It would be difficult to summarize the impossibly prolific world of guitarist Mak Grgić in one paragraph. He is an accomplished classical guitarist who has performed all over the globe, a builder of communities, and an entrepreneur and educator. Our conversation here was just perfect for the beginning of the year, especially this year. We discussed the intrinsic value of art, moving forward through obstacles, and, of course, his music. This is an episode not to be missed! As a soloist, collaborator and composer guitarist Mak Grgić has collaborated with The Assad Brothers, violinists Augustin Hadelich, Martin Chalifour, concertmaster of LA Phil, flamenco guitarist Adam del Monte, 11-time Billboard No. 1 pianist Paul Cardall and many more. As an active entrepreneur and educator, Mak is director of several organizations including EuroStrings, the European Guitar Festival Collaborative Network; the Zagreb Guitar Festival; and serves as director of the Elemental Guitar in Santa Monica, a program designed especially for young people. As a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, he founded the Virtual Guitar Orchestra, gathering 500 guitarists from more than 50 countries to date. VGO is a community-oriented project, recognized by the Library of Congress for its cultural contributions. Mak is also proud to be involved with the Bosana Foundation, an organization that raises money for Bosnian youth. He regularly awards education-furthering scholarships to select students across South America. Music:Christmas Dreaming – Mak GrgićFantasia No. 6 (Francesco da Milano) – Mak Grgić Follow Mak Grgić on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube This podcast is powered by my subscribers on Patreon who, in addition to the warm feeling they get from co-creating with me, get lots of sweet perks including bonus podcast episodes, free downloads, zines, and more! This week’s bonus podcast will be an extended conversation with Mak!  Learn more right here! If you’d like to check out my other work, order The Animal Book directly from me here and get a free download of the album!Here are some other places you can find the book.Find The Animal Album streaming and downloadable here.Here’s some more merch and music. Thinking of starting your own podcast? Do it! I’m a big fan of Blubrry for podcast distribution and you can get a month free by signing up for Blubrry Podcast Hosting here, or Blubrry Professional Statistics here. Use the code “mikeypod” with your order for your free month!