Natalie Matovinovic

Matovinovic, Natalie 6/14/1922 - 12/6/2018 Ann Arbor, MI Mrs. Natalie Matovinovic passed away on 12/06/2018. Born Natalija Gottlieb on 06/14/1922 in Zagreb, Croatia, she was the daughter of opera singer Anka (Pisacic) Horvat Gottlieb and surgeon Antun Gottlieb, MD. She graduated with an Academic Musician and Concert Artist Diploma from the Croatian State Academy of Music under the tutelage of renowned piano pedagogue Svetislav Stancic who was a student of Karl Heinrich Barth and Ferruccio Busoni. Before emigrating to the U.S. in 1956, she was a tenured piano faculty member at the Croatian Academy of Music and performed with all the major orchestras in Yugoslavia. After originally settling in Boston, Mrs. Matovinovic continued to perform as a soloist (including with the Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Paul Cherkassky) and as a collaborative artist. She moved with her husband, Josip Matovinovic, MD to Ann Arbor in 1959 where she began a career as a piano instructor. Her teaching consistently produced high caliber students including winners of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) national competition and graduates from Juilliard, Peabody and Yale. She was on the faculty of the Interlochen Arts Camp from 1977-1995 and mentored Concerto winners in 17 of her 19 years at the camp. She was named State Teacher of the Year in 1981, and the Ann Arbor Area Piano Teachers Guild honored Mrs. Matovinovic as the 2013 Teacher of the Year; she served as President of MMTA in 1989-1990. Mrs. Matovinovic is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two brothers, and two sisters. She is survived by her nephew, Alexandre Grossmann and her niece, Silba Cunningham - Dunlop and their children; close family friends, the Sissons (Doris, Mark, Matt and Tom); and many adoring former students. Donations in memory of Mrs. Matovinovic can be made to the Josip Matovinovic Endowed Fellowship in Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School.