Melika Buza, born on July 3, 1999, is a distinguished pianist currently pursuing a Master's degree in Piano Performance at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria. Alongside her solo engagements, Melika is currently enrolled in the Master's study program for chamber music with her Trio Libre, under the distinguished mentorship of Professor Chia Chou. Concurrently, she is also pursuing a Master's study program in Piano Pedagogy.
Her journey into the world of music began at the age of four, revealing an early aptitude that would later shape her dedicated career. Having completed her Bachelor's studies with the highest marks in June 2021, earning the title of "Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance," Melika's academic pursuits have been under the guidance of renowned mentors. Initially studying with Professor Otto Niederdorfer, she transitioned to the tutelage of Professor Sergio De Simone in 2019, further refining her musical skills.
Her musical journey has been marked by international acclaim, with performances spanning across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Turkey, Poland, Belgium, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Russia, USA, and Austria. Noteworthy venues include Theatro Civico Vercelli, Engelman Recital Hall New York, Brussel’s Town Hall, the Auditorium San Domenico Foligno in Italy, the Knight‘s Hall in Ljubljana and many more.
Melika's exceptional talent has been recognized through numerous national and international prizes, including First Prize at the International piano competition "Memorial Jurica Murai" Varazdin, First Prize and absolute winner of a category at the International piano memorial competition "Matusja Blum" in Sarajevo, Third Prize at the International piano competition “Merci Maestro” in Brussels, Second Place at the International piano competition "Forum per tasty" Slovakia, Second Prize at the "Martha Debelli Stipendienwettbewerb" Graz, First Prize at the International piano competition "Davorin Jenko" Belgrade. In addition, she secured the Golden plaque, first prize winner, and winner of a category at the International Carinthian piano competition in Slovenia. Her achievements also include a Second Prize at the Piano competition "Zlatko Grgosevic'' Zagreb, a Third Prize at the International EPTA piano
competition in Osijek, and an Honorable Mention at the NTD International piano competition in New York.
Melika's international exposure expanded when she became a semi-finalist (24 contestants out of 94) at the International piano competition “City of Vigo“ in 2019, where Martha Argerich presided over the jury. Following this accomplishment, she earned the opportunity to perform at the Online Opening Concert of the 2020 edition of the same competition. Further demonstrating her adaptability, Melika presented Online Concerts for AGIMUS (Grosseto) and Le Salon de la Musique in 2021.
Her participation in festivals and masterclasses, featuring luminaries like Natalia Trull, Anna Malikova, Sofia Gulyak, and Robert Levin, underscores her commitment to continuous artistic development.
In 2019, Melika received a scholarship from the City of Graz, a testament to her exceptional musical aptitude. As she continues to carve a distinguished path in the realm of piano performance and pedagogy, Melika Buza stands as a beacon of professionalism, dedication, and artistic excellence.
