Archives for November2012

Alexandru Anastasiu

November 29, 2012 by admin in Performers, Soloists | Comments Off

Talent, technique and discipline helped percussionist Alexandru Anastasiu find his professional route. He played in various symphonic orchestras, chamber music groups, he was member of the GAME percussion ensemble.  Along with GAME, he won the Soros Prize in 1998. As a soloist, he performed very appreciated concerts, both by the audience and the critics.

Alexandru developped a special passion for the vibraphone which led him to dedicate more time studying this particular instrument. In 1999 he reached the semifinale in the International Vibraphone Competition from Clermont-Ferrand. Two years later (2001) he won the Yamaha Scholarship for percussion.

Alexandru was employed by Giurgiu Philharmonic Orchestra and The National Opera Orchestra from Bucharest and he collaborated with the Radio Chamber Orchestra. He is currently member of the National Radio Orchestra Bucharest, participating in four editions of the George Enescu International Festival. His professional training and capacity to understand music were only two of the reason he was invited to jury important competitions (The National Percussion Competition, Bucharest, 2003, Mihail Jora Competition, Bucharest, 2001).

Alexandru Anastasiu graduated in 2000 and has a Master in Music Performance (2002) at the National Music University from Bucharest in 2000. His achievements place him as the best in his generation. He shared his musical knowledge with the younger students while working as a teaching assistant at the same University where he graduated.

Alexandru also plays with well known jazz bands such as Marius Popp Band, Nicolas Simion and The Wild Dogs, Andrea Pauta Band, Pedro Negrescu, performing in National Festivals and other jazz events.  Alexandru improved his technique and musical knowledge by attending master classes with Bogdan Bacanu and Peter Sadlo in Mozarteum University, Salzburg (2006). Starting with 2007 Alexandru is a PhD student at the University of Music Bucharest.

Even from his university years, Alexandru Anastasiu has been involved in different projects  - mainly musical, but also syncretic,  bringing music, theater and dance together.

Official website, here.

 

Sanda Crăciun-Popa

November 29, 2012 by admin in Performers, Soloists | Comments Off

Sanda Crăciun-Popa studied viola with Jeanine Costescu in highschool, then with Valeriu Pituac at the National University of Music in Bucharest. His father, Petre Crăciun, a renowned conductor and conducting teacher, opens up new perspectives on her regarding music performing and music aesthetics. Since 1973, she is member of the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra in Bucharest, having the privilege of playing in the series of concerts held by Sergiu Celibidache – a profound infuence on her. She is one of the founders and solo viola of the Quodlibet Musicum Chamber Orchestra, together with Aurelian-Octav Popa (1977). In 1980 she founded the old music ensemble Consortium Violae – with this ensemble she gave numeroud concerts, made numerous Radio and TV recordings, as well as several LPs published by Electrecord: Wonders of the Baroque, Dowland-Palestrina, The Recaptured Time (written by Myriam Marbe especially for her and for Consortium Violae).

Together with Aurelian – Octav Popa, soloist and conductor of the Constanţa Symphonic Orchestra, Sanda Crăciun-Popa played as soloist in a great tour in Germany. With this occasion, they formed an extremely appreciated duo, for which many Romanian composers have wrote works. Their first CD, Romania Today (Sonoton-München) was very successful, being republished several times and chosen as one of the best CDs of the year 1997 by DRS Switzerland. More CDs followed: Magic Musical Moments, Reversing fields, Musique des Spheres, recordings on composer profile CDs (Dan Dediu, Violeta Dinescu, Sabin Păutza). The duo is permanently invited to take part in large art exhibitions.

Sanda Crăciun-Popa teached viola as an associate professor at the Ovidius University in Constanta and at the National University of Music in Bucharest. Her repertoire covers all styles from Renaissance to contemporary music, including works written especially for her or her own viola arrangements. Since 2009 she has a PhD in Music, with the dissertation The Viola between Tradition and Inovation.

Duo with Aurelian-Octav Popa

Concerts in Bucharest and all main cities in Romania, as well as international tours.

