Pianist George Țăranu will host a concert on Tuesday, 21^st of April 2026, at 7:00 P.M., on the stage of the "Dinu Lipatti" Philharmonic from Satu Mare. The event is part of a series of privileges awarded following his performance within the last year's contest for the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship, a project created by Radio România Muzical.

George Țăranu, last year you stood out for "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship, and following that performance, you will host a concert on Tuesday, 21^st of April, at the "Dinu Lipatti" Philharmonic from Satu Mare. What made you compete for it?

I wanted to compete because the Heirs of Musical Romania project is an extraordinary opportunity for young performers to affirm themselves and to perform on great stages. My first interaction with the Heirs of Musical Romania scholarship was in 2024, and madame Cristina Comandașu invited me to perform at a meeting with the listeners of Radio România Muzical following that, which took place in the Eduard Caudella Hall of the Balș House in Iași. After my second attempt for the Heirs of Musical Romania scholarship, I was invited by madame Kovacs Emoke, the director of the Dinu Lipatti Philharmonic in Satu Mare to host a solo on the philharmonic's stage.

The recital in Satu Mare is a well-deserved opportunity. Do you perceive it as a responsibility?

Naturally. I am deeply honoured and very delighted at the same time to have this opportunity.

You've put together a diverse programme, from Johann Sebastian Bach to Franz Liszt, along with works signed by Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, and Enescu. What can you tell us about the pieces you've chosen?

I will begin with a Baroque piece, the Prelude and Fugue No. 3 in C-sharp major from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, and continue with Beethoven's "Appassionata" Sonata. I have included two études by Chopin, Op. 25, No. 11 and Op. 10, No. 4 within the second half, followed by jumping back into the 20th century with Debussy's "Feux d'artifice" and Enescu's "Carillon Nocturne". Finally, I will perform Liszt's famous "Mephisto Waltz No. 1", which is a piece that fits the rest of the theme of the concert overall.

You have won many prestigious awards in the recent years, such as the Grand Prize at the Golden Lyre National Instrumental Performance Contest. How important are these achievements for a young pianist as you?

Over the years, I have been part of several national and international contests alike, including the 'Golden Lyre National Instrumental Performance' contest from Suceava as you've mentioned, where I won the grand prize and was invited in the aftermath to host a solo concert within the Small Hall of the Romanian Athenaeum, then the 'Frédéric Chopin International Piano' contest from Bacău, where I also won the grand prize and was invited afterwards to perform two concerts with the Serghei Lunchevici Philharmonic Orchestra from Chișinău, and the Mihail Jora Orchestra from Bacău. I performed Chopin's Piano Concerto in F minor, and I also joined several masterclasses alongside pianists from all over the country, as well as from abroad. I would like to point out that the masterclasses led by the pianist Raluca Știrbăț at the Enescu House in Mihăileni and at the Miclescu Manor from early 2022 have helped me to grow immensely from a musical standpoint, as a pianist, as well as a person.

You are currently a senior at the "Victor Brauner" School of Arts from Piatra Neamț, and I imagine that you have a pretty busy schedule at school. Besides that, which direction do you think that your artistic and educational journeys are heading into the future?

I will definitely continue my musical studies. I haven't decided yet what would be the best option for me yet, but I will make up my mind soon. Abroad, most likely. But I also would like to broaden my solo and chamber music repertoires alike as much as I possibly can, as well as to take part in international contests at the same time.