A significant event in Bucharest's musical life: a concert featuring multiple concertos - a format rarely programmed in Romanian concert seasons - showcasing three highly talented young Romanian musicians, each with a notable international career. These artists are scholarship recipients of the "Heirs of Musical Romania" program, organized by Radio România Muzical with the support of the Rotary Club Pipera. The featured soloists are guitarist Dragoș Ilie, cellist Sofia Blându, and pianist Dominik Ilisz.

As winners of the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship competition, one of the most significant initiatives supporting Romanian talent in classical music, the three musicians earned the opportunity to perform a concerto with the Radio Chamber Orchestra. This prize was provided by Liliana Staicu, Director of the Radio Romania Projects and Events Center.

The concert on November 11th will be conducted by Christian Câșleanu, another brilliant representative of the young generation of musicians of Romanian origin.

Guitarist Dragoș Ilie (29) participated in the competition for the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship in 2021, gaining several professional opportunities: concerts, studio recordings, and inclusion in the EBU concert season under the "Top Young Performers" banner. Also upon the recommendation of Radio România Muzical, he took part in the Stradivarius Tour for the first time, performing alongside violinist Alexandru Tomescu. Dragoș Ilie already possessed a significant international career; over the last five years, he has further solidified his presence on both Romanian and international stages as the most renowned and beloved Romanian classical guitarist. He has released several albums, most recently in 2026, with the German label Naxos, performed as a soloist with various Romanian orchestras, and become a guitar professor at the George Enescu Academy of Arts in Iași, his hometown.

For the concert on November 11th, Dragoș Ilie presents two iconic works from the Baroque repertoire frequently performed by guitarists: Antonio Vivaldi's beloved Concertos in C major and D major.

Cellist Sofia Blându (23) has chosen Joseph Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major, a cornerstone of the cello repertoire, noted for its virtuosity and brilliance. Sofia Blându is the 2025 recipient of the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship, valued at 4,500 euros; she is currently based in Berlin, where she studies at the German capital's renowned Academy of the Arts.

In February 2027, Sofia Blându will embark on a tour organized by Radio România Muzical under the "Heirs of Musical Romania" banner, featuring recitals in Brașov, Bucharest, Iași, and Satu Mare.

The evening's musical program continues with Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's Symphony No. 10 for string orchestra - a single-movement work composed when he was a 14-year-old musical prodigy - followed by a performance by pianist Dominik Ilisz (22), who will take on the solo part in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23, one of the composer's most beloved concertos. Dominik Ilisz has participated on several occasions in the competition for the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship, securing various professional opportunities, most notably his debut concert with the Radio Chamber Orchestra in 2022, followed by the upcoming concert on November 11, 2026. Currently, Dominik Ilisz is a master's student at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, one of the world's most prestigious music institutions, where he has garnered attention for performances marked by virtuosity, expressiveness, and musical incisiveness. During the 2026-2027 season, he is set to give a recital at the renowned Musikverein in Vienna.

Tickets for the November 11th concert are available at the box office and on the Radio Hall website.

Guitarist Dragoș Ilie

Described by Radio România Muzical as "a true revelation of recent years on the Romanian concert stage," guitarist Dragoș Ilie has distinguished himself as one of the most charismatic and expressive young musicians of his generation, captivating audiences across Europe, Asia, and the United States. He began his musical journey at an early age, learning his first chords from his father. He went on to study at the "Octav Băncilă" National College of Arts in Iași, under the guidance of Marius Țîmpău. Concurrently, Dragoș also studied with Daniel Dragomirescu, PhD, Associate Professor.

Dragoș has won over 40 awards at some of the world's most prestigious competitions, including the Koblenz Guitar Festival, the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA), the Tokyo Guitar Competition, the Culiacan International Competition, the Changsha International Guitar Festival, and the Miami Guitar Festival. He has given concerts, masterclasses, and workshops throughout Europe, the United States, and Asia, and has been featured in publications such as Classical Guitar Magazine, Soundboard Magazine, Gendai Guitar, and Acoustic Guitar Magazine. Furthermore, Dragoș has performed alongside the "Transilvania" State Philharmonic Orchestra, the "Dinu Lipatti" Philharmonic Orchestra, the Radio Chamber Orchestra, and the Romanian National Radio Orchestra.

In 2015, Dragoș was awarded the prestigious "Woodruff Scholarship" to pursue his undergraduate studies at the Schwob School of Music (Columbus State University, USA), in the class of composer and educator Andrew Zohn.

