The Croatian Caucus will be a powerful resource in forging a strong working relationship between the U.S. and the Republic of Croatia and in helping to promote mutual interests.  Among other relevent matters, the Caucus will support the endeavors of  Croatia as it works toward full membership in NATO and strives to establish itself as a regional leader in Southcentral Europe.
 
     Members of the NFCA should be delighted and feel gratified that the Congressional Croatian Caucus has finally come to fruition.  
 
                                                            Ed Andrus
                                                            President
                                                            NFCA

 Contact: NFCAhdq@aol.com       

Website: www.croatianworld.net/NFCA/      

Mladen Stanicic assistant coache to US Navy water polo

1/24/2005 - Men's Water Polo
Navy Water Polo Adds Two Assistant Coaches

Mike Schofield has announced that Mladen Stanicic and Kevin Foster will join his staff as assistant coaches.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Navy water polo head coach Michael Schofield has announced that Mladen Stanicic and Kevin Foster will join his staff for the upcoming season. Stanicic will be an assistant coach, while Foster will serve as a volunteer assistant. The Mids posted a 19-12 record last season, their 23rd straight season with at least 19 wins.

Stanicic is a graduate of the University of Split, Croatia and has worked with the Naval Academy Aquatic Club since 1988. His Navy AC women's team has been the top club team in the East for many years, with many graduates earning scholarships to top NCAA programs. He has developed numerous NCAA All-Americans, both male and female, and is recongnized as one of the top goalie coaches in the U.S. Stanicic and his wife Miriam, daughter Blaise, and son Maro reside in Arnold.

Foster, from Davis, Calif., is a 2003 graduate of Princeton University, and played under Navy grad and current Princeton coach Luis Nicolao, earning All-American honors all four years with the Tigers. He spent 2004 playing professionally in Adelaide, Australia and was the top foreign goal scorer in the Australian pro league. Kevin's older brother, Sean, graduated from Navy in 2001, and was a two-time All-American and Eastern Championship MVP in 2000. He is currently flying P-3's in the Navy.

"I think we have really strengthened our program with Mladen and Kevin. Anyone who has watched us play over the past couple years would tell you that we are a bit weak in the goal and at the center position," said Schofield. "Mladen has developed multiple national team goalies in both genders, and Kevin is one of the best centers to have ever played in our conference. They will be a big help and I think our players are really happy about having these two with us. Both of them know our program and our players very well, and have already made a positive impact on our practices."

The duo joins Schofield, who ranks as Navy's all-time winningest coach. He will enter his 21st season with a career 442-177-1 record at Navy.

http://www.navysports.com/sports/mwpolo/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=17154

Theatrical Company of the Blind and Visually Impaired
NEW LIFE (NOVI ZIVOT)

Hrvatska - Zagreb - Croatia

Founded in 1948, and until 1986 the only blind theatre company in Europe!

All translations from Croatian into English by prof. Anadea Cupic

• Theatrical troupe of a happy disposition
• Chronology of the plays
• 1st International Blind and Visually Impaired Thetare Festival, Zagreb, 7 to 10 October 1999

Address: Dramski studio slijepih i slabovidnih "NOVI ZIVOT",
10000 Zagreb, Senoina 32, Croatia
tel.: ++ 385 1 48 12 502, +385 1 48 12 066
fax.: ++ 3851 1 48 40 091
e-mail: teatar-slijepih@zg.tel.hr

THEATRICAL COMPANY OF THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED NEW LIFE

The theatrical company of the blind and visually impaired New life performed its first theatricals precisely on 21 March 1948. Since the audience of the town of Zagreb, truly amused, showed great enthusiasm for the acting of the blind performers, such reaction stimulated the Group to continue its activity, thus becoming the first blind theatrical company in Europe. New Life staged the plays by most famous national and foreign playwrights. In the last five years, the Group has focused on the Theatre of the Absurd and surrealism. By giving about 60 performances a year, plus one or two opening nights, New Life was placed on top of the Croatian amateurism. However, rather a long time ago, New Life's quality of presenting spectacle indicated beforehand that another professional Zagreb theatrical company was forthcoming. Touring all over Europe became a habit of the Group; for quite a long time, the invitations to come and visit the United States of America and Australia have been an option for the future which New Life is seriously taking into consideration.

