"Altfel de magie" is the title of the Big Band Radio's concert on Thursday, April 10th, 2025, which features special guest Florin Ristei. The event will start at 19:00 and will be broadcast live on Radio România Muzical and Radio România Cultural. We find out more about this concert from the soloist Florin Ristei himself, in the interview he gave to Viorel Grecu.

First of all, how was this project born? What made you decide to play with the Radio Big Band?

I received the invitation from Simona (Simona Strungaru, the Big Band's conductor), because we have already played together at a charity concert, if I remember well. This is a new experience. My pieces orchestrated this way will sound different. I'll be playing the most popular rock hits, but adapted for Big Band and I can't wait. I'm a little bit nervous because I don't know how it's going to be, but I think it's going to be good.

Now you've just started rehearsals. What are your first impressions? How does your music sound in this format?

I haven't gotten to my own music yet, I started with the international ones, but I'm sure it will sound good because I've played my music with them before. It's a different vibe, it's different, it's like you're a bit freer. It will definitely sound great.

You said about the repertoire that there would be your own songs and international hits. Anyway, a new repertoire for Big Band. A few song titles.

I said I'm fine with what I like and what I started playing. The first time at home I listened to rock music from my brother. I was listening to what I still play today, Nirvana, Bon Jovi, and I transposed all of that for the orchestra, and of my pieces, you'll hear the classics. You'll hear a Pride, you'll hear a Dana a little bit different and some others that were transcribed for Big Band, because not all of them have the same vibe and not all of them work with Big Band, but I think people will be a little bit surprised in the audience, because they've never heard me play that.

Who did the arrangements?

Most of them are made by the guy who orchestrated for Paul Anka, because he has a whole album of rock hits made for Big Band, and on the other side I also write arrangements for my own songs and I collaborate with someone who writes my arrangements where I'm not good at, I'm not good at wind players, the rest of the arrangements I write for orchestra, but wind players is not my field, so I leave it to the professionals. William is his name, he's from South Africa, I've been collaborating with him for a while, he writes to me mostly for wind players.

The concert will be live on Radio România Cultural and Radio România Muzical. How does this motivate you?

I can't wait for those who didn't get tickets to hear it. I've heard that it's already sold-out at the Sala Radio, so tune in if you want to hear it, if you haven't got a ticket and you're not here in the hall, on Thursday at 19.00.