Adina Dumitrescu
Composer Adina Dumitrescu was born in Bucharest, Romania on 11.07.1964. She has a PhD in Musicology at the National University of Music of Bucharest(2005 – thesis On melodies and melody, supervisor prof. Alexandru Leahu) and a Master’s degree in Composition at the same university (1998 – composition with prof. Dan Dediu and prof. Ștefan Niculescu). She also attended Aurel Stroe’s Summer Composition Courses in 2001, 2000 and 1996. Her diverse activity includes: since 2009 – codirector of Țintea Muzicală International Festival for Classical and Contemporary Music (with composer Dana Cristina Probst); 2006-2007 – researcher at University of Tampere, Department of Music Anthropology; since 2004 – member of the Suomen Säveltäjät ry (Finnish Composers’ Association); since 1998 – member of the Uniunea Compozitorilor și Muzicologilor din România (Romanian Composers’ and Musicologists’ Union); 1994-2003 – Universitatea Națională de Muzică București (National University of Music in Bucharest, UNMB), teaching – Musical Informatics and Romanian Musical Folklore; 1998-2000 – director of OPUS journal (UNMB).
Adina Dumitrescu was awarded the following prizes and grants: 2016-2020 – 5-vuotinen taitelija-apuraha (5 year state grant for artists) from Taiteen edistämiskeskus (Arts Promotion Center of Finland); 2014 – finalist of the Ciudad de Orihuela composition contest; 2008-2014 – Grants for composition from Tampereen Kaupunki (City of Tampere), Taiteen keskustoimikunta (Art Council of Finland), Suomen Kulttuurirahasto (Finnish Cultural Foundation), Madetoja säätiö (Madetoja Foundation); 2012 – Valtion taitelija-apuraha (one year state grant for artists from the Finnish Performing Music Promotion Center); 2009 – Prize of the London Schubert Players and Constantin Silvestri Foundation at the Invitation to Composers composition contest; 2004 – Prize of the Aleph ensemble at the 3ème Forum Aleph des jeunes compositeurs; 1998 – 3rd Prize of the Romanian Radio Orchestra composition contest.
Her works have been played in various concerts and festivals: Săptămâna Internațională a Muzicii Noi – București (2016, 2004, 2003, 2000); Nordic Music Days (Copenhagen, 2015) ; concert series of the Orquesta « Ciudad de Orihuela » ( Orihuela, Alicante, Spain 2014) ; concert series Palindromes (Lille, France 2014) ; concert series Homage to Constantin Silvestri (Paris and Bruxelles 2013); concert series Saison Théâtre Dunois Paris, France (2013, 2008, 2005, 2004); Fresh ! (Celebration kantele music concert, Helsinki, Finland, 2012); concert series with TampereRaw ensemble at Willa Mac – Tampere, Finland (2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2009, 2006, 2002); Meidän Festivaali (Järvenpää, Finland, 2012); Ketjun rengas (Chain link) – composer portrait concert, Helsinki, Finland (2010); D’aujourd’hui à demain – Cluny, France (2010); festival Musiikin Aika (Time of Music) – Viitasaari, Finland (2010, 2007, 2006, 2001); Festival Punto de Encuentro Asociation de Musica Electroacustica de Espana (2007); Festival Aspekte – Salzburg, Austria (2006); Musiques démesurées (in collaboration with Finnish Institute in Paris) – Clermont Ferrand, France (2006) ; 3ème Forum Aleph des jeunes compositeurs – Moulin d’Andé (2004), Reims (2004) and Paris (2004) ; Gaudeamus Music Festival – Amsterdam, Netherlands (2004); Hellerau Festival Dresden, Germany (2004).