The company has contacts with:

• National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, The Library of Congress,
  Frank Kurt Cylke (Director), 1291 Taylor Street NW, Washington, DC 20542, USA
• Deutsche Blindenstdienanstalt e.v. - Bidungs - und Hilfsmittelzentrum fĂźr Elektronik und Hilfsmittel nbH der Deutschen Blindenstudienanstalt, Arbeitsgemenischaft der BlindenhĂśrb;Ăźcherein e V.
  JĂźrgen Hertlein (Direktor), Am Schalg 8, D-3550 Marburg

Related web sites:

• Udruga slijepih zupanije Istarske
• Udruga slijepih (Association of the blind people), Sisak
• CARITAS
• Hrvatska udruga paraplegicara i tetraplegicara (HUPT)
• Studentski projekt za gluhonijeme, Filozofski fakultet Druzbe Isusove, Zagreb (a student project for deaf-mute persons, Faculty of Philosophy of the Society of Jesus, Zagreb)
• Children's village, Croatia
• The Lipik Orphanage and Colonel Mark Cook

   

• Theatre Companies with Performers with Disabilities, National Arts and Disability Center, UCLA, USA
• MACULA LUTEA, Harry's visible links, Sweden
• MACULA LUTEA, INTERNATIONAL LINKS IN COUNTRY ORDER, by Harry Svenosson, Sweden

On this web since July 1996
Maintained by Darko Zubrinic

Source: http://www.croatianhistory.net/etf/blind.html

Croatian coach about to set the best record in playoffs

Bill Belichick one victory away from best record in playoffs

Monday, January 24, 2005

AFC: Notebook
Belichick set to pass Lombardi

A victory in Super Bowl would give Patriots coach best record in playoffs.

PITTSBURGH -- Bill Belichick is one victory away from another Vince Lombardi trophy -- and one of Lombardi's most impressive records, too.

The New England Patriots coach stymied the Steelers on Sunday night, guiding New England to a 41-27 victory over Pittsburgh to reach the Super Bowl for the third time in four years.

A victory on Feb. 6 and Belichick will hoist the trophy named for Lombardi while passing him for the best playoff coaching record in NFL history.

"It's very flattering to be mentioned in the same breath with Vince Lombardi," he said after earning the right to play the Philadelphia Eagles for his third NFL title. "That's why the trophy has his name on it. I don't think I deserve it."

Belichick improved to 9-1 in the postseason over his career, and will pass Lombardi atop the NFL's all-time list with a victory over Philadelphia in the Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla. Belichick has never lost with a conference or NFL title on the line.

Chuck Noll won four Super Bowls in Pittsburgh, Joe Gibbs won three in Washington and Bill Walsh won three in San Francisco. Belichick is among nine men who have won two as a head coach, though he also has two rings as a New York Giants assistant.

"I'm just happy to play for him," defensive lineman Vince Wilfork said. "Hands down, he goes down as one of the best coaches in history. I'm just happy to be a part of it."

A week after embarrassing NFL MVP Peyton Manning, the Patriots defense did the same with rookie of the year Ben Roethlisberger, jumping to an early lead on a frigid Pittsburgh night in a stadium full of Terrible Towel-waving fans.

New England picked Roethlisberger off three times -- the first on his very first pass of the game and the second for an 87-yard touchdown return by Rodney Harrison that gave New England a 24-3 lead. Eugene Wilson grabbed his second interception of the game when Roethlisberger overthrew Hines Ward with 7:29 remaining and the Steelers running out of chances.

Under the guidance of Belichick and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, who is expected to be hired as Cleveland's head coach after the Super Bowl, a depleted Patriots' defense held Roethlisberger to 224 yards passing. Jerome Bettis carried 17 times for 64 yards but fumbled on a first-quarter fourth-and-1 and a fourth-quarter third-and-goal from the 3 that forced the Steelers to settle for a field goal.

"The strength of their team is the running game. Any time you can take that away and make it a one-dimensional team, that's your goal," said defensive lineman Jarvis Green, who subbed when All-Pro Richard Seymour was scratched.

