Josip Klima

Josip Klima (March 3, 1927, Varaždin, Croatia – June 7, 2012, Zagreb, Croatia) was a renowned Croatian violinist and music educator. He graduated in 1951 from the Zagreb Academy of Music, where he studied violin under Václav Huml. He furthered his studies at the École Normale de Musique in Paris, under Yvonne Astruc, and went on to hold key roles as concertmaster for both the Zagreb Opera and the Zagreb Philharmonic.

Klima was particularly noted for his work in chamber music, serving as the first violinist of the Zagrebački kvartet (Zagreb Quartet) from 1951, a group that had been established by his mentor Huml in 1919. He led this esteemed ensemble for nearly two decades. From 1953 to 1957, he was also a member of the Zagrebački solisti (Zagreb Soloists).

In addition to his performance career, Klima was a dedicated music educator, teaching violin at the National Conservatory in Cairo (1959–1961) and at the Zagreb Academy of Music from 1978 until his retirement. His contributions to music extended beyond his own performances, as he encouraged Croatian composers to write new works for him and his ensembles. His interpretations were celebrated for their expressiveness and musical intuition.

Even after retirement, Klima remained active, founding the Gudački kvartet Stratik (later renamed Kvartet Klima) in 1980 and the Ensemble of the Public Open University Zagreb in 1999, which he directed until 2006.

Klima was an honorary member of the Croatian Society of Musical Artists and received numerous accolades, including the Milka Trnina, Vladimir Nazor, and Porin awards. He passed away in 2012 at the age of 85.

Source: Wikipedia