His discography includes his debut CD, Guitar Delights - recorded in collaboration with Radio România Muzical for the Casa Radio label - as well as Paganini Magic, featuring violinist Alexandru Tomescu. Furthermore, Dragoș has recorded two volumes of a complete series of sonatas by Thomas Matiegka for the renowned record label Naxos Records. The first volume was released in 2026, with the next scheduled for later that same year.

Dragoș is also active in the field of chamber music. In 2021, he joined the Austin Guitar Quartet, an ensemble whose debut album, The Singing Guitar, received a Grammy nomination alongside works by the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, the Texas Guitar Quartet, and the choral ensemble Conspirare. Recent performances by the quartet include Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint, presented in collaboration with the Austin ballet company. Currently, he is an active member of the newly formed Romanian Guitar Quartet, which made its debut in 2026 during the "Seasons" (Anotimpuri) National Tour. The quartet performed Antonio Vivaldi's celebrated The Four Seasons (arranged for guitar), alongside four new "seasons" composed by young Romanian artists.

Dragoș also performs regularly alongside the renowned Romanian violinist Alexandru Tomescu. The two performed as part of the "Stradivarius" tour series: the 2022 edition, "Paganini Magic," featuring music by Nicolo Paganini for guitar and violin; the 2025 edition, "The Rhapsodies," which includes Dragoș's arrangements of George Enescu's famous Romanian Rhapsodies as well as George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue; and the 2026 edition, "The Muses", featuring Argentine bandoneon player Omar Massa, a program marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Constantin Brâncuși.

Other projects include various concerts both in Romania and abroad (London, Venice, Paris - on the occasion of the Olympic Games opening - Lyon, Rome, Madrid, Salamanca, and Naples), as well as educational initiatives such as the "Enescu Experience" masterclass camp at the Caraiman Chalet (held in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026).

Dragoș completed his doctoral studies at the University of Texas at Austin (USA), where he served as a teaching assistant in the studio of the renowned pedagogue and performer Adam Holzman.

He is currently a faculty member at the George Enescu National University of Arts in Iași. Committed to the prevention of performance-related injuries among musicians, Dragoș incorporates somatic approaches, such as Body Mapping, into his teaching. He frequently leads seminars, workshops, and masterclass camps across Romania, including the "Icon Arts" International Camp (2024, 2025, 2026) and "Guitar Lab," with activities taking place in Bucharest, Cluj, Târgu Mureș, Bacău, and Suceava.

Cellist Sofia Blându

Cellist Sofia Blându (born 2003) belongs to a new generation of cellists gaining international recognition. She began her cello studies at the age of seven in Iași and continued her training in Bucharest under the guidance of professors Mircea Marian and Marin Cazacu. She is currently pursuing her undergraduate studies at the Berlin University of the Arts (Universität der Künste Berlin) in the class of Professor Konstantin Heidrich.

She has participated in various international festivals and academies, such as the Kronberg Academy Chamber Music Festival, the Kronberg Cello Masterclasses (2024 & 2026), the Académie musicale de Villecroze, and the Encuentro de Música y Academia de Santander, and has collaborated with musicians including Gidon Kremer, Gary Hoffman, Christian Tetzlaff, Isabel Charisius, and Zakhar Bron. In April 2025, Sofia Blându secured an academy position at the prestigious Deutsche Oper Berlin, where she performed during the 2025/2026 season.

She is the recipient of the 2025 "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship and has received numerous awards at national and international competitions. These include the 2nd Prize at the International Grunewald Competition in Berlin (held under the patronage of cellist David Geringas), the 3rd Prize at the ProArt Competition in Ukraine, and a Special Prize at the "Ludovic Bács" Festival of Hungarian Music; she also reached the semi-finals of the "George Enescu" International Competition.

For five consecutive years, she was a scholarship recipient of the SoNoRo Interferențe program, where she had the opportunity to participate in chamber music courses led by Mihaela Martin, Frans Helmerson, Diana Ketler, and Răzvan Popovici. In the autumn of 2023, she received a scholarship from the Paul Hindemith Association in Berlin; she currently receives support through the Deutschlandstipendium, the Brigitte Sauerwein Foundation, and the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation - Live Music Now Berlin. Furthermore, starting with the 2026/2027 season, she will be a scholarship holder of the Villa Musica Rheinland-Pfalz program.