"Your goal is to stop (Bettis) and make a rookie quarterback throw the ball downfield," linebacker Rosevelt Colvin said. "With Bill, it's pretty much cut and dry. He tells you 'This is going to work. This is not going to work.' He presents the players with a great opportunity to be successful. All we have to do is go out and perform."

And they've done that better than any other team in football over the past two seasons, going 14-2 and reaching the Super Bowl in consecutive years.

"It's tough but very gratifying. This team has worked hard," Belichick said. "We demand a lot of them. They lay it on the line. I've never been around a harder-working group of guys."

In last week's playoff game against Indianapolis, the Patriots held Manning without a touchdown -- or even a pass longer than 18 yards -- to beat the Colts 20-3.

Roethlisberger had not lost as a starter coming into the game, though he struggled last week against the New York Jets with two interceptions. But Pittsburgh was still awash in signs praising "Big Ben" as he tried to become the first rookie quarterback to lead his team to the Super Bowl.

Things didn't start well for him.

On the third play of the game, his pass went off Antwaan Randle El's hands, off each hand of Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel and into Wilson's. New England drove to the Pittsburgh 30 before Adam Vinatieri's field goal made it 3-0.

Steelers Coach Bill Cowher went for it on a fourth-and-1 from the Patriots 39, but Colvin forced Bettis to fumble and Mike Vrabel recovered it. On the next play, Tom Brady hit Deion Branch on a 60-yard touchdown pass -- the Patriots' longest pass play of the season -- to make it 10-0.

New England was playing without starting cornerbacks Ty Law and Tyrone Poole, who have been out most of the season, and lineman Richard Seymour, who has missed the last three games with a left knee injury.

Record return

Rodney Harrison's 87-yard interception return for a touchdown was the longest run back for a score in Patriots history.

It was Harrison's fourth playoff interception in two seasons with New England, tying him with Ty Law for the most in franchise history. The 87-yard return topped Law's 47-yard return against the Rams in the 2002 Super Bowl.

Fans in Ben Roethlisberger's home town of Findlay, Ohio, painted their faces black and gold ... but they quickly turned blue.

The Steelers quarterback who won his first 14 starts and was trying to become the first rookie to take his team to the Super Bowl threw three interceptions Sunday.

Roethlisberger's hometown fans, though, said the loss wouldn't diminish his season.

"I think they ought to have the biggest parade they've ever had for him," Findlay's Bev Phillips said. "How can you not be proud of him?"

New England was playing without starting cornerbacks Ty Law and Tyrone Poole, who have been out most of the season, and lineman Richard Seymour, who has had a left-knee injury.

Detroit News wire services

http://www.detnews.com/2005/lions/0501/24/D06-68385.htm

Croatian priests the best soccer players in Europe

Wednesday, Jan 19, 2005 http:/www.index.hr/
The Croatian Priests' Soccer Team won first place in the European championship games that were played in Austria. The Croatian priests achieved that title by recording six victories. Besides the Croatian priests, the championship games were also represented by priests' soccer teams from Austria, Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

One of the representatives, Fra Zarko Relota commented for the Croatian Catholic radio, that the Croatians achieved first place with superiority, without any defeat. Fra Zarko expressed hope that many teams will also participate in the next championships, which will be held in Croatia .

Help in the logistics during the preparations and the actual appearance of the Croatian priests' team was assured by the Croatian Bishops' Conference and by the Croatian Soccer Union. Hina

Translated for CROWN by Hilda Marija Foley

Vlasta Vlakancic

Review of Vlasta Vlakancic Concert
Cabrillo College, April 24, 2004

Richard Lynde

The vivacious Vlasta Vlakancic, a youngish Croatian pianiste, had performed at the home of Distinguished Artists director John Orlando a few weeks before her appearance on Saturday, April 24, at the Cabrillo College theater. Her recital was the latest in the ongoing series of benefit concerts for the Carole Holdaway fund, the purpose of which is to buy a new grand piano for the soon-to-be-constructed Cabrillo Performing Arts Center. Once again, Vlasta did not disappoint. Indeed, with her stunning combination of physical appeal and passionate musicality, she easily conquered the large audience.

