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.
Overview
Ivo Pogorelić (also Ivo Pogorelich; born 20 October 1958) is a Croatian pianist. He is known for his sometimes unorthodox interpretations, which have brought him a sizable following and both praise and criticism from musical experts. A musician of wide repertoire, his recordings include works by a variety of composers from the early 18th through 20th centuries.
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, Kingdom of Hungary
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- pianist / academic musician / musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
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
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.