Other projects: Romanian music and literature – with Tampereen Suomi-Romania Association; New perspectives of traditional strings (Finland, Romania and Austria 2016/2017) – Austrian, Finnish and Romanian contemporary music for kantele, sheng and zither – organizer and composer; HEL-VIE meno-paluu (Vienna, Austria and Helsinki, Tampere, Finland 2011) – Austrian and Finnish contemporary music for flute and clarinet – organizer and composer; ȚINTEA MUZICALĂ, International Festival for Classical and Contemporary Music – starting in 2009, takes place every year in Băicoi, Ploiești, București – founder, manager and organizer; Invitation to Composers (Paris and London 2010) – with London Schubert Players – composer, conductor and lecturer; Der Klang Brâncuşi – Le son Brâncuşi (Vienna, Austria 2007) – multimedia project, in memoriam Constantin Brâncuşi (1876-1957) – organizer and composer; Klanglandschaft mit Brâncuşi – Hommage à Brâncuşi in Ton und Bild, Vienna, Austria (2007); 2006-2007 – composer in residence and conductor of Tampereen Lyseon Lukio chamber orchestra.
Adina Dumitrescu has written more than 70 works from the following genres: orchestral works, works for soloist and orchestra, vocal-instrumental and intrumental chamber works for small and big ensembles, choral works, works for solo intrument, works with audio and video tape. All the works are built on modal or microtonal systems, usually developed by the composer. Important titles: As they met me op. 63 concerto for bass clarinet and orchestra (2014), Audio messages op. 61 for string orchestra (2014) – awarded by Ciudad de Orihuela, Les chansons d’un assoiffé op.52 for soprano and cello orchestra (2012) (from „Les photos d’Apollinaire“ – series of works), La femme aux cheveux de flammes op.51 for accordion duo (2012) (from the “Pas de deux” series of works), Glass and wet rocks op.39 for kantele, wind quintet and percussions (2010), Colloquial Speech op.7 for vocal-instrumental ensemble (clarinet, trumpet, soprano, piano, accordion, percussion, violin and cello) (2003) – awarded by the 3rd Forum Aleph, Păsări şi cruci op.30 for flute and videotape (2007), Pénitence et anthropologie op.28 for saxophones, viola and tape (2007), Les Affirmatives op.39 for 6 female voices, with theatre elements (2010), Dansatorii de Hneen op.1 for soprano, mezzosoprano, violin, percussion and children voices (2000), Juhlitaan! op.23 for Tampereen Lyseon Lukion students’ chamber orchestra (2006), and from the microtonal music series: Ua hoi ! op. 49 for 2 kantele (2011), Acrilic damunt tela op. 48 for kantele and percussion (2011), Tuned to the real world op. 64 for kantele trio (2014) using the 31-EDO tuning system. Her scores are published at Editura Muzicală (Romania), Modus Musiikki (Finland) and Edition Avantus (Germany).
Portraits and interviews: Composers speak in Invitation to Composers project book, interview by Anda Ansatasescu, London, August 2010; Nimikkosäveltäjä yhdisti kansanlaulut ja modernin musiikki (Composer in residence brought together traditional and art music) interview by Kati Toivanen, in Aamulehti – Tampere, december 2006; Une conversation ordinaire in Carnet de bord (Logbook) of the 3rd International Forum Aleph, interview by Makis Solomos, Moulin d’Andé, France, july 2004.
CD-s:
- ADINA DUMITRESCU – CHAMBER MUSIC WORKS FOR KANTELE Inkoon Musiikki IMU CD-152 (2015) – Fresh, Ua hoi !, Acrilic damunt tela, Pas de deux:n keskustelu matkalla kotiin, 2 Songs for Apollinaire: Clotilde and Le pont Mirabeau, Tuned to the real world (5 preludes for kantele trio) / Eva Alkula, Jenny Vartiainen, Heidi Äijälä, Emili Losier, Mikko Raasakka, Janne Tuomi
- ELIANGELIS Contemporary Finnish Music for Clarinet – ALBA ABCD 368 (2014) – Necklace for bass clarinet solo / Mikko Raasakka
- A EUROPEAN ODYSSEY Nimbus Records LC5871 (2012) – J’ai trouvé les histoires / Yuri Zhislin, Alberto Portugheis, London Schubert Players
- ECHO MEMO Nova Musica NMCD 5122 (2008) – Pénitence et anthropologie / Trio ProMozica
- Résonances triangulaires Nova Musica NMCD 5121 (2007) – Lundi rue Christine (from „Les photos d’Apollinaire” series of works) / Trio Alto