Cellist Marin Cazacu received a lifetime achievement award on Tuesday, March 24th, 2026, during the UCIMR Awards Gala 2026. He spoke about this distinction and the current relevance of UCIMR in an interview with Ana Sireteanu:

What does this recognition mean to you? Please also highlight a few moments in your career that you consider relevant for this distinction.

If I were to look back on my activity, of course I would have to limit myself to just a few things. I've had an intense life, and I've enjoyed it-being able to perform on all the philharmonic stages in Romania, as well as in other cities that don't have philharmonics. I've greatly enjoyed this connection with the Romanian audience, which has responded positively to the way I present music. You should know that this remains in the soul of every performer: that emotional bond created between performer and audience.

With Romania, I can say I have a truly special relationship, but of course life has also taken me to stages around the world. The joy lies in being able to represent Romanian culture and music internationally. That is perhaps one of the greatest satisfactions for a performer. This award may also reflect my international appearances. My activity doesn't stop there. For over 35 years, I have also been a teacher, and together with my students I formed an ensemble with which we've performed on stages across Romania and at several important festivals in Europe. We've even performed in the United States, in Washington, at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, and in Beijing, China. So again, a form of representing-let's say-bold ideas, because Violoncelissimo is a bold idea in the sense that it's unusual for an ensemble to be so versatile, able to perform everything from classical music to the trends of younger generations-jazz, rock, and other genres. I suppose these are the assets that led to my nomination for this lifetime achievement award.

What do you think is the relevance today of the Union of Performers' Creation of Musicians in Romania and the importance of this gala as a way of recognizing performers' merits?

Of course, in Romania there are several creative unions; in the musical field I know four: the Union of Composers and Musicologists of Romania, the Union of Music Critics and Music Editors, UNIMIR, and UCIMR. This is the largest institution of its kind, bringing together over 10,000 members-that is, all those who perform or have performed in symphony orchestras in Romania, in philharmonics, opera houses, as well as those who have sung in choral ensembles or performed in various groups across the country. So, it is indeed a representative Union, with enormous influence in Romania's musical life.

How important is this gala? It is clear that the respect we have gained for this institution has been proven over time. All these institutions-philharmonics, choirs, opera houses-are representative of Romanian culture and music, and this gala, above all, promotes the idea of unity and highlights those who have made a special contribution to the development of Romanian music and to our relationship with the audience.

What would you say to young musicians who aspire to achieve a career like yours?

You should know that some young musicians are already part of this Union. Together with the leadership, we have developed a segment that allows young people to become members and receive support, including financial support, for the projects they wish to develop in their careers.

My advice to young people is, first of all, to love what they do throughout their lives, to do it with full conviction and passion. I say this from my own perspective-I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't pursued music-but I invested in my youth so that later I could enjoy every day of my life as a performer. If you want this part of your life to be truly fulfilling and joyful, then you must invest in yourself and grow from a young age, step by step, every day. You must strive to reach the highest possible level, so that later you can enjoy the respect and appreciation of others.