Festivals: Musik Sommer Baden Baden – 1994/1996, Bach Festival Heidelberg – 1995/1996, Documenta X Kassel – 1999, Musik Sommer Festival MDR Lepzig – 1996, Festival des Fôrets – 1996, Musica Rara Festival Erfurt – 1996, Series of big clarinetists Lincoln Center New York – 1999,  New Jersey – 1999, Houston University – 1999, Festival do Acores – 1999, the first edition of Visual Arts Fair, Bucharest 1999, several editions of the International Week of New Music, Bucharest.

Events: special guests of the UNITER Gala (Bucharest)  in 1999; special guests of the Chamber Music Festival in Sighişoara (Romania), 2001; America Alive Gala, 2001; Artists for artists Gala, 2003;  Christmas for All Gala, the Romanian Atheneum, Bucharest, 2003; the Lucian Blaga Poetry Festival, Sebeş Alba, 2001; The Titu Maiorescu Literary Meetings,  Tescani – 2001/2002/2003; the Arfa concert series – Music, an Adventure,  Goethe Institut, Bucharest 2003.

Museum (guests): the George Enescu Museum; the National Art Museum in Romania, Bucharest; the Art Museum, Constanta; The Brancovan Palace of Mogosoaia; museums in Germany (Manheim, Baden-Baden, Frankfurt);  Casa Mateus, Portugal;  Chateau Imperial and the Franco-American Museum,  Compiègne, France.

Exhibitions of great Romanian artists (guests): Marin Gherasim, Corneliu Vasilescu, Ion and Ariana Nicodim (the „Dalla terra all’opera, la forza delle radici” exhibition, Vicenza, Padova, Mogoşoaia), Angela Tomaselli, Alin Gheorghiu, Ana Maria Smighelski, Cela Nemţu, Lucia Puşcaşu, Nicolae Flondor, Wanda Sachelarie, Bogdana Contras, Carmen Marin.

Resident artists at: the Brahms House, Baden Baden, 1996; the „George Enescu” Memorial House, Tescani (Romania), 2002; the Panaci Creative Camp, Romania 2009.

Cultural Institutes (guests): Bucharest, Paris, New York, Tel Aviv, Berlin.

Aurelian-Octav Popa

November 29, 2012 by admin in Conductors, Performers, Soloists | Comments Off

One of the great Romanian musicians, Aurelian-Octav Popa (b. 1937) studied clarinet and composition in Bucharest (1958-62), then continued his studies at the Conservatoire National de Paris and very early became a virtuoso of his instrument. He won prizes at international competitions such as First Prize in 1959 at the Prague Musical Spring, other awards in Budapest (1965), Birmingham (1966),  Utrecht (1967) or Geneva (1967). As soloist, he played with many proeminent orchestras and he has toured in almost all Europe and U.S. with the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra.

Aurelian-Octav Popa is celebrated as one of the most proeminent Romanian clarinetists. His 1991 CD, recorded by London Olympia House, was awarded 10 stars and “coup de foudre” (the highest rating possible) by Répertoire des disques compacts, Paris. Same happened with Libre comme un oiseau, a CD that got 4 stars from Le monde de la Musique in 2006. He is a permanent member in different international competitions (Rome, Paris, Jeunesses Musicales Bucharest, etc.) and a clarinet competition in Constanta (Romania, 1993-94) bears his name. He conducts different masterclasses in Greece, Bulgaria, Portugal, Romania.  He recorded 5 CDs in London Olympia House, Sofia MegaMusic, Intersound Munchen, Thalassa Records Constanta.

Aurelian-Octav Popa’s conducting career started in 1977, when he founded and started conducting  the Quodlibet Musicum Chamber Orchestra. He later attended masterclasses with Sergiu Celibidache and conducted all major symphonic orchestras in Romania, such as the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra in Bucharest. Between 1989-2004 he was the main conductor of the Constanta Philharmonic Orchestra. He made numerous recordings for the Romanian Radio and Television Broadcasting Company. He participated in the esteemed George Enescu Festival with English Chambers Orcestra and the Copland Concerto.

He is also an arranger for stage and film soundtracks.

Aurelian-Octav Popa was awarded the Prize of the Romanian Composers and Musicologists first in 1991, then in 2009, for his whole activity. In 2012, his 75th anniversary and 50 years of music activity (as a clarinetist and as a conductor) was celebrated by the George Enescu Philharmonic.

Duo with Sanda Crăciun-Popa (viola)

Concerts in Bucharest and all main cities in Romania, as well as international tours.

