The "Majura" International Duo Festival invites the Bucharest public to explore musical communication in duos, even if we talk about piano duos or lieders. Pianist Viorica Rădoi, one of the initiators of the festival, together with pianist Steluța Radu, spoke to our colleague Ariadna Ene-Iliescu:

The 4th edition of the "Duo Majura" International Duo Majura Festival, which runs from the 13th to the 20th of October, features nationally and internationally famous artists. What are the highlights of the festival?

I would like to specify that this international festival of piano duo and lied is the only festival of its kind in Romania. Of course, there are key moments, although, more or less every time we try and succeed in bringing more and more unique piano and vocal duos from all over the world to the public. And since you asked me about the key moments, I would refer first of all to the most important key, which is the return to our stages of the great piano duo Anderson&Roe, Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Roe from the United States, who have delighted audiences all over the world, not only with their creativity but also with their extraordinary virtuosity, not to mention the originality of their repertoire, because most of the works they perform and which we will hear are their own arrangements of well-known and lesser-known works by famous and often classical composers, but they are also arrangements by the two of them for two pianos or four hands respectively. The festival will open on the 13th of October with a recital by the renowned tenor Marius Budoiu with pianist Alexandru Petrovici, performing opera by Schumann, Enescu, Puccini and Carl Bohm. Two masterclasses will take place as part of the festival, Marius Budoiu will give a masterclass for singers at the University of Music and there, for the first time, a motivational masterclass for four-hand and two-piano players will be held by Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Roe, the renowned American duo. The Majura Association started from the very beginning with the competition in the name of Suzana Szörenyi, who was a renowned teacher and pianist, especially in the field of duo. Every edition of the festival we have a Suzana Szörenyi Gala, to which the first-prize winners of the previous competition are invited because you probably know that we alternate one year of the competition and one of the festival. I would say, in a way, the most unique moment is the two recitals that we have entitled Light of Music. These are recitals by young blind performers. In this way, our festival is not only a launching platform for these young blind people to share their talent, but we are allowing them to integrate themselves naturally into the family of performers, and also to be integrated by the public into this family of musical performers. This moment aims to emphasize not only the artistic value, but also the importance of inclusion and accessibility in the contemporary cultural landscape for these young blind people.

I understand that the festival brings together musicians from many backgrounds, different generations, other musical genres.

Absolutely. Classical and jazz come together again this time, because, in addition to the repertoire that includes classical music, as I was saying, the one of these young blind people or of those two performers I would like to mention, laureates who will be giving a recital in a venue that is less frequented for such events, the Mița Biciclista house. These two Japanese performers, laureates of last year's edition, will give a recital and the "Suzana Szörenyi" Gala will take place at the University of Music. They are Nao Kanemura and Yoshiaki Sato from Japan. Moreover, the Romanian Athenaeum will also host a jazz concert by performers from the University of Music - Mircea Tiberian and Toma Dimitriu, pianists and Nadia Trohin, vocals - who will highlight the transformation and value of improvisation in a strictly, if you like, professional manner, putting the two pianos and the piano in perfect communication with the voice in this field of jazz, which is not easy.