Anita Petruescu is preparing a whole series of concerts in Romania starting this weekend. We'll hear the details directly from Anita, a voice well known to Romanian audiences, whom we welcome to Radio România Muzical.

Good morning, thank you for the invitation, glad to be here.

We mentioned you'll have concerts around the country. Let's start with that. There are quite a few dates coming up toward the end of the month. Tell us where we can see you live and who you'll be performing with. From what I understand, there will be two different lineups.

Yes, I've planned several concerts in March, specifically on the 14th, 17th, 20th, 27th, and 28th. The first three are in Ploiești, Bucharest, and Galați - they're already sold out, which makes me very happy. I chose some jazz clubs. I'll be performing alongside the Sorin Zlat Trio, playing some of his compositions, some of mine, and some jazz standards. The second lineup, on the 27th and 28th at the Pitești Philharmonic and the Brașov Philharmonic, is with pianist Petrică Andrei's trio, and we've put together a slightly different repertoire. I also want to see what resonates with audiences. I haven't performed in Romania for a few years, and back then I noticed that Romanian songs from The Voice of Romaniawere very well received, so I've chosen some pieces from the Romanian repertoire alongside jazz standards. I'm very happy that the public's response was so quick - both Bucharest and Ploiești sold out overnight. Tickets are still available for the Brașov and Pitești Philharmonics on March 27th-28th. I'd also like to announce, perhaps for the first time now, that on June 18th I'll be performing as a soloist with the Radio Big Band at Sala Radio in Bucharest.

You've experienced a real boost in popularity lately, and let's be honest - it's largely due to your participation in The Voice of Romania. How was that experience for you as a jazz vocalist?

Yes, the freedom that jazz and improvised music bring were probably an advantage for me in this competition, even though that musical world is very different from what I normally do. It was a very beautiful, emotionally charged experience that also broadened my own artistic horizons and helped me reconnect with Romanian audiences. That was one of the main reasons I chose to take part in the competition.

You've been based in the Netherlands for some time now - a country that seems very welcoming to young jazz artists. Can you tell us a bit about what you're doing there? We already know you've released an album in the Netherlands.

My move to the Netherlands came about because of the master's degree I completed there in 2022. Since any new artistic vision is very well received here, and I found the creative and musical environment very inspiring, I decided to continue my artistic journey there. In 2024 I recorded an album called All Layers Beneath The Surface, available on all streaming platforms. It's my first attempt at writing original music. I had the joy and good fortune of working with some extraordinary musicians from all corners of the world, whom I met during my studies and with whom I've been collaborating for over four years now. I'm currently working on new music with the same project.

Before your experience in the Netherlands, you already had a solid background in Romania, which I'm sure served you well. You studied here, gave concerts, attended festivals. Could you give us a summary of your pre-Netherlands period?

I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Bucharest in Mircea Tiberian's class. I had the privilege of playing my very first jazz concert in Bucharest with Mircea Tiberian - a great honor - and I remember those moments with nostalgia. During my undergraduate studies I entered several international jazz competitions, which I also won. I can mention the Johnny Răducanu Festival and Competition in Brăila, where I won the award for best voice, and the competition organized by ARCUB - Bucharest Jazz Players - in Bucharest, which I also won, and I subsequently performed on the Bucharest Jazz Festival stage.