Festivals: Musik Sommer Baden Baden – 1994/1996, Bach Festival Heidelberg – 1995/1996, Documenta X Kassel – 1999, Musik Sommer Festival MDR Lepzig – 1996, Festival des Fôrets – 1996, Musica Rara Festival Erfurt – 1996, Series of big clarinetists Lincoln Center New York – 1999,  New Jersey – 1999, Houston University – 1999, Festival do Acores – 1999, the first edition of Visual Arts Fair, Bucharest 1999, several editions of the International Week of New Music, Bucharest.

Events: special guests of the UNITER Gala (Bucharest)  in 1999; special guests of the Chamber Music Festival in Sighişoara (Romania), 2001; America Alive Gala, 2001; Artists for artists Gala, 2003;  Christmas for All Gala, the Romanian Atheneum, Bucharest, 2003; the Lucian Blaga Poetry Festival, Sebeş Alba, 2001; The Titu Maiorescu Literary Meetings,  Tescani – 2001/2002/2003; the Arfa concert series – Music, an Adventure,  Goethe Institut, Bucharest 2003.

Museum (guests): the George Enescu Museum; the National Art Museum in Romania, Bucharest; the Art Museum, Constanta; The Brancovan Palace of Mogosoaia; museums in Germany (Manheim, Baden-Baden, Frankfurt);  Casa Mateus, Portugal;  Chateau Imperial and the Franco-American Museum,  Compiègne, France.

Exhibitions of great Romanian artists (guests): Marin Gherasim, Corneliu Vasilescu, Ion and Ariana Nicodim (the „Dalla terra all’opera, la forza delle radici” exhibition, Vicenza, Padova, Mogoşoaia), Angela Tomaselli, Alin Gheorghiu, Ana Maria Smighelski, Cela Nemţu, Lucia Puşcaşu, Nicolae Flondor, Wanda Sachelarie, Bogdana Contras, Carmen Marin.

Resident artists at: the Brahms House, Baden Baden, 1996; the „George Enescu” Memorial House, Tescani (Romania), 2002; the Panaci Creative Camp, Romania 2009.

Cultural Institutes (guests): Bucharest, Paris, New York, Tel Aviv, Berlin.

 

 

 

Florinela Popa

November 29, 2012 by admin in Musicologists | Comments Off

Florinela Popa is lecturer at the National University of Music Bucharest, where she graduated music education and musicology (by Professor Valentina Sandu-Dediu). She also works as a scientific researcher at the National Museum „George Enescu”, Bucharest. During her doctoral studies, in 2005-2006 she participated in a „Sokrates-Erasmus” program at the University of Leipzig.

She took part in international projects such as Musica migrans – Lebenslinien mittel- und  osteuropäischer Musiker, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Helmut Loos, University of Leipzig (2007-2008), and EthnoArc (2008), receiving a research grant from New Europe College, Bucharest. She is postdoctoral research fellow at New Europe College (2011-2012), at National University of Music Bucharest – MIDAS (2012-2013).

She is the author of the books Mihail Jora. A European Modern (Bucharest 2009), Sergei Prokofiev (Bucharest 2012); co-author of the volumes I-V in the series Documents in the Archive of the National Museum „George Enescu”: Articles on George Enescu in Periodicals (Bucharest 2009-2012). She wrote studies and articles in some collective volumes (Musical Aesthetics: Another Kind of Manual. Bucharest, 2007; Tiberiu Olah and the Multiple Facets of Postmodernism. Bucharest, 2008) and in magazines as Musicology Today, Secolul XXI, Dilemateca, Muzica, Journal of Ethnography and Folklore, Acord, Actualitatea muzicală.

Ruxandra Arzoiu

November 29, 2012 by admin in Musicologists | Comments Off

Ruxandra Arzoiu, born in 1961 in Bucharest, is a graduate of the National University of Music in Bucharest, the Musicology section, Bucharest 1984. She has been a member of the Romanian Union of Composer and Musicologists since 1990. She has had a Ph D in Musicology since 1999. Ruxandra Arzoiu is currently a producer for the Musical Department of the Romanian National Radio (since 1990), doing programs about contemporary music, universal and Romanian, as well as about the interference of arts, the word-music relation, etc.

