CROATIAN MUSIC, Alfi (Alfons) Kabiljo

Alfi (Alfons) Kabiljo (Zagreb, 22 December 1935 – Zagreb, 1 April 2025) was a Croatian composer, conductor, arranger, pianist, songwriter, librettist and producer. He was born in Zagreb, where he attended the private music school of composer and pedagogue Rudolf Matz, graduated from the Vatroslav Lisinski Music School and got a degree in architecture. He was the most versatile Croatian composer of international reputation, and during his extremely successful career he composed for theatre, film, TV production, pop music, chansons, orchestral, chamber and solo works, music for children and applied music. His music was performed and recorded by orchestras around the world, and he conducted them in London, Los Angeles, Paris, Barcelona, Tokyo, and most of all in Zagreb and Ljubljana. He left an indelible mark on the Croatian music scene with songs from numerous musicals. Many famous Croatian and foreign singers won awards by performing his compositions. He composed music for about forty films and for a large number of television series. He also won many international awards and recognitions. He will be remembered by wider audience as the author of numerous pop songs, many of which participated in all important domestic festivals of popular music and regularly ranked high at numerous international festivals. Tvoja zemlja [Your Land], Parkovi [Parks], Svijet je moj [The World is Mine], Doviđenja, sretan put [Goodbye, Have a Happy Trip], Svemu dođe kraj [Everything Comes to an End] and Neka cijeli ovaj svijet [Let This Whole World] from the cult-classic musical Jalta, Jalta are just some of Maestro Kabiljo's tunes that will remain permanently etched in the collective memory of future generations. David Danijel, pop music chronicler, collector and musician, author of Alfi Kabiljo biography Viva la musica! Long Live the Music!, Croatian Composers Society and Cantus, 2025