The 48th edition of the "Musical Craiova" International festival continues on the fourth night with a vocal simphonic concert held by the Orchestra of Percussion Blowers/ Choral Percussion Academy of the "Oltenia" Craiova, under the baton of the conductor Radu Zaharia. In the program, there are works by Aaron Copland, Arnold Mendelsson, Paul Dukas, Felix Mendelsson - Bartholdy and Hector Berlioz.

RADU ZAHARIA

Radu Zaharia graduated from the conducting section of the "Gheorghe Dina" Musical Academy from Cluj - Napoca, having studied under the guidance of maestro Petru Sbarcea. His professional experience consists of different types of activities. Since 2012, Radu Zaharia is the producer of a series of concerts under the name of "Foedus Concordiae", concerts which consist of a mix of orchestra and chamber choir, at whose desk he held concerts in different cultural or sacred locations from Arad. He also assisted maestro Neil Thomson (England) in November 2012, at a collaboration with the Romanian Broadcasting's Room Choir. Following the impressions he gave after this collaborations, Radu Zaharia was invited by maestro Thomson, during the 25th of February - 2nd of March 2013 period, to Paris, with the purpose of musical perfection. During his whole studying period, the young conductor was also at the desk of the "Gheorghe Dima" Musical Academy's assemblies and of the "Agile" orchestral symphony from Cluj - Napoca, approaching a varied repertoire. For additional training, the young conductor participated at a mastery class which took place at the Musical Academy in February 2013, held by maestro Noam Zur (Israel), and also at a vocal - symphonic mastery class, held by maestro Roland Borger (Germany).

After the debut alongside the State Philarmonic from Arad, with the "Lobgesang" no.2 Symphony by F. Mendelssohn - Bartholdy, followed the debut alongside the Banat Philarmonic from Timisoara, with a vocal - simphonic program. In paralel, Radu Zaharia dedicated his efforts into forming new generations of musicians, serving as a conductor of the orchestral simphonies of the "Ion Vidu" Arts college from Timișoara, which he perfected in such a manner that they started to approach opposites such as the nr.9 Symphony by A. Dvorak and "Carmina Burana" by C.Orff. Also, as conductor of the Timișoara Simphonic Orchestra and the Timișoara Youth Academic Orchestra, he presented classical and promenade programs and even musicals from Timișoara, Reșița or Drobeta - Turnu Severin. His attention also expanded towards some contemporary projects, being at the rostrum of the "Tymes" Orchestra ever since its foundation, alongside which he held concerts in unconventional settings, and also concerts alongside rock formations.

MANUELA ENACHE - PIRVU

Manuela Enache - Pirvu followed the "Marin Sorescu" Arts Highschool's classes (the violin class). In the 2004 - 2008 period, she was a scholarship student at the National Musical University of Bucharest, at the specialization of academic choir direction (conf. univ. dr. Valentin Gruescu's class), following the violin instrumental module in paralel (Adrian Buliga, conf. univ. dr. Florin Croitoriu). Among other professors, under the guidance with which she perfectioned her musical training, are: Dinu Ciocan, Teodor Tutuianu, Valentina Sandu Dediu, Dan Buciu, Ulpiu Vlad, Dan Dediu. In 2010, she graduated from the National Musical University of Bucharest's master classes (Conducting style, the specialization of academic choir conducting) and in the 2009 - 2010 period, she benefitted from a scholarship at Birmingham Conservatoire (Great Britain), where she perfected herself under the guidance of conductor Paul Spicer. During those studies, she actively got involved as a conductor for the Camerata Choir, alongside whom she held concerts and made audio prints. During the same period, she participated at the "Maze" contemporary music educational workshop. She's a doctor at the National Musical University of Bucharest, her thesis having the subject of "Hypostases of choral music in Romance - a conducting perspective".

The proffessional activity of the young musician consists of numerous artistic collaborations: member of the Radio Craiova children's choir and of the Lyrical Theatre of Craiova's Children's choir (1994 - 1998); musician in the "Elena Teodosini" Lyrical Theatre of Craiova's Orchestra (2002); vocal artist in the "Stefan Niculescu" Medal - concert ( the Romanian Athenaeum, 2008) and in the "Lucrezia Borgia" theatre show ( I.L. Caragiale National Theatre of Bucharest); member of the "DaCapo" choir (Bucharest, 2006). She held concerts in Austria (Vienna) and Germany (Nurnberg, Munchen, Ingolstadt) alongside the "Solemnis" choir. In the 2008 - 2009 period, she was a member of the Romanian Patriarchy's choir, and in 2007 she was part of the organizing committee of the "George Enescu" International Festival in Bucharest.

In June 2010, she obtained the first prize for the "From apprenticeship to mastery in the conducting practice" project, produced by the National Opera of Bucharest alongside the National Musical University.

In summer 2012, she participated at the conducting mastery and musical phenomenology classes held in Germany by maestro Konrad von Abel. Since 2010, Manuela Enache Pirvu holds the status of being the conductor of the "Oltenia" academic choir philarmony.