Her program was ranged widely within the 60-year period of 1781-1839. It included both the classicism of Mozart and the romanticism of Liszt and Chopin, with the transitional protean figure of Beethoven as well. This sequence included two jokes (one of them an unintended program-note glitch),
some walks and marches, along with several songs without words (though not by Mendelssohn) in slow movements, all of them performed with tremendous feeling of the sort that won Vlasta the First Prize in the 1991 Roma International Competition.

The evening started off with a hilarious “mistake” on account of Orlando’s having forgotten to cross out the Mozart Sonata K. 330 in C Major. Instead we heard the Beethoven “Pathetique” (1798), which began stiffly under Vlastašs cold fingers, then progressed with assurance. When most of the
audience applauded wildly after the first movement, it was not in ignorance but in enthusiasm. Just listen to the recent genuine appreciation.

Beethovenšs “Rage over a Lost Penny” from 1795 is a hilarious early work of program music, where a young stroller in Vienna struts out cockily, then realizes he has lost his “Grosschen” – as in the 20th century Weill’s “Dri Grosschen Oper” and must look for it, going from despair and self pity as he
retraces his steps, to triumph, on finding the coin. These emotions were well conveyed.

Lisztšs “Venezia e Napoli,” from his “Years of Pilgrimage,” dates from 1838, when the noble composer returned to Vienna to give big benefits for victims of the Danube flood. Vlasta spun out the “Gondoliera,” a work that might have been one of Mendelssohn’s boat songs, except for the ornamentation; and the “Tarantella” was a wildly headstrong spider-bite dance.

After intermission came the Chopin “Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise in E Flat,” Op. 22, from 1834. This was followed by the great “Sonata Op. 35 in B Flat Minor” (1838), the famous “Funeral March” work. The march (third movement) was especially well played, as was the presto finale.
In the past, various critics have compared this brief coda to “wind whispering among gravestones” or “only two hands gossiping.” But I like as much its recent characterization by writer Josef Sekon in the Watsonville Register-Pajaronian as “a huge swarm of bees flying almost silently at high speed.”

In addition to the passionate, if sometimes inaccurate, keyboard forays of Vlasta, the audience was treated to her stunning appearance, perhaps a reminder of the enthusiasm of the Italian jury of the early 1990’s. Stunning in a matte black gown with sequins, she also displayed stiletto heels at the pedals. And her silhouette was unintentionally thrown up, as if by a magic lantern, on the acoustic screen behind her, which added to the drama.

Also unintended but remarkable were a couple of motifs: walks/marches and melodic songs. Here are some of the worthy tunes from this recital that beg for lyrics and a golden voice: the “Andante Cantabile” from Beethoven’s “Pathetique,” which I have never heard better; the “Canzona” from Liszt’s
“Venezia & Napoli,” and, yes, the soaring middle section of the Chopin “Funeral March,” which Vlasta sang out divinely. Ditto the “Andante Spianato” of Chopin, fit for a wordsmith as well as a voice. Singers and composers of lyrics – where are you now? We need you for such melodic fare.

Then there was the other side, the foot-stomping march music that is not fit for words, simply because it is too fast to be sung. The third movement of the “Pathetique” is a fast walk, but nothing like the cocky strutting of the ending of the “Rage over the Lost Penny.” Liszt’s “Tarantella” is no cakewalk,
but a frenzied Neapolitan “out with the spider bite.” Chopinšs “Grand Polonaise” after the Andante starts off like his “Military” one, and also has echoes of his “Heroic.” His “Funeral March,” as played here, was slow, somber, and dignified, without the heavy-handedness of a Rachmaninoff, as in his
recordings.

And the surprise encore, tossed off perfectly, was a return to the unplayed but programmed Mozart of the unbeginning, in his famous “Turkish March” which concludes the Sonata in A Major, K 300, from 1781-83. Here, we had a military band of Turks, right outside the walls of Vienna, as they had
threatened the city many years ago. You can look up this date on the Internet if you wish. For myself, I am computer illiterate, so will instead look forward to the next recital in these parts by Vlasta Vlakancic.

Richard Lynde


http://www.vlasta.us

VLASTA VLAKANCIC was born in Croatia and was educated at: The Novi Sad University, Yugoslavia (Professor Arbo Waldmann and prof Rita Kinka), The Zagreb Academy of Music, Croatia (Professor Vladimir Krpan), and the famous "Mozarteum" Hochschulle fur Musik in Salzburg, Austria (Professor Peter Lang). She has studied in advanced Master Workshops all over Europe.