Throughout her musical training, she has taken part in masterclasses with renowned cellists, including David Geringas, Frans Helmerson, Jens Peter Maintz, Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, Valentin Răduțiu, Andrei Ioniță, and Pieter Wispelwey. Sofia Blându plays an 18th-century J. B. Guadagnini cello, on loan from the Berlin University of the Arts.

Pianist Dominik Ilisz

"This young man is exceptionally talented, full of imagination, and strives to bring out every detail within a composition. We can already look forward with great pleasure to the promising career that lies ahead for this musician of such distinct expressiveness," wrote Pierre Charron about Dominik, following a concert given for the International Chopin Society in Vienna.

Dominik Ilisz graduated with distinction from his undergraduate studies in piano performance at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw), in the class of Professor Christopher Hinterhuber. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in piano performance at the same institution, while simultaneously continuing his studies at the University of Oradea under the guidance of Professor Horia Maxim, PhD.

Dominik has already performed on numerous prominent European stages, including the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, the Megaron Concert Hall in Thessaloniki, and the Patras Philharmonic (Greece). He has given concerts in Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, and Austria. In 2024, he was invited by Future Art LAB in Vienna to present a solo recital marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of the International Chopin Society.

A landmark moment in his artistic career was his debut at the Vienna State Opera, where he performed Franz Liszt's piano transcription of V. Bellini's opera "Norma." Subsequently, he was invited to give a recital at the Vienna Musikverein, during which he successfully presented the complete works for solo piano by composer Lili Boulanger in a single evening.

Among his most recent achievements are the First Prize at the Târgu Mureș International Piano Competition, the Medalla d'Honor at the 70th edition of the Maria Canals International Piano Competition, as well as special prizes at the Ettlingen International Piano Competition and the Bechstein-Bruckner Piano Competition in Linz. He has also received several prestigious scholarships and distinctions, including the Marianne Nadler Prize from the Beethoven Society in Vienna and the Anny Felbermayer Prize from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, both awarded in 2023.

In 2024, he was nominated by Radio România Muzical for an International Classical Music Award (ICMA) in the "Young Artist of the Year" category.

He furthered his musical training by participating in masterclasses led by prominent figures such as Louis Lortie, Wojciech Świtała, Grigory Gruzman, Elizabeth Sombart, and Leonid Margarius.

In November 2025, he participated as a guest artist in the Musethica Vienna program, during which he gave eleven recitals in various concert venues across Vienna. He was also invited to the Ad Manaurem 1762 Piano Festival in Saint-Jean-de-Côle (France).

In January 2026, Dominik performed at the gala concert for the Benjamin Prize, awarded by the Wolfgang Boesch Private Foundation in Vienna, appearing both as a soloist and in chamber music works alongside Peter Somodari, principal cellist of the Vienna Philharmonic. Through this prize, the Wolfgang Boesch Private Foundation annually honors an exceptional young artist. The jury commended Dominik's extraordinary performance at the Vienna State Opera, a remarkable success that garnered significant attention within Vienna's musical life.

During the 2026/2027 season, Dominik will once again present a solo recital in the Gläserner Saal at the Musikverein in Vienna.

Conductor CHRISTIAN CÂȘLEANU

With an artistic career that continues to flourish on European symphonic and operatic stages, Christian Câșleanu belongs to a new generation of conductors with an increasingly active presence on the international musical landscape. His interpretive approach is characterized by musical sensitivity, a keen attention to orchestral color, and a profound understanding of musical structure and expressiveness.

A significant role in his professional journey is played by his collaboration with maestro Cristian Măcelaru, alongside whom he has served as an assistant conductor for projects with prestigious orchestras, such as the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Orchestre National de France, Dresdner Philharmonie, and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. These experiences, combined with his ongoing work with the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, have provided him with the opportunity to collaborate with internationally renowned soloists, including Augustin Hadelich, Julia Fischer, Nicola Benedetti, Isabelle Faust, Renaud Capuçon, Daniil Trifonov, Seong-Jin Cho, Rudolf Buchbinder, and Kian Soltani. Furthermore, he has worked with vocalists acclaimed on major international stages, such as Sasha Cooke, Jamie Barton, Allan Clayton, and Fatma Said, thereby gaining diverse experience across the symphonic, concertante, and vocal-symphonic repertoires.

Born in Germany into a family of Romanian origin with a rich musical tradition, Christian began his piano studies at an early age. His training, rooted in both German and Romanian musical traditions, has fostered his interest in the orchestral repertoire and the expressive world of opera.

