Marija Skobe-Pilley

1985 -

Marija Skobe, a pianist and organist, is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Arts-based learning in business organization at the University of Cambridge, England.  She maintains a private studio where she teaches lessons and has a special program called Mothers and Children Together.  She has also been active as a recitalist and professional accompanist for the past decade.

Marija was born and raised in Zagreb, Croatia, the youngest of three daughters of Stjepan and Ljiljana Skobe. Both of her parents have an interest in music and sing in the church choir. Her mother enrolled all three daughters in music school as they became six years old.  Accordingly, Marija began study on piano and violin at six and continued until she graduated in 2004 from high school, after having finished music school a year earlier, in 2003. She decided to pursue music as a career at age seventeen.

Marija completed a B.A. in organ performance and a B.A. in music education at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, in 2009, with performance areas in organ, piano, and choral conducting.  A year later she completed an M.Mus. in organ performance at UZ. 

She also did graduate study at the Conservatorio di Musica G.B.Martini in Bologna, Italy, where she specialized in Italian music.  In 2012 she completed an M.Phil. in music education at the University of Cambridge in England. All of her study has been completed with distinction.  A sister, Elizabeta, has a B.A. and an M.Mus. in piano.

She married Prakash Pilley, a manager of IT manager in charge of all ITC services at Newbold College in England, in June 2013. They have started a Skobe Pilley Scholarship program with the aim of providing funds for educating students in the SDA Secondary School in Kochi, India. 

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Sources: Information provided by Mrija Skobe-Pilley, November 2013; piano accompanists.com; mywedding.com; Other online sources.