Since 1987, she has performed with great success in concerts throughout Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Italy, Romania, Macedonia, Belgium, Hungary and France, with repertoire of all music periods from Bach to contemporary music.

She was awarded First prize in "Roma International competition", Rome, Italy in 1991 Honored for outstanding achievement as "Best Artist Performer in Croatia" by Zagreb Society of Artists, Zagreb, Croatia in1994

Since 1998, she has played in Salzburg, the acknowledged empire of the solo and chamber music in Europe, as exclusive musician of the agency "Mirabell Schlosskonzerte". During this time, she has performed with numerous famous names as Igor Oistrakh, Luz Leskowitz, Eugen Rosseau. She is awarded the celebrated "Permanent Guest" of the "Salzburg Soloists".

She travels regularly to Europe performing on concert tours, and she is the founder and Artistic Director of the annual "Vukovar Music Festival", Croatia which completed its third season in July 2001.

Besides her intensive concert activities, Vlasta Vlakancic is permanently engaged by the Music Academy at the University of Zagreb as member of Piano Faculty.

BASIC REPERTORY:

J. S. Bach: Italian concerto, Toccata in D Major, Partita B Flat Major, Suite A minor, Goldberg Variations
Bach-Busoni: Chaconne
W. A. Mozart: 19 Sonatas(in full),Fantasy C minor, Variations
L. van Beethoven: Sonatas op. 13, op. 14 no 1 and 2,op. 26, op. 31 no. 2,op. 106, op. 109, op. 110
F. Schubert: Wanderer-Fantasie, Sonata A Major, 4 impromptus
R. Schumann: Kinderszennen, Carnaval op. 9, Fantasia C Major, a-b-e-g Variations
F. Chopin: 4 Balllades, Polonaise op. 53, Waltzes, 4 Scherzos, Sonata op. 35, Nocturnes, Barcarolle op.60, Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise
F. Liszt: Sonata BFlat Minor, Hungarian Rapsodies, Etudes de concert, Venezia e Napoli, Spanish Rapsodie, Mephisto-Valtz, Valee d'Obermann, "Rigoletto" Parafrase
S. Rachmaninov: Moments musicaux, Polka, Liebesleid, Liebesfreude, Vocalise
A. Scriabine: Sonata-Fantasia no. 2, Fantasia
C. Debussy: L'Isle joyeuse, Estampes, Suite Bergamasque
M. Ravel: La Valse, Pavana, Sonatina
I. Stravinski: Suite "Petroushka"
S. Prokofjev: Sonata no. 3
A. Webern: Variationen op. 27
G. Ligeti: Etudes
I. Albeniz: Triana,Granada, Cordoba
Granados: Goyescas

Piano concertos:

J. S. Bach: Concerto for two pianos C Minor, Concerto F Minor
W. A. Mozart: Concertos K.V.271, 413, 414, 415, 466, 467, 595
L. van Beethoven: Concertos no. 4, 5
J. Haydn: Concerto D Major
F. Chopin: Concerto no. 1,no.2
F. Liszt: Concerto no 1,E Flat Major
E. Grieg: Concerto A Minor
S. Rachmaninov: Paganini-Variations
C. Saint-Seans: Concerto G Minor
P. I. Tchaikovski: Concerto no.1, B Flat Minor


REVIEWS:

"... With rare sensibility and imagination, V. Gjura has awakened Mozart's piano pieces to new life. Accurate in her rendering, adept at phrasing and the use of agogical liberties, displaying a high level of tone control and a careful attention to detail, faithful to the spirit of the period in her treatment of dynamic amplitudes, Vlasta Gyura has realized a natural and profoundly musical interpretation of Mozart's works.

Vecernji List daily, 1996


"… Performing Bach, Mozart, Debussy, Chopin and Stravinski with consummate ease, the young artist has displayed excellent concentration and maturity and a beautiful, carrying tone. Particularly impressive was the performance of the 3rd movement of Starvinski's "Petrushka," which ranks this recital among memorable musical achievements.

