The Romanian Youth Jazz Orchestra, the first jazz orchestra dedicated to young musicians in Romania, will perform together with the Radio Romania Big Band on Thursday, March 5th, at 19:00, at Sala Radio, in the concert entitled "De ziua ta, mămico!". On Monday, March 9th, also starting at 19:00, the project "Romanian Youth Jazz Orchestra - Quintet Sessions" will make its debut within the Jazz Season of the George Enescu Philharmonic, in the Small Hall of the Romanian Athenaeum. About these two events, trumpeter and vocalist Maya Sophie Burneci, a member of the Romanian Youth Jazz Orchestra, spoke with our colleague Cristina Cîrjan.

Maya Sophie, you are a member of the Romanian Youth Jazz Orchestra, a project launched by the Radio Romania Big Band at the end of last year. What does it mean for you to be part of this ensemble and how would you describe the experience?

Being part of this ensemble means a lot to me, because I have the opportunity to play alongside my schoolmates and my friends. That is why the experience is both very serious and very fun, full of beautiful moments. I recommend that anyone who would like to be part of a big band give us a chance.

Within the project you work together with mentors from the Radio Romania Big Band. What do you think you have learned so far from this collaboration?

We are learning to listen to each other when we play together. Most of us play a lot of classical music, and we are used to performing solo, which has taught us to play in our own individual way. When you are in an ensemble of 20 people or more, everyone must be synchronized, otherwise nothing makes sense. This is what the mentors and conductor Simona Strungaru teach us. Every day she reminds us of these things, and when we cannot play a passage properly, she stops us and we clap the rhythm together. I learn a lot from this experience. It helps us understand the pieces better and develop a stronger musical dialogue.

In the concert on March 5th at Sala Radio, the audience will hear very well-known pieces, from international jazz themes to songs for children reinterpreted in a jazz style. Is there a piece in the program that particularly caught your attention?

There are several pieces that caught my attention. I really like the piece "Appletree", which will be performed with a vocal group. I also like "In the Mood" very much. I will not say more - I do not want to give too many spoilers. I want it to be a beautiful concert.

On March 9th you will have the debut of the project "Romanian Youth Jazz Orchestra - Quintet Sessions" at the Romanian Athenaeum. How was this quintet formed and how are the preparations going for the first concert in this formula?

We are very focused and have a lot of work to do. Quintet Sessions is part of the Romanian Youth Jazz Orchestra ensemble: myself on voice and trumpet, Sara Gheorghiu on vibraphone and percussion, Ana Ciocea on bass, and Maria Rizea on percussion. We will perform jazz standards arranged especially for this format. You will hear pieces such as "Sing Sing Sing", "Stolen Moments", or "Let's Get Love", as well as seasonal spring songs such as "De ziua ta, mămico".

You are both a trumpeter and a vocalist. How do these two roles complement each other for you, and in which one do you feel most at home?

With my voice I feel freer. I can say that I feel most comfortable when I sing. With the trumpet, from a jazz perspective, I am still at the beginning of my journey. I am learning to control it, just as I can control vocal moments, but both are part of me and I really enjoy what I do.

For a young musician, the internet can be a very useful tool for inspiration or for reaching an audience. How do you think a teenager can use the internet as a tool for development without falling into the traps of the online environment?

There always has to be balance in the way you use the internet, because, as you said, it can be a very useful tool for development, but at the same time it can be harmful. Since I am involved in many musical contexts and projects, I do not use it that much. There has to be balance. In music, that balance means listening to different genres and drawing musical values from great instrumentalists - this is where the internet helps me.