Dragoș Ilie, a guitarist who has rapidly become one of the most captivating figures on the Romanian and international music scene, will hold a special recital on Tuesday, the 8^th of October, at 19:00, in the Grand Hall of the Romanian Athenaeum. This recital is part of the Radio România Muzical series "Heirs of Musical Romania," and alsopart of the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) "Discoveries" project, which features extraordinary soloists and repertoire selections that break from the conventional.

In 2021, Dragoș Ilie participated in the competition for the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship, offered by Radio România Muzical and Rotary Club Pipera, and shared the grand prize with cellist Cornelius Zirbo, after an ex aequo victory. This award granted him the opportunity to fulfill a key professional dream: to record and release an album. These recordings, completed in December 2021, led to the first edition of his album, Guitar Delights, released in 2023 by Casa Radio Publishing. At his upcoming recital, the second edition of this highly successful album will be launched, and after his performance, Dragoș Ilie will be signing copies at the Casa Radio Publishing stand in the Athenaeum's foyer.

At the recommendation of Radio România Muzical, Dragoș Ilie became the stage partner of renowned violinist Alexandru Tomescu during the 2022 Stradivarius Tour, forming a duo that has evolved together and performed on various stages both in Romania and abroad since.

The program of Dragoș Ilie's classical guitar recital takes the audience on a musical journey through different countries, styles, and various pieces, most of them unheard by the Romanian public. The recital features Romanian sounds, such as Béla Bartók's Sonatina and The Fiddler from George Enescu's Childhood Impressions Suite; Viennese tones in two sonatas by Wenzeslaus Thomas Matiegka (1773-1830), a Czech composer and one of the great guitarists of the 19th century; Japanese soundscapes in pieces by Toru Takemitsu and Cuban musician Leo Brouwer, both capturing and exploring the spirit of Japan; and Spanish melodies in works by Manuel de Falla and Joaquín Rodrigo.

Dragoș Ilie, regarding the recital: "This concert at the Romanian Athenaeum holds a deep significance for me. It is an exceptional experience to perform in such a revered temple of art, which has hosted some of our greatest musicians, especially Enescu…

At the same time, it feels like a homecoming, a realization of my long-desired return to Romania. I've prepared a program that I hope will enchant you, featuring some of my favorite music: Romanian pieces, Japanese works, Spanish dances, and Viennese sonatas for the romantic guitar.

I look forward to sharing the magic of the guitar with all of you. See you on the 8^th of October!"

The recital will be broadcast live on Radio România Muzical.The event will be hosted by Cristina Comandașu.

Tickets are available at the Romanian Athenaeum box office and online at www.fge.org.ro.

Dragoș Ilie

Romanian guitarist Dragoș Ilie has quickly gained recognition as one of the most charismatic and expressive young musicians of his generation, captivating audiences across Europe, Asia, and the United States. He began studying the guitar at a young age, learning his first chords from his father. He later attended the "Octav Băncilă" National College of Art in Iași, where he studied under Marius Țîmpău. Simultaneously, Dragoș also studied with Associate Professor Dr. Daniel Dragomirescu.

His perseverance and artistic tenacity earned him several scholarships, both in Romania and abroad. Notable awards include scholarships from the MOL "Talents Support Programme", the "Young Talents" program supported by the Princess Margareta of Romania Foundation and the Royal family, the "START" scholarships, and the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship offered by Radio Romania and Rotary Club Pipera. In 2015, Dragoș was awarded the prestigious "Woodruff Scholarship" to complete his undergraduate studies at the Schwob School of Music, Columbus State University, USA, where he studied with composer and pedagogue Andrew Zohn.

Dragoș has won over 40 awards in some of the world's most prestigious competitions, including the Koblenz Guitar Festival, the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA), the Tokyo Guitar Competition, the Culiacan International Guitar Competition, the Changsha International Guitar Festival, and the Miami Guitar Festival. He has performed concerts, masterclasses, and workshops across Europe, the United States, and Asia, and has been featured in magazines such as Classical Guitar Magazine, Gendai Guitar, and Acoustic Guitar Magazine. In addition, he has performed with the Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra and the Romanian National Radio Orchestra, thanks to the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship.

Dragoș is also active in the field of chamber music. In 2021, he joined the Austin Guitar Quartet, a group whose debut album, The Singing Guitar, was Grammy-nominated, alongside the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, the Texas Guitar Quartet, and the choral ensemble Conspirare. Recent performances by the quartet include Electric Counterpoint by Steve Reich, in collaboration with the Austin Ballet.

In the summer of 2022, Dragoș was part of the Stradivarius International Tour -"Paganini Magic," alongside famous Romanian violinist Alexandru Tomescu. Together, they performed Centone di Sonate, the first book of sonatas for violin and guitar by Niccolò Paganini, in 17 concerts across 13 Romanian cities. Other projects include various performances at home and abroad, as well as the "Enescu Experience" masterclass camp at the Caraiman cabin (2023 and 2024 editions).

Passionate about promoting Romanian repertoire on the global stage, Dragoș designed his debut CD as a project that blends both arrangements (works by Ciprian Porumbescu and Béla Bartók) and original pieces by contemporary Romanian composers. The album was recorded in collaboration with Radio Romania Muzical and is available through Casa Radio Publishing.

Dragoș completed his doctoral studies at the University of Texas at Austin, where he worked as a teaching assistant to the renowned pedagogue and performer Adam Holzman.

He currently serves as a professor at the George Enescu National University of Arts in Iași. Dedicated to injury prevention among musicians, Dragoș incorporates alternative somatic practices, such as Body Mapping, into his teaching.

Dragoș is represented by Augustine Strings, the world's first classical guitar string company. He currently performs on a Gernot Wagner guitar, generously donated by Carson McKowen, and a Martin Blackwell guitar.

"Dragoș is a narrator who uses the guitar to tell a story from his captivating, thoughtful perspective."

- Lorenzo Micheli

"Beautiful tone, sensitivity and great musicianship. Dragoș has a wonderful command of our instrument!A bright present and even brighter future."

- René Izquierdo

The "Heirs of Musical Romania" Project

…organized by Radio România Muzical and Rotary Club Pipera, this project has developed in two main directions over recent years. The first aims to bring Romania's exceptional young musicians, many of whom enjoy significant international careers, back to perform on prestigious Romanian stages. These concerts are designed for a broad audience, featuring accessible repertoires and lasting one hour without intermission.

Since 2018, over 30 concerts and recitals have been held, featuring artists such as cellist Andrei Ioniță, violinist Ioana Cristina Goicea, cellist Valentin Răduțiu, and pianists Florian Mitrea, Adela Liculescu, and Axia Marinescu, among others. Under the same project, three albums have been released by Casa Radio Publishing, featuring performances and recordings from these events.

The second aspect of the project is the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship. In 2020, Radio România Muzical and Rotary Club Pipera lauched this scholarship for young musicians between the ages of 16 and 24. Recipients of the €4,000 scholarship include pianist Cadmiel Boțac (2020), cellist Cornelius Zirbo (2021), pianist Kira Frolu (2022), pianist Nil Mladin (2023), and cellist Jan Sekaci (2024).

Organizers: Radio România Muzical, Rotary Club Pipera, George Enescu Philharmonic

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