Dubrovacki List daily, 1997

"Vlasta Gyura's studied and absorbing exploration of the world of music is reflected in the unconventionality of the programme. Her playing is pure, simple, immediate and stylistically defined... The culmination of the performance was the superb rendering of "Petrushka" - confident, convincing and joyful, a wondrous mingling of simple melodies, luxurious harmonies and enticingly pregnant rhythms. V. Gyura selflessly gives of her vision of the work of the Russian master she has long nurtured within herself."

Slobodna Dalmacija daily, 1999


"... I really think that her interpretation of the Goldberg Variations was a very remarkable achievement... especially the rendering of Variations 13, 15, and 25 was breathtakingly sincere and touching. I could feel in her performances that she is not worried about producing an "effect" ... This is for me the most important element inherent to all artistic truth and achievement."

Claus-Christian Schuster (Altenberg Trio)

"... This young artist has performed the Goldberg Variations by J.S. Bach with surprising maturity, displaying in her interpretation not only the required technique but also a wonderful dynamic plasticity... Departing, for the most part, from the abrupt Baroque dynamics dictated by the structural limitations of the harpsichord, she interpreted the thematic line in a truly modern spirit...Once again: congratulations!"

Vjesnik daily, 1994

"Daring to perform such as substantial work as the Goldberg Variations by J.S. Bach, Vlasta Gjura took upon herself a Herculean task. The pianist's spiritual discipline, her ability to interpret the capital pages of piano literature in a focused and deeply poetic way, bespeaks a remarkable musician."

Vecernji List daily, 1994

"... The Fantasy in C minor, K.C. 475, was rendered with remarkable ease. V. Gyura has revealed herself as a virtuoso of renown, worthy to be counted among the world's leading pianists. She showed extensive knowledge, perfect technique and a superb power of interpretation."

Glas Istre daily, 1995

"Vlasta Gjura has shaped a delicate, airy Mozart... With crystalline ease, she created a musical world of surpassing beauty ... elegance in the performance of the melodic line, controlled contrasts, brilliant passages ... all was permeated with warmth and musical sensitivity... With their clear architecture, ease and loveliness, the fast movements magically brought back the world of sunny, spacious withdrawing rooms of Mozart's time."

Karlovacki Tjednik weekly, 1995

"Vlasta Gyura's recital took place two days after Jorg Demus' performance, thus providing an opportunity to compare these two adventurers of musical interpretation. Staying closer to the accepted idea of what late 18th century music sounded like, V. Gjura proved the less adventurous of the two... Gyura's concentrated, technically sound and musically sensitive interpretation of Mozart's Fantasy, Variations on a Theme by Gluck and the B Flat Minor Sonata (K.V. 333 and 570, respectively) has shown that these pieces, usually reserved for teaching purposes, can feature as the piece de rĂŠsistance without fear of monotony...”

Salzburger Nachricht, daily 1998

Connors and Vlasta Vlakancic
 

Zoran Dragelj

Connor Vlakancic

Los Gatos, California 95032
M: 831-295-7827 F: 408-364-9108
email: connorv@gmail.com

Creative key-director-level, communications technology product business development manager with a comprehensive background in large multi-national enterprise and entrepreneurial startups.


Connor Vlakancic was born in the "Corn Belt" of Illinois, about 75 miles west of Chicago. He was raised in a conservative family environment where productive work was encouraged and rewarded. His paternal Grandfather was of Croatian heritage from the Dalmatian Coast in the north Adriatic
Sea, as a citizen during the end of Austro-Hungarian rule. His maternal Grandfather was of German heritage from the Alsace-Lorraine region.

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Connor Vlakancic's early Silicon Valley technology career includes Fairchild Semiconductor, Timex, Inc., Microma/Intel Corporation, Siemens Opto and Raychem, where he developed semiconductor RF, IC, hybrid, LED and LCD display chips, products and systems. He traveled frequently to
manage production at manufacturing sites in several Asian countries. He also spent many years at Measurex Corporation (acquired by Honeywell) developing digital control systems in paper and rubber manufacturing, and traveled worldwide to install multi-million dollar control systems.

During the mid-1980’s, he was an early entrepreneur in the personal computer systems revolution by founding the most successful IBM-PC compatible (Leading Edge) computer sales company in California. He followed this success with several years at Apple Computer as a computer-marketing
competitive annalist and Macintosh networking evangelist.