Her significant volumes are: Mihail Andricu – monography: Muzica, Bucharest, 1999; Romanian Chamber Opera, Muzica, Bucharest, 2002; Into Mahler’s symphonies universe – interviews with the composer Aurel Stroe: Muzica, Bucharest,2003; Viorel Cosma – monography: Muzica, Bucharest, 2005; Cultural paradigms in Aurel Stroe’s musical works: Romanian Cultural Institute, Bucharest 2007.

She publishes in music and general culture journals  in Romania, such as “Romania libera”, “Actualitatea muzicala”, “Romania Literara”, etc.

Studies about contemporary music: “Musical folclor as a vehicle?” - Serbian Musicology Society, Belgrad 2008; “”George Enescu” International Musicology Symposium”: Muzica, Bucharest 2007; “Aurel Stroe and the musical european tradition”: Glissando, UNMB, 2011; “George Enescu-another kind of portret” in Zwischen Zeiten und Welten‏, Oldenburg, Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg, 2011,  “Muzica” journal.

Awards: The “Mihai Moldovan” Prize, awarded by UNCER  for the broadcasting program: Stylistic coordinates in XX centurys music, 1992; the  Prize of Musical Critics for achieving outstanding radio programs , 1995; the Prize of Cultural Radio Channel for  Creativity , originality in radio programs, 1998; the Prize of the Romanian Union of Composers and Musicologists, for the book Cultural paradigms in Aurel Stroe’s musical works, 2007; the ” Cultural Merit” Order in rank of Knight, B category „Music”, 2008.

 

Veronica Anuşca

November 25, 2012 by admin in Performers, Soloists | Comments Off
Born in Piatra Neamț (Romania) on the 21st of April 1985, Veronica Anușca started studying music at the “Victor Brauner” Art High School when she was 12. After one year of guitar practice, she transferred to the cello section where she spent the next three years. It was after finishing the 8th grade that she decided to follow what she now knew was her true calling: singing. Oddly enough, the one who helped her realize and decide her true passion was not one of her instrument teachers nor the singing teacher. It was her Musical Theory teacher, Mr. Ionel Ceobanu that pointed her in the right direction.
In 2004 she was accepted at the National University of Music Bucharest which she graduated in 2009. She went on to successfully follow the N.U.M.B. Master program which she finished in June 2011. All her university studies have taken place under the guidance of her singing teacher, Ph.D. Ionel Voineag and his assistant, Ph.D. Andreiana Roșca Geamănă.
Since deciding to study singing, Veronica Anuşca has attended numerous Masterclass both in Romania and abroad, working with world renowned musicians such as Mariana Nicolesco, Christian Badea, Marina Krilovici, Adrian Butterfield, Elena Botez, Georg Beckmann, Ionel Pantea, Claudio Desderi, etc.
Starting with 2003 Veronica Anuşca has also been a laureate of many national and international music competitions: „Emanuel Elenescu” National Competition, Piatra Neamt (First Prize – 2003), Gala of Young Talents, Arcus (Special Award – 2006), “Mihail Jora” National Singing Competition, Bucharest (“Uniunea Armenilor” Special Award – 2006), “Mihail Jora” National Singing Competition, Bucharest (“Ludovic Spiess” Special Award – 2008), Orange Awards for young musicians finals, Bucharest (Special Award for the most interesting repertoire – 2009), “Hariclea Darcleé” International Competition, Braila (2nd Prize – 2010), “Ion Dacian Trophy” National Competition, Bucharest (Special Prize awarded by the “Ion Dacian” National Operetta Theatre – 2010), “Paul Constantinescu” National Competition, Ploiesti (Grand Prize – 2010), “Mihail Jora” National Singing Competition, Bucharest (First Prize and Special Award – 2011), “Maeştrii Artei Lirice – George Ştefănescu Goangă” International Singing Competition, Bucharest (First Prize and Special Award, including two leading roles in the Bucharest National Opera House’s next season program – 2011), “Sabin Dragoi” International Competition, Timisoara (Grand Prize – 2011), “Romanian Lied Festival” Brasov (First Prize – 2011).
Veronica Anuşca has performed on many of the country’s most prestigious stages such as the Romanian Athenaeum (Bucharest), the National Radio Hall (Bucharest), the National Opera House (Bucharest), the Cantacusino Palace (Bucharest), the National Bank of Romania’s Marble Hall (Bucharest), the Hungarian Opera House (Cluj-Napoca), the “Ion Dumitrescu” Philharmonic (Râmnicu-Vâlcea), the “Ionel Perlea” UNESCO Cultural Centre Concert Hall (Slobozia) and at the Gdansk Conservatory Concert Hall (Gdansk – Poland).
Her repertoire includes varied genres of vocal music, from lied to aria, to oratorio and opera. As a lied singer she has successfully performed in various recitals including baroque, classical, romantic, modern and contemporary music. Her flexibility and open-mindedness allows her to be at the same time the soloist for the St. Josef Catholic Cathedral (Bucharest) and one of the most sought-after contemporary music singer thus switching between styles without pause or fault. She has also performed in aria concerts and oratorios accompanied by some of the most renowned orchestras in Romania: Messe Nelson (J. Haydn) at the “George Enescu” Concert Hall, Bucharest, with the National University of Music Orchestra, conductor Leonard Boga; La Ressurezione (G.F.Haendel), Angelo, at the “George Enescu” Concert Hall, Bucharest, with the Baroque Orchestra of the National University of Music, conductor Adrian Butterfield; Opera Concert with the “Ion Dumitrescu” Philharmonic Orchestra, Râmnicu-Vâlcea, conductor Alexandru Geamana; Opera Concert in the Bucharest Radio Hall with the National Radio Orchestra, conductor Adrian Prabava; Opera Concert with the Gdansk Conservatory Orchestra in Gdansk (Poland), conductor Claudio Desderi, etc.
Veronica Anuşca has been highly acclaimed for her interpretation when performing in some of the many roles in her repertoire. Her more recent appearances include Adina from „L’Elisir d’Amore” (G. Donizetti), Norina from „Don Pasquale” (G. Donizetti), Rosina from „Il Barbiere di Siviglia” (G. Rossini) and Susanna from „Le Nozze di Figaro” (W.A. Mozart). In 2011, Veronica Anuşca has performed several times already on the National Opera House’s stage in G. Donizetti’s Rita (in the role of Rita), G.F. Haendel’s Alcina (in the role of Morgana) and J. Strauss’s Die Fledermaus (in the role of Adele). Needless to say, all performances have been highly prized by both audience and musical critique.
In light of her evolution so far and despite her youth, Veronica Anuşca is widely regarded as an already accomplished soprano with a wide repertoire in a variety of genres and styles. This ability to approach different if not opposite types of music demonstrates intelligence, musical knowledge and a deep passion for singing as well as a voice with limitless possibilities.

