Photo: Larabezo / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Ivo Pogorelić is one of those rare artists whose story of failure became more legendary than most pianists' greatest triumphs. When he was eliminated from the 1980 Chopin International Competition, Martha Argerich — one of the greatest pianists alive — was so outraged that she quit the jury on the spot and called him a genius on her way out. That single moment made him internationally famous overnight, which is honestly a more interesting career arc than just winning the thing. His playing is genuinely unlike anyone else's: tempos stretched to the edge of breaking, dynamics that feel almost reckless, a kind of willful individuality that either enthralls you or drives you crazy. I land firmly in the enthralled camp. His Echo Klassik win in 1997 proved the serious classical world eventually caught up with him.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Ivo Pogorelić
- Name (Japanese)
- イーヴォ・ポゴレリチ
- Reading
- いーゔぉ・ぽごれりち
- Born
- October 20, 1958 (age 67)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Dog
- Origin
- Belgrade, Serbia
- Occupation
- pianist / academic musician / musician
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1985 Vladimir Nazor Award
- 1986 City of Zagreb Award
- 1997 Porin Award
- 1997 Echo Klassik – Instrumentalist of the Year
- 2002 Milka Trnina Award
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Ivo Pogorelić born?
Born October 20, 1958 (age 67).
Where is Ivo Pogorelić from?
Ivo Pogorelić is from Belgrade, Serbia.
What does Ivo Pogorelić do?
Ivo Pogorelić works as pianist, academic musician, musician.
Pianist — see all → · More people from Serbia →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.