German pianist Oliver Triendl's name features among the winners of the ICMA 2025 Awards. He was recognized for his recording of Paul Constantinescu's Piano Concerto with the North German Philharmonic Orchestra in Rostock, conducted by Marcus Bosch, released by Hänssler Classic. This repertoire choice reflects Oliver Triendl's fascination with Romanian music, as he explained in an interview with Monica Isăcescu-Lup.

Congratulations on winning the prestigious ICMA Award, Mr. Oliver Triendl!

Thank you very much.

The jury praised you as one of the most curious pianists of our time. You didn't choose the comfortable path of well-known scores but constantly explore archives in search of valuable, yet rarely performed works. My first question is: what was the starting point of this journey? What initial discovery led you down this path of uncovering lesser-known works?

First of all, I feel very honored to receive this award. And yes, it's absolutely true that I've tried to explore these forgotten or rarely performed paths. This doesn't mean I don't play Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Bach, or Beethoven. However, a very important part of my work is dedicating my time, effort, and passion to this kind of repertoire. This special interest in lesser-known composers and pieces began because, for example, I was playing a piano quartet by Brahms and realized he wasn't the only composer of his time. Brahms was aware of his contemporaries, many of whom are now forgotten or almost unknown in the 21st century. But they existed, and they influenced each other. That's an important thing to know. I've always been curious to discover and connect composers. Over time, I've had the chance to record this music, as I've always enjoyed bringing lesser-known scores to light. This has become a great passion for me. The more you search, the more you discover. I hope to spend the rest of my life, hopefully many more years, finding opportunities to document music that deserves to be heard and known.

Of course, how you feel music and judge its value is always very personal. But I believe there are many wonderful scores, and every country has a rich heritage. For example, I'm fascinated by Romanian music, which deserves to be heard worldwide, not just in Romania. And it's not just about the great composer George Enescu. It's a vast field, and I feel very happy and fortunate to explore it.

Paul Constantinescu's Piano Concerto oscillates between Romanian folklore and early 20th-century European modernism, balancing rigor and improvisation. What feedback have you received internationally after its release? The ICMA jury highly praised your efforts and awarded you this valuable prize, but what reactions have you received from music lovers? In your opinion, what are the chances for this concerto to become part of the rich and valuable international piano repertoire?

First of all, this concerto is not that difficult to understand. I believe that if you attend a concert and hear this piece for the first time, you can connect with it quite easily because of the elements you mentioned. I've performed this score four times in total-once in Ploiești and three times in Rostock with the North German Philharmonic Orchestra-and the reactions have always been very positive. The audience was enthusiastic every time. Additionally, in Rostock's orchestra, nobody had known this music before, except for one Romanian violinist who was eagerly awaiting this special concert. Of course, I've shared the CD with some friends, and all of them were genuinely amazed by this music, which they hadn't known before. I sincerely hope to have more opportunities to perform it again, and I'm confident the reactions will remain just as enthusiastic.