The Iași Philharmonic will organize the Romanian Music Festival between October 13th-17th, 2025, turning Iași into the epicenter of Romanian music. More details about this year's edition are offered by Bujor Prelipcean, manager of the "Moldova" Philharmonic in Iași.

Mr. Bujor Prelipcean, this year the Romanian Music Festival reaches its 27th edition. From your perspective, what are the essential elements that give this festival a unique identity within Romania's musical life?

The beauty of this festival lies in the fact that we revived it in 2007, after it had originally been established in 1973. It is now quite well-known. At one point, it was called The Week of Romanian Music. It was beautiful then because we were commemorating our great George Enescu. The first edition took place in 1973, as I mentioned, and the second in 1974-when Oedipe was performed for the first time in concert form, conducted by Ion Baciu.

Starting with 1976, at its fourth edition, the event changed its name from The Week of Romanian Music to The Romanian Music Festival. Since 2007, I've managed to bring it back to Iași. For a few editions it had been held in Bucharest, under the name Contemporary Music Festival. During the 12th edition of the renewed festival, we commemorated Maestro Sigismund Toduță.

At the 13th edition, in 2009, we celebrated Roman Vlad and Richard Oschanitzky. In 2010, we marked the 90th anniversary of the Romanian Composers' Society and 150 years of Romanian arts education.

And so we reached 2011, the 15th edition… the 16th edition on October 29th, 2012, and we have continued every year since. Now we've arrived at the 27th edition.

It will begin on Monday, October 13th, with a recital at the Central University Library in Iași, performed by our wonderful friend of the Philharmonic, Mr. Ionuț Ștefănescu - Romania's brilliant flutist. The recital has a theme, Game in Mirrors. It includes many of his own compositions; he will perform on several instruments - the large flute, the regular flute, and even a Japanese flute - so there will be beautiful surprises. After that, many other interesting events follow.

On October 14th, the Ad Libitum Quartet will perform Aubade by George Enescu, arranged for string quartet by Maestro Zampieri. They will also perform Vasile Timiș's String Quartet and, of course, Pascal Bentoiu's famous String Quartet No. 2 of Consonances.

The next day, October 15th, the Moldova Philharmonic Choir of Iași, conducted by Consuela Radu Țaga, will perform a fully Romanian program, naturally, with texts by Mihai Eminescu.

I must mention that throughout the festival, the recitals are interspersed daily with performances by students of the "George Enescu" University of Arts in Iași.

For example, on October 13th there will be a conference-recital by musicologist Irina Zamfira Danilă and pianist Cristina Răducanu, on the topic of Music in Boyar Salons.

Then, there will be another quartet featuring Bogdan Dumitrașcu (violin), Vlad Hrubaru (violin and professor at the conservatory), Doru Costăchescu (viola), and Doina Grigore (piano).

On October 14th, we'll also have young but very well-prepared performers.

We'll first hear professor Raluca Dobre at the Balș House, in the Caudela Hall.

Then comes the Percussion Ensemble from Bucharest, featuring Alexandru Stroe, Mihai Mânzar, Ioana Ailenei, Ștefan Ailenei, Vlad Polgar, and Vlad Macsimov.

On October 15th, before Mrs. Consuela Țaga's choral concert, there will be several events: a recital and a vocal practice workshop led by professor Mihaela Gârlea, and a chamber concert with Oana Severin, Cezara Petrescu, and Florin Țârlea (flute). It's wonderful!

On October 16th, the Floralia Ensemble will perform again, conducted by Irina Zamfira Dănilă, along with a Romanian Music Colloquium and a book launch.

And, of course, as it is tradition, everything will conclude with the Symphonic Concert of the Moldova Philharmonic of Iași, conducted by Maestro Radu Postăvaru and featuring pianist Raluca Știrbăț - a favorite of ours from among the conservatory professors - who will perform Piano Concerto No. 2 by Professor and Dean Ciprian Ion. A very interesting piece!

We have also brought from Germany a remarkable violinist named Sebastian Klein, who was born in Baia Mare to Romanian parents now living in Germany. He has taken "Mare" (meaning "Great" and also alluding to Baia Mare) as his stage name - Sebastian Mare. He wishes to preserve a connection with his Romanian roots, since he was born here and loves Romania. He will perform his own Violin Concerto, which I have listened to - and I can tell you, he is an exceptionally talented composer and violinist.

We are looking forward to this concert, which will triumphantly conclude the festival, with Grana Suite by Maestro Dan Dediu, another dear friend of the Iași Philharmonic.

How do you see the evolution of the festival in the coming years, and what plans do you have for future editions?

You've asked a very difficult question.

We hope that as our Romania strengthens and begins to stride quickly and purely toward the true light we've been waiting for, we will have sufficient funding to take great pride in organizing such festivals.

My wish is for this Romanian Music Festival to become an international festival of Romanian music. That is our aspiration.