Ladislau Csendes

November 25, 2012 by admin in Performers, Soloists | Comments Off

Ladislau Csendes (b.1964) graduated the National University of Music Bucharest, as violinist and obtained a doctor’s degree in musicology (Theory of musical interpretation). He attended master classes in musical analysis with G.Ligeti (Szombathely1990) and violin with A.Gertler (Bruxelles1981, 1983) and P.Csaba (Paris1990).

Invited to perform in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Moldavia, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and also in important international festivals: Wien Modern(2003), George Enescu (2003), Warsaw Autumn Festival (Poland) 2002, Haydn Festival, Radio Bucharest (Romania) 2001, Appenzeller Winter, St. Gallen (Switzerland) 2000, Bach non stop, Radio Bucharest (Romania) 2000, World Music Days, Bucharest (Romania) 1999, Silezian Contemporary Music Festival, Katovice (Poland) 1998, Tage für Neue Music Darmstadt (Germany) 1996, International New Music Week, Bucharest (Romania) 1995-2006, Bemus, Belgrade (Yougoslavia)  1994, Concerti per l’Europa, Venice (Italy) 1992.

As soloist of G. Enescu Philarmonic, of Virtuozii from Bucharest, of Romanian Radio Orchestras a.o., he collaborated with famous romanian conductors as Horia Andreescu, Ludovic Bács, Sergiu Comissiona, Corneliu Dumbrăveanu, Ilarion Ionescu-Galaţi, Emil Simon. He created an impressive number of Romanian world premiers – such as Caprices et Ragas for violin and orchestra, by Aurel Stroe(1997) and Malinconia furiosa for viola and orchestra by Anatol Vieru (2003). His discography includes chamber and concertant works for violin, viola, viola d’amore from different historical periods and cultural areas: early music as well as contemporary music.

