Croatian Pianist Maksim Mrvica Performs on World’s Most-Watched Television Show

Maksim Mrvica (Photo: Maksim Mrvica/Facebook)

Croatian pianist Maksim Mrvica (42) says it was a real honour to perform for the largest television audience in the world.

Mrvica, originally from Sibenik, was one of the few international artists invited to perform on the CCTV Spring Gala Show produced by China Central Television (CCTV) for the Chinese New Year special.

Mrvica performed his current single on the show which featured songs, dance routines and comedy acts highlighting China’s provinces and various ethnic groups.

“I was very honoured to take part in the CCTV Spring Gala Show and to be one of the few international artists ever to be invited to perform on that show. Together with the Chinese pianist Muye Wu, I performed my current single New Silk Road for the largest television audience in the world of over one billion people. The show was truly spectacular with incredible special effects and literally hundreds of musicians, singers and dancers participating. It was great to be part of this huge and most memorable event!.” Mrvica wrote on his Facebook page.

Mrvica studied at the Music Academy in Zagreb. He then spent a year at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and during this year he won first prize at the Nikolai Rubinstein International Piano Competition. In 2000, he moved to Paris to study with Igor Lazko and gained first prize in the Pontoise Piano Competition in 2001.

(Photo: Maksim Mrvica/Facebook)

Mrvica released the album The Piano Player in 2013 which became a success in Asia, achieving Gold status in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and China, Platinum in Taiwan and Croatia and Double Platinum in Hong Kong. It was also in the number 1 slot in the HMV international pop chart in Hong Kong for twelve consecutive weeks.

Guinness World Records in 2012 said the show had a unique viewership of 498.7 million, making it the globe’s “Most Watched National Network TV Broadcast.” That is nearly 400 million more than watch the most-watched show in the United States – the Super Bowl.