When ARPANET gave rise to the Internet in 1990 he became an open-standards computer network consultant at Advanced Computing Environments which evolved to become Networld+Interop, the world’s largest open computer standards, tradeshow and exposition. He then joined US based
Fujikura America, Inc., (subsidiary of large electric power systems manufacturing company) as Business Director of a new product division to produce and distribute (thru Anixter and Graybar Electric) innovative Desktop Area Network (DAN) products aimed at the Fortune 1,000,000 companies.

During the late 1990’s, he founded a family reunion, live videoconference service to provide "Familia Visitas" from San Jose, California to Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico. He captured business videoconference service contracts with Western-Union, the State of California, Sprint International
and EPRI. As the millennium changed, he was a business consultant and due-diligence investigator for international venture capital investors headquartered in Silicon Valley and a business development manager at Netscape/AOL and iPlanet/Sun Microsystems where his communications business development expertise was focused in 3rd party wireless client/server-side software application solutions.

He has published technology articles in several computer magazines and was a featured lecturer at Internet and video conference expositions. He has been awarded three US and international technology patents.

Following the implosion of the Silicon Valley centric "Internet bubble" by the end of 1991, he selected a change of business direction. Based on his international business acumen and family heritage, he co-founded a company to import a variety of organic food and other consumer products from the
Adriatic Sea region (Croatia) of Mid-Europe. Due to the impact on international shipping following September 11, 2001 and his US Federal political experience, he became very involved with US Federal FDA food traffic issues within USA food industry trade groups. By late 2003, he had grown the
company to obtain rounds of angel investor funding and incorporated as a holding company with LLC divisions that would specialize in specific product families to be positioned for acquisition by large US food service industry companies.

His education includes undergraduate and graduate studies in Illinois and California Universities. These include DeVry University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he earned an under-graduate degree in electronic systems and an aircraft pilot’s license with over 5000 PIC hours. He continued his professional and leadership education in several graduate-level extension programs such as Stanford University. A few of his past and current memberships in professional organizations include: The Commonwealth Club of California, The Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs Club, The Churchill Club of Silicon Valley and The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

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He is a published political author with a major dissertation registered in the U.S. Library of Congress, Thomas Register, “The 1996 Federal Paradigm” which defines a 10-point "contract" agenda to be championed and advanced by the President of the United States. The Paradigm was recognized by
GOP leadership, in 1994, and become the cornerstone of the GOP “The Contract with America” in 1995. The visionary concepts of The 1996 Federal Paradigm forecast future national issues, which have become of paramount importance since September 2001.

He has been a candidate for US Congress in California. He was recommended by US Ambassador to Croatia, William D. Montgomery, and selected to represent the US Department of State in international elections monitoring, with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE),
during the year 2000 federal elections, in the Republic of Croatia.

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His wife, Vlasta Vlakancic is renowned as Croatia’s foremost classical concert pianist with current teaching credentials at the Music Academy, University of Zagreb, Croatia. She has played professionally in international performances in Europe for heads of state in several countries, and guest
lectures at GWU in WDC. She has performed in several California Concerts and music festivals.

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Sun University, Java API and J2ME Enterprise and Service Provider Workshops, Palo Alto, CA (1999)
CompuMaster, Microsoft Professional Series, Business Software Clinic, Redmond, WA (1996)
Yale University, (Tufte extension), Visual Display of Quantitative Information Clinic, Palo Alto (1994)
Stanford University, Executive Business Development, Certificated Program, Palo Alto (1993-94)
Network+Interop, Ethernet, TokenRing and IP Networks Clinics, Palo Alto, CA (1990-91)
Apple University, Graphic Software Applications Workshops, Cupertino, CA (1987-88)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Aircraft Pilot License, Oakland International Airport, CA (1986)
DeAnza College, Fortran and Assembly Language, Advanced programming, Cupertino, CA (1985)
Foothill College, Business Management and Marketing Program(s) Certificate, Los Altos, CA (1968-74)
DeVry University, BSES, Applied Science Degree in Electronic Systems, Chicago, IL (1967)

Technical competencies include 3 US and foreign technology patents:
Microcomputer and Ethernet systems, #4,694,694 - #5,480,319 - #5,545,982