Raluca Stratulat

November 25, 2012 by admin in Performers, Soloists | Comments Off
Violinist Raluca Stratulat was born in Bucharest in 1980. She graduated the National University of Music Bucharest, then she attended Master Classes with Gerhard Hamann, Alexandru Gavrilovici, Şerban Lupu, Monte Belknap, Ladislau Csendes, Wolfgang Klos. She colaborated with orchestras such as Orchestra Internazionale Giovanile da Camera, Philharmonie Junge Donau and the George Enescu National Philharmonic Orchestra. She participated in various music festivals, including the Dinu Lipatti Music Festival, Young People and The Music Festival, Shumsky Musicfest, International New Music Week (Bucharest 2012), Baroque Week (Bucharest 2012). As a violonist, she won several national and international awards.
She performed in concerts and recitals in Romania, Greece, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Italy and The United States of America. She currently teaches chamber music at the George Enescu National College in Bucharest since 2005. One of the most appreciated new music performers and promoters in Romania, Raluca Stratulat is also a member of the SonoMania ensemble.

Vlad Maistorovici

November 25, 2012 by admin in Composers, Performers, Soloists | Comments Off

One of the most exciting young artists of his generation to emerge from Romania, Vlad Maistorovici is in great demand both as performer and composer. Highlights of 2012 are collaborations with Nigel Kennedy at St Prex Classics, conductor Francois-Xavier Roth at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence.

This season will see Vlad Maistorovici perform at St Prex Classics with guitarist Johannes Moller in an eclectic programme featuring Paganini’s Sonata Concertata, as well as new works by Moller and Maistorovici. The same festival will feature Maistorovici performing with Nigel Kennedy, with the Mercury Quartet and the Nigel Kennedy Quintet. This season he will perform Pierrot Lunaire with the Mercury Quartet and soprano Linda Hirst at Jardins Musicaux as part of the quartet’s Pierrot Lunaire Anniversary Tour, Meridian Festival in Bucharest and London’s King’s Place as part of the European Union National Institute for Culture Debussy celebrations. Starting September 2012, Maistorovici is taking up the post of Solo Violin of Ensemble Contrechamps, for an initial period of 1 year.

His performances display ’technical assuredness, balanced by interpretative willingness to push boundaries that can, and often does make sparks fly’ (MusicWeb International). Winner of Remember Enescu International Competition, The Tillett Trust and a Finalist of Young Concert Artist Trust, he has performed concerti and recitals that have included appearances at major venues such as London Wigmore Hall, South Bank Centre, The Sage Gateshead, Salle Flagey Bruxelles, Kulturhaus Helferei Zurich, Merkin Hall New York, as well as various festivals across Europe, with orchestras such as the European Union Chamber Orchestra, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, South Bank Sinfonia, Bucharest Radio Orchestra. A committed chamber musician, he has had the privilege of performing from an early age alongside renowned musicians and ensembles, such as Pierre Amoyal, Dora Schwartzberg, Jeremy Menuhin, Ivry Gitlis, Gordan Nikolich.

A versatile performer, he dedicates a lot of time and energy to experimentation and new music. In 2011 he performed Pascal Dusapin’s Violin ConcertoQuad as part of the Festival Archipel Geneva. He is a member of The Mercury Quartet, a dynamic ensemble that focuses on experimental projects. 2011 has seen the launch of Mercury Radar, a seasonal concert series at London’s The Forge, sponsored by PRS, MBF and Vaughan-Williams Trust, which has commissioned so far over 10 works for the quartet. The ensemble also have explored uncharted territories in contemporary classical music improvisation, as can be heard in Mercury Acoustic, an innovative album of live-composed music and DJ remixes, released in 2010 by NonClassical and produced by Gabriel Prokofiev. October 2012 sees the launch of Mercury Cinema, an innovative concept which couples old classics and new cinematic commissions with the sound world of the Mercury Quartet.

This year also sees a number of notable appearences as composer. After a critically acclaimed premiere at the Barbican Hall in London, his work for orchestra Halo, commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra and the Helen Hamlyn Trust, will receive its continental premiere at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, by the Orchestre Mediteranee de Jeunes under the direction of Francois-Xavier Roth, as well as at the Marseille Theatre Sylvain. The Romanian Institute in London have opened this year’s cultural season with a concert entitled Night Music, a multimedia collaboration with artist Cristian Luchian, with a focus on Maistorovici’s chamber works to date. In February 2013 the Paul Constantinescu Philharmonic of his native town of Ploiesti will feature Maistorovici both as violinist and composer, with a selection of his orchestral works. Maistorovici is currently working on his first violin concerto, for the Ukrainean violinist Valery Sokolov.