As a conductor, he has collaborated with numerous European orchestras, including the Rheinische Philharmonie Koblenz, Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Sinfonieorchester Aachen, Limburgs Symfonie Orkest, and the Balkan Symphony Orchestra, as well as with prominent musical institutions in Romania, such as the "Moldova" Philharmonic in Iași, the "Banatul" Philharmonic in Timișoara, the Târgu Mureș State Philharmonic, the "Paul Constantinescu" Philharmonic in Ploiești, and the orchestra of the "Nae Leonard" National Opera and Operetta Theatre in Galați.

With a particular affinity for the lyrical repertoire, Christian has gained significant experience in musical theatre, collaborating with institutions such as Theater Bonn, Theater Aachen, Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf, Theater Lüneburg, Opéra national de Lorraine in Nancy, and Opera Zuid in Maastricht. His repertoire includes Mozart's Così fan tutte, Le nozze di Figaro, and La finta giardiniera; Giuseppe Verdi's Jérusalem; Richard Wagner's Siegfried; Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos; as well as 20th-century works, including Paul Hindemith's Neues vom Tage and the musical Anatevka (Fiddler on the Roof) by Jerry Bock.

In 2022, Christian was selected as a conducting fellow for the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, California, one of the most prominent American festivals dedicated to contemporary music. This opportunity allowed him to delve deeper into the contemporary orchestral repertoire and broaden his experience in interpreting music from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Christian was also selected for the 2027 edition of the Carlos Miguel Prieto Conducting Fellowship at OAcademy, a program dedicated to the training and professional development of young conductors. Led by Carlos Miguel Prieto and Alexander Shelley, the program features an international faculty that includes renowned conductors such as Vasily Petrenko, Marin Alsop, Leonard Slatkin, and Simone Young.

Christian is a graduate of the Maastricht Conservatory (the Netherlands), where he earned two bachelor's degrees, one in orchestral conducting and one in piano. He studied conducting under Enrico Delamboye, Jan Stulen, and Thomas Dorsch, and piano under Katia Veekmans. Subsequently, he continued his specialization in orchestral conducting, obtaining a master's degree under the guidance of Arjan Tien at the same institution.

His musical training was further enriched through studies with Per Borin and Ovidiu Bălan, as well as participation in international masterclasses led by Jorma Panula, Sylvain Cambreling, Christian Ehwald, Sigmund Thorp, Martin Åkerwall, Peter Ettrup Larsen, Enrique García Asensio, and Cristian Măcelaru.

Alongside his concert career, Christian is actively involved in the training of new generations of musicians. Since February 2024, he has served as a professor of orchestra and orchestral studies at the Faculty of Music and Theatre of the West University of Timișoara, where he draws upon the artistic experience gained through his international collaborations.

The "Heirs of Musical Romania" project

…organized by Radio România Muzical with financial support from the Rotary Club Pipera, has evolved in recent years along two main lines. The first aims to bring Romania's exceptional young musicians, artists who are highly active abroad but whom the Romanian public rarely has the chance to hear at home, to prestigious stages within Romania. The recitals featured in this project are designed for a broad audience, offering an accessible repertoire and lasting one hour, without an intermission.

Since 2018, 25 concerts and recitals have taken place; cellist Andrei Ioniță, violinist Ioana Cristina Goicea, cellist Valentin Răduțiu, and pianists Florian Mitrea, Adela Liculescu, Axia Marinescu, Alina Bercu, and Andrei Gologan are just a few of the featured artists. Under the same project, four albums have been released by Casa Radio, showcasing performances from these recitals, alongside four additional albums featuring special recordings made with some of the young musicians enrolled in the program.

A second area of development is the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship. In 2020, Radio România Muzical and the Rotary Club Pipera launched the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship for young musicians aged 16 to 24. Recipients of the scholarship, valued at 4,000 euros (increasing to 4,500 euros as of 2024), include pianist Cadmiel Boțac (2020), cellist Cornelius Zirbo (2021), pianist Kira Frolu (2022), pianist Nil Mladin (2023), cellist Jan Sekaci (2024), and cellist Sofia Blându (2025). Finalists who distinguished themselves in the competition for the "Heirs of Musical Romania" scholarship also gained access to numerous other professional opportunities, such as recitals, concerts, recordings, and representation in international competitions (facilitated by jury members), totaling 40 events over the course of five years.