Marina Arsenijevic

Marina Arsenijevic (born 1970) is a Serbian-born American pianist and composer who also goes by the professional name "Marina". She is known for playing on a transparent piano, recording popular albums in her native country, and performing on a PBS television show featuring her original compositions.

Background Arsenijevic was born in Belgrade to a soccer player father and a mother who worked for the government. She started playing the piano at age four and at age nine performed for an audience of 2,000 people. She began her higher education studies early, when she was only fifteen years old, later obtaining a master's degree from the University of Arts in Belgrade. Described as being "unique to the ears, yet familiar to the soul", her compositions have combined ethno-rhythms with classical techniques." She recorded "Ethno Classic & Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart" in 1997 and "Mother Tongue" in 1999; both albums were produced in Serbia. In the United States, she released "My Balkan Soul" in 2002, as well as "Fire & Soul" in 2007, "Chopin: Waltzes" in 2004, and "Marina at West Point" in 2010.

As a concert performer in Serbia during the 1990s, Arsenijevic won several international piano competitions in Italy and ex-Yugoslavia. She also became known for her trademark transparent piano, playing on a see through instrument made of plexiglass, built by the German Schimmel Pianoworks company. Her peace concerts opposing the Kosovo conflict upset some government officials, and she was barred from making TV appearances. Following the tragedy of 9/11, Marina felt compelled to return to the United States to perform a series of benefit concerts for the victims and their families in Pennsylvania and Maryland and to thank the American people for their generosity in granting asylum in the United States to refugees in mixed Serbian- Muslim marriages who had fled persecution in Bosnia.

Arsenijevic continued her music career in the United States, playing solo at Carnegie Hall in 2003 and 2004. The program, "Marina in America", consisted of classic crossover music paired with a multimedia show. That same year, she performed at the White House for the First Ladies luncheon with former first lady Laura Bush and Cherie Blair, wife of the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In 2004, she had a concert at the Forum Auditorium in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Since 2008, Arsenijevic has been performing with the world renowned orchestral band of the West Point Military Academy and the West Point Cadet Glee Club . "Marina at West Point: Unity Through Diversity" was created and performed by Marina with the 120-member joint ensemble of the West Point Band and West Point Cadet Glee Club.

In 2013, Arsenijevic was interviewed by ABC NEWS channel WXYZ-TV about her joint concert with the Michigan Philharmonic called "Piano Adventures", which highlighted classical music heard in television commercials and benefited a children's charity. The following year, she composed music for the documentary "Tower to the People" and also performed at the film's premiere in Manhattan. Marina returned to West Point for the Labor Day Concert at the historic Trophy Point in 2014 performing her original composition "Balkan Suite". Marina was chosen to open the International Literary Peace Award in Dayton, Ohio in 2015, which was also the 20th Anniversary of the historic Dayton Peace Accords which ended the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II Marina is also composing music for theatre, film and concert stage commemorating the life of her countryman, the renowned scientist Nikola Tesla She also appeared with Maye Musk to the 2016 DVF Awards and the 2015 Women & Fashion FilmFest in New York City.

Awards

In 2010, Arsenijevic received an Emmy nomination for her musical compositions performed on the PBS show "Marina at West Point: Unity through Diversity". In 2014, she was presented with the "Ellis Island Medal of Honor", an award given to American citizens of immigrant heritage for their contributions to the nation. She was recognized for creating "a mixture of different ethnic melodies and rhythms".