Saša Toperic
Encyclopedia
Saša Toperić, also written as Sasha Toperich (born 1972) is a Bosnian
Israeli concert pianist, diplomat, and human rights
advocate.
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
, began playing piano at the age of four. During his years of study, he won first prize at the piano students competition in Dubrovnik
, and scholarships from the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina
, the American-Israel Cultural Foundation, and the Open Society Institute
.
He moved to Jerusalem at the age of 21 in the early 1990s, and served in the Israeli Army. He did his formal training at the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance
in Jerusalem, where he received his M.A.
in piano, studying under Meira Smailovic, Arbo Valdma
, and Irina Berkovich.
He earned his doctoral degree at the Music Academy in Lovran
, Croatia, where he studied with Marina Ambokadze.
His performances have been broadcast on radio and television programs in France, Austria, Israel, Brazil, the United States, and the countries of former Yugoslavia. Toperich has performed with conductors such as Zubin Mehta
and Kuzushi Ono. His concert at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., in 1997 was broadcast nationwide on National Public Radio
and earned him a nomination for Best Debut Artist. Known for a combination of sensitivity and technical skill, Toperich is one of the world's premier up-and-coming pianists.
He has represented Israel in concerts throughout the world, as a cultural ambassador from Israel through the Israeli consulate.
.
In 1998, he was awarded the title of UNESCO Artist for Peace. In 2001, he resigned his honorary title in protest of UNESCO's decision not to display the work of Tibet
an artists on United Nations premises.
Toperich was appointed the Presidential Envoy
of Bosnia to the United States.
He founded the America-Bosnia Cultural Foundation, which was established to foster stronger cultural and educational ties between the American and Bosnian people. The foundation organizes concerts, exhibitions, lectures, panels, and educational seminars in both Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the US. ABCF's mission is also to strengthen democratic values in Bosnia and preserve its multiethnic and multicultural character.
Toperich also founded the World Youth Leadership Network, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to unite the international youth community through good works and cultural exchange, launching it at the UN Headquarters in New York in April 2004. The WYLN has contributed and donated computers to schools and universities in Liberia
, organised a fundraising concert in Monrovia
for the Louis Arther Grimes School of Law, and set up an IT centre in Benin
in collaboration with the Benin Education Fund and the World Bank
to allow students to learn and gain new skills.
Bosnians
Bosnians are people who reside in, or come from, Bosnia and Herzegovina. By the modern state definition a Bosnian can be anyone who holds citizenship of the state. This includes, but is not limited to, members of the constituent ethnic groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosniaks, Bosnian Serbs and...
Israeli concert pianist, diplomat, and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
advocate.
Concert Pianist
Toperich, born in SarajevoSarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, began playing piano at the age of four. During his years of study, he won first prize at the piano students competition in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
, and scholarships from the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, the American-Israel Cultural Foundation, and the Open Society Institute
Open Society Institute
The Open Society Institute , renamed in 2011 to Open Society Foundations, is a private operating and grantmaking foundation started by George Soros, aimed to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform...
.
He moved to Jerusalem at the age of 21 in the early 1990s, and served in the Israeli Army. He did his formal training at the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance
Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance
The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance , founded in 1958 as the Rubin Academy of Music, is located on the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.-History:...
in Jerusalem, where he received his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in piano, studying under Meira Smailovic, Arbo Valdma
Arbo Valdma
Arbo Valdma is a Serbian pianist and music pedagogue of Estonian heritage. He is a professor of piano at the University of Music in Cologne...
, and Irina Berkovich.
He earned his doctoral degree at the Music Academy in Lovran
Lovran
Lovran is a town in Istria, Croatia. It is situated on the western coast of the Kvarner Bay with a population of 3,241 . Its name derives from Laurel , as shown in the coat of arms....
, Croatia, where he studied with Marina Ambokadze.
His performances have been broadcast on radio and television programs in France, Austria, Israel, Brazil, the United States, and the countries of former Yugoslavia. Toperich has performed with conductors such as Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
and Kuzushi Ono. His concert at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., in 1997 was broadcast nationwide on National Public Radio
and earned him a nomination for Best Debut Artist. Known for a combination of sensitivity and technical skill, Toperich is one of the world's premier up-and-coming pianists.
He has represented Israel in concerts throughout the world, as a cultural ambassador from Israel through the Israeli consulate.
Philanthropy and diplomacy
In 1997, he became President of the Children Foundation of UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
In 1998, he was awarded the title of UNESCO Artist for Peace. In 2001, he resigned his honorary title in protest of UNESCO's decision not to display the work of Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an artists on United Nations premises.
Toperich was appointed the Presidential Envoy
Envoy (title)
In diplomacy, an Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary is, under the terms of the Congress of Vienna of 1815, a diplomat of the second class, ranking between an Ambassador and a Minister Resident....
of Bosnia to the United States.
He founded the America-Bosnia Cultural Foundation, which was established to foster stronger cultural and educational ties between the American and Bosnian people. The foundation organizes concerts, exhibitions, lectures, panels, and educational seminars in both Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the US. ABCF's mission is also to strengthen democratic values in Bosnia and preserve its multiethnic and multicultural character.
Toperich also founded the World Youth Leadership Network, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to unite the international youth community through good works and cultural exchange, launching it at the UN Headquarters in New York in April 2004. The WYLN has contributed and donated computers to schools and universities in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, organised a fundraising concert in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
for the Louis Arther Grimes School of Law, and set up an IT centre in Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
in collaboration with the Benin Education Fund and the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
to allow students to learn and gain new skills.