Popular pianist Maksim Mrvica, who gives recitals in Shenzhen almost every year, will return for his “New Silk Road” concert Nov. 16.

Mrvica has studied at the Academy of Music of the University of Zagreb, Croatia, and the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary. He has won prizes at the Nikolai Rubinstein International Piano Competition and the Pontoise Piano Competition.

Mrvica was discovered by Tonci Huljic who composed several tracks for the crossover string quartet, Bond, and it was Huljic who put Mrvica in touch with British impresario Mel Bush. EMI Classics was also interested in Mrvica and soon released his album “The Piano Player,” which put a new spin on compositions by Handel and Chopin. Since its release in 2003, the album has had success in Asia and was also in the No. 1 slot in the HMV international pop chart in Hong Kong for 12 consecutive weeks. Under Bush’s management, Mrvica’s performances generally take place against a backdrop of special lighting, and stage and video effects.

Mrvica’s piece “Exodus” was used as the floor music of Russian artistic gymnast Anna Pavlova in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Last year, Mrvica released his new album, “New Silk Road,” recorded with a symphony orchestra. The compositions from this album are different from those on his previous albums because there are re-arranged pop hits such as Coldplay’s “Clocks,” “All of Me” by John Legend and “Game of Thrones,” as well as Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Fantasy.”

Time: 7:30 p.m., Nov. 16

Tickets: 280-980 yuan

Venue: Gymnasium in Futian Sports Park (福田体育公园体育馆)

Metro: Line 7 to Shangsha Station (上沙站), Exit E

(SD News)