Welcome to the October issue of Croats in London. CIL appears in the first week of every month.

This month: Interview with Monika Leskovar, In the Press - St Paul and Mjlet

Interview with Monika Leskovar

Monika Leskovar is a Croatian cellist who is performing at the Wigmore Hall in London on 29th
November. At the age of thirteen she won the Tchaikowsky Competition for Young Musician 1995 in
Sendai, Japan. She has performed with the Hungarian Philharmonic Orchestra in 1993 and in 1994
with Sir Yehudi Menuhin and the Philharmonia Hungarica. CIL caught up with her in London.

Can you tell us about yourself?

I grew up in Croatia. I started to play cello when I was six, in Zagreb. When I was fourteen I went to
study in Germany with Professor David Geringas in Lubeck, Germany. The class moved to Berlin, so
for the last four years I have studied in Berlin.

Can you tell us about your recent concerts in Germany and Dubrovnik?

I play a lot in Croatia. This is this big summer festival in Dubrovnik. I play there every summer. This summer I had the opportunity to play a recital with a pianist. I went to another cello festival in Germany - The Kronberg festival. It’s a kind of Mecca for cellists, because all the best cellists go there.

You are doing something here in London on the 29th November (at Wigmore Hall). Can you tell us something about that?

Three years ago I was in a competition in New Zealand, organised by Alexander Ivashkin. Now it’s a concert of all the winners of the competition. So there are six of us in London for the concert.

Have you played in London before?

No, I never played in London. I was once in Manchester for a cello festival, I think about five years ago.

What will you be playing at the Wigmore Hall?

From Astor Piazzolla, Le Grand Tango, and from Giovanna Sollima a piece called Alone.

How do you find England?

Good! It’s very new for me. Of course, it’s very interesting. A lot of moving, a lot of action - everything is very quick. Interesting for a musician.

Do you have any plans to come back to London?

I would like to spend more time here, and have concerts here and to meet a lot of musicians here.

In the Press - St Paul and Mjlet

The Catholic Herald of 23 September ran an article by Bill Glenton. The article, entitled ‘Was St Paul shipwrecked on Malta?’, considered the idea that St.Paul was not shipwrecked in Malta as related in the Bible, but on the Croatian island of Mjlet. Glenton came across this theory from islanders whilst staying in Mjlet. He points out that St. Paul was attacked by a Viper; yet Malta has no snakes whilst Mjlet had to import mongoose to get rid of them. Glenton considers if weather and geography makes Mjlet a more likely location for St. Paul being shipwrecked.

Most significantly, it transpires that at that time Malta and Mjlet was given the same name by the Romans - Mjlet. Glenton wonders if some ancient chronicler could have got mixed up. A fascinating article.

Noticeboard

Only events run by known and reputable bodies will be listed here.

8 - 21 October 2005 ‘Nuances’ - an art exhibition by Josip Lizatovic. Please contact the gallery for details and further information:
GXgallery 43 Denmark Hill London SE5 8RS Tel 020 7703 8396 www.GXgallery.com info@GXgallery.com

The next issue of Croats in London will be out in mid-October

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