ZVJEZDAN RUŽIĆ

Zvjezdan Ružić is a celebrated Croatian jazz pianist, composer and educator, born in Rijeka on 21 June 1988. He earned his diploma in jazz piano in 2013 from the Kärntner Landeskonservatorium in Austria, having also studied with notable artists such as Emil Spányi and David Gazarov.

Ružić is a recipient of numerous awards, including five Porin awards and six Status awards, for his outstanding work as a jazz pianist in Croatia. His career spans multiple successful albums and collaborations, including with the ensemble Jazziana Croatica, where he helped fuse American jazz idioms with Croatian folk motifs.

In 2024, he launched the online platform Jazz O’ Clock Academy — the first of its kind in the region, offering aspiring musicians access to comprehensive courses in jazz theory and improvisation. With three levels of study, weekly live Q&A sessions, downloadable scores and a virtual community, the academy reflects Ružić’s commitment to musical education and community building.

Combining technical mastery with expressive depth, Zvjezdan Ružić continues to influence Croatia’s jazz landscape as a performer, composer and mentor, dedicated to expanding improvisational knowledge and artistic connection across generations.