A NEW PIANO COMPETITION | Ep. 33: This is the Legend of ALJOŠA JURINIĆ

He was a finalist at the Olympics of Piano, the International Chopin Competition. He also won the Robert Schumann International Piano Competition. He also won major awards at the Leeds International Piano Competition and the Queen Elisabeth International Piano Competition. He is also a Visiting Artist at MIT.

And now, he is Artistic Director of a new Grand Slam of piano, the Toronto International Piano Competition, which takes place on August 14 to 16, 2026.

Join Amos Vang as he features the career of Aljosa Jurinic. Amos and Aljosa discuss Aljosa’s Road to Warsaw, development as a pianist, and the most important lessons that Aljosa has learned from each milestone in his career.

More importantly, Amos and Aljosa discuss the Toronto International Piano Competition, including its competition structure, prizes, career potential, and repertoire. Amos Vang and “This is the Legend Of…” are proud to be collaborating with Aljosa and with the Toronto International Piano Competition in promoting and featuring the world’s best pianists in Canada’s largest city.

Aljosa’s Instagram and YouTube: @aljosapiano
Aljosa’s website: https://www.aljosa-jurinic.com/
Toronto International Piano Competition: https://www.torontopiano.org/
Toronto International Piano Competition’s Instagram: @torontopianocomp

Tomorrow by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Other music by Amos Vang

-- CHAPTERS --

0:00 – Introduction

2:50 – What inspired Aljosa Jurinic to pursue piano?

4:01 – What was the music culture in Croatia during Aljosa Jurinic’s early days?

6:17 – What were the most impactful early musical influences in Aljosa Jurinic’s life?

7:31 – What were the most important lessons that Aljosa Jurinic learned in his early life?

10:47 – What inspired Aljosa Jurinic to pursue a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music at the University of Zagreb?

13:06 – How was the transition from pre-university to post-university in terms of Aljosa Jurinic’s music studies?

14:29 – What were the greatest challenges that Aljosa Jurinic faced learning music during his university years?

17:26 – Canada, especially Ontario, has faced devastating funding cuts to music education in public school systems. This affects music culture in Canada.

19:46 – Building an audience

20:57 – Almost everyone in Poland knows who Chopin is!

21:34 – What inspired Aljosa Jurinic to compete in the Robert Schumann International Piano Competition?

24:58 – Aljosa Jurinic WON the Robert Schumann International Piano Competition!

27:49 – What inspired Aljosa Jurinic to embark on the Road to Warsaw?

37:31 – What were the most important lessons that Aljosa Jurinic leaned from the International Chopin Competition?

43:21 – What inspired Aljosa Jurinic to compete at the Queen Elisabeth International Piano Competition and the Leeds International Piano Competition? What were the most important lessons that Aljosa Jurinic learned from these competitions?

49:31 – What is musicality to Aljosa Jurinic?

53:07 – Who is Fryderyk Chopin to Aljosa Jurinic?

55:54 – TORONTO INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION, why Toronto?

1:03:00 – How strong is Toronto’s potential for the growth of a 21st century classical music audience?

1:07:49 – How does the Toronto International Piano Competition disprove misconceptions of classical music?

1:10:18 – How does the Alink-Argerich Foundation support the Toronto International Piano Competition?

1:12:16 – COMPETITION STRUCTURE of the TORONTO INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION

1:14:25 – Why does Fryderyk Chopin have a special designation at the Toronto International Piano Competition?

1:15:24 – JURY of the TORONTO INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION

1:20:15 – What makes the Toronto International Piano Competition unique from other major piano competitions?

1:23:23 – CATEGORIES of the TORONTO INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION

1:25:24 – What if there is a tie at the Toronto International Piano Competition?

1:30:45 – Where can people watch, listen to, and follow the Toronto International Piano Competition?

1:32:11 – Aljosa Jurinic addresses his fans and gives advice on the pursuit of a classical piano career!