Maistorovici’s music is characterised by ‘vivid contrasts’ (London Financial Times) ‘clarity of expression’ (Actualitatea Muzicala Bucharest). In 2003, his string quartet Night Music was awarded the George Enescu Composition Prize. Premiered at the George Enescu International Fesival, a string orchestra version was subsequently commissioned by the European Union Chamber Orchestra. He is an allumnus of the Britten-Pears Programme, where, under the mentorship of Oliver Knussen, Colin Matthews and Magnus Lindberg, he composed Ocean Wing for chamber orchestra, which was premiered at the Aldeburgh Festival in 2008. In 2010 Antoine Francoise premiered transScent for solo piano at the Cadogan Hall, which was awarded the Clive Christian ‘Sound of Perfume’ Award. The same year, the London Philharmonic Orchestra commissioned Fanfara, which was performed four times under the direction of David Angus as part of the “Bright Sparks” Education Programme. The same year he composed Microcosm for the LSO Discovery Panufnik Scheme, which was rehearsed and performed publicly by the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Francois Xavier-Roth at LSO St. Luke’s. The success of the work resulted in a commission from the LSO to write Halo for large orchestra, which was premiered by the orchestra at the Barbican Hall in March 2011, in a concert conducted by Sir Colin Davis. The same year, St Prex Classics presented Carte Blanche to Vlad Maistorovici: “Tribute to Freddie Mercury” a cross-over project that features classical redentions of compositions Freddie Mercury intertwined with chamber works by Vlad Maistorovici.

Maistorovici has given violin and composition masterclasses at the Lilla Akademien Stokholm, Dartington International Summer School (on the performance of Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire), Bucharest National University of Music (where the Mercury Quartet annually workshop scores by the composition students). Born in Ploiesti, Romania (1985), he is a former pupil of the Carmen Sylva Art School where he studied violin with Adrian Ceapa and Ioana Croitoru, and piano with his mother, Sanda Hîrlav-Maistorovici. At age 16, at the recommendation of Lory Wallfisch, he gained a full scholarship at The Yehudi Menuhin School, where he continued his violin studies with Natalia Boyarskaya. He studied violin with Felix Andrievsky and composition with Mark-Anthony Turnage and Jonathan Cole at the Royal College of Music London, and later violin wth Pierre Amoyal on a Soloist Master Degree course at the Conservatoire de Lausanne.

Official website here.

MUSIC on internet: Halo

Gabriel Almaşi

November 25, 2012 by admin in Composers | Comments Off

Born in Arad, in  1977, Gabriel Almaşi graduated the West University of Timisoara,  Faculty of Music,  the Music Pedagogy section (1996-2001) and, extracurricular,  Remus Georgescu’s course in Music Composition. He continued to study composition for four years, at the National University of Music Bucharest, class of Prof. Dan Dediu (2002-2006). He also worked with prodigious musicians, such as Aurel Stroe, Ştefan Niculescu, Doina Rotaru, Michael Obst, Ari Ben-Shabetai, Kevin Ernste (Cornell University, New York), Gregory Mertl (Syracuse University, New York).

He is a founder member of the cultural association „Propuls” and, since 2011, a member of the Union of Composers and Musicologists of Romania.

His compositional creation includes works for solo instruments, music for orchestra and electroacoustic music. He signed the soundtrack for the short movie „The Flight“ by  Raluca Spătaru, music for theatre performances: The Taming of the  Shrew  by William Shakespeare, directed by Laurian Oniga (The Classical Theatre of Arad),  Iaacovi and Leidental by Hanoch Levin (The National Theatre of Timisoara), Iată femeia pe care o iubesc by Camil Petrescu, Cloaca by Maria Goos and Insula by Mihail Sebastian, directed by Mihaelei Lichiardopol.

His compositions were interpreted in USA, Germany, The Netherlands, Hungary, England.

At present, Gabriel Almaşi is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Music in Timişoara.

MUSIC on internet: Sospira

 

 

 

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