Badische Neueste Nachrichten, 3 February 2004 (Sigrid Preuss):

Pianist created emotional harmony

Anika Vavic gave an enthusiastically applauded concert in the series “Chamber Music in the Theater”

The latest in the concert series “Chamber Music in the Theater” sponsored by the Musikverein Society in co-operation with the Festival Theater and the Southwest Broadcasting System (SWR) was performed by an already prize-winning discovery born in 1975 in Kosovska Mitrovica (Yugoslavia): Anika Vavic, who by virtue of her exceptional artistic accomplishments is among the “Rising Starts” applauded at home and abroad.Her remarkable biography likens a rocket in incessant ascension. The courses of Prof. Flores at the University of Fine Arts in Vienna followed the initial, in-depth training which began at seven years of age at the Conservatory in Belgrade, all of which has led to much recognition and numerous prizes. In 2001 Anika Vavic won the Second Steinway Competition in Vienna as well as a special prize for the best Haydn interpretation. She has a scholarship from the Herbert von Karajan Center in Vienna and the Gottfried von Einem Foundation and she won the Women’s Artistic Prize 2002 in the category music. With her sovereign presentation the now 28-year-old pianist took the large audience in the Baden-Baden Theater captive. Abounding with emotion and music Anika Vavic excelled for two hours with pieces by Joseph Haydn (Sonata in D-Major), Alexander Scriabin (Four Pieces), Johann Sebastian Bach (English Suite No. 3 in G-Minor), Maurice Ravel (Valses nobles et sentimantales) and Serge Prokofjew (Sonata No. 6 in A-Dur). The artist expressed subtly and with obvious ease the abundance of contrasting musical styles.In admirable manner the pianist presented Prokofjew’s Sonata. In order to produce the dynamic composite of this modern piece with its architecturally arranged sound pattern, its rhythmical structure and its melodically dance-like elements a strong “signature” was in demand, which Anika Vavic offered with every breath.Almost playfully the harsh, abrupt dissonances glided into touching, harmonic melodies and merged to form emotional harmony. The completely captivated audience did not hold back with the applause. The attractive as well as talented artist expressed her thanks with several encores.The concert will be broadcast by SWR 2 on 16 March at 7:05 p.m.

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