Liliana Pispiris - a producer of radio shows for Radio România, a member of the National Chamber Choir Madrigal for over 25 years, and also a relative of the person being commemorated. She speaks about her relationship with Marin Constantin with emotion and gratitude, as reflected in the following lines:

You are an honorary member of the Madrigal Choir and, at the same time, Marin Constantin's niece. I imagine that, although at first glance it may seem like you were in a privileged position, this situation was not very easy for you.

Indeed, I am a member of Marin Constantin's family and was part of Madrigal for quite a long time, from 1970 to 1998-28 years in total. It was not easy. At times, I found it difficult to address him as "Maestro" in formal situations because it felt somewhat distant. Why? Because, being part of Marin Constantin's family, I grew up with choral music and lived through the moments my uncle used to share with us. Our family is large and has always been very close-knit, and it remains so to this day. Naturally, there were many gatherings where my uncle would come, tell us stories, bring us gifts, and so on. So, when I transitioned to the other side-as a member of Madrigal-I carried all these family memories with me and tried to maintain a proper balance. I wanted to be neither conflicted nor privileged but rather a good choir member, a dedicated Madrigalist, a supportive colleague, and, at the same time, a good niece. It was clear that I was his niece outside of Madrigal, beyond the tours, concerts, and all that Madrigal represented. I was always very proud of this, and when my colleagues called me "the niece" instead of Liliana, I felt deeply moved in a corner of my heart. This meant that, as a Madrigal member, I wanted to be as well-prepared and as honest as possible. And I must say that my uncle did not go easy on me in certain challenging situations, which were not always convenient for me.

Why do you say that?

There was a time during tours and concerts when not everyone sang. Two, three, or even four people would remain as reserves. For quite a while, I was part of that group that stayed behind. But then came the year 1977, I believe-about seven years after I joined Madrigal-when I became part of the famous ensemble of 28 members. This was a group that the Maestro had carefully assembled, one that had a beautifully unified sound and was cohesive in almost every aspect. With this group of 28, he could quickly organize or perform an unplanned concert at short notice. I participated in many significant moments for Madrigal-so many that I have lived through almost the entire history of the ensemble.

How do you feel now in this dual role?

From the perspective of a Madrigalist today-a senior Madrigalist, as we like to call ourselves-I can say with an open heart that I am someone whom God has watched over. I have been lucky. I was lucky to be part of Marin Constantin's family. I was lucky to have sung in Madrigal and to have experienced those extraordinary moments. I was lucky to be part of an elite ensemble, which is no easy feat. And I continue to be lucky because I carry with me an incredible wealth of memories from the life I lived in Madrigal.

What was Marin Constantin like within the family?

There's something I haven't shared before: as you well know, the Maestro conducted the youth ensemble, the UTM ensemble, before founding the Madrigal Choir in 1963. He traveled extensively-to festivals in Moscow, Vienna, and, if I remember correctly, Budapest. And what I want to tell you is that we received gifts. He was extremely gallant. All the children in the family received gifts from Moscow. And not to mention his sisters-my mother was one of them.

I received a stuffed cat made of real fur-or at least it seemed real to me at the time. What I remember most is the gesture itself. The fact that I'm still telling this story with the same great joy means that this toy, at that young age of mine, filled my childhood, which was otherwise rather poor in terms of toys. I think that's why I have such a fond memory of it.

You come from a family in which artistic talent seems to have been present in nearly all its members.

The extended Marin Constantin family is one with an artistic gene. Even today, we have musicians in our family. A prime example is my cousin, Ion Marin, the internationally renowned conductor. We also have visual artists, poets, performers, pianists, violinists-a family with strong musical roots.

Not to mention that our maternal grandmother-actually, the Maestro's mother-sang in the church choir. My mother, Cornelia, sang in the chamber choir of Urleta, the village choir that the Maestro founded in 1943. Later, she sang in other choirs as well, as she was a teacher. So, I see myself as a continuation of my grandmother, a branch of this musical or artistic lineage of the great Marin Constantin family. And if I said that he kept the family united, that is absolutely true.

Ecaterina Chirică spoke with admiration about the Maestro's love and respect for his mother…

If you were to give an example of a man who didn't just love but truly venerated his mother, that would be Maestro Marin Constantin. Extraordinary! He loved her so deeply, venerated her, respected her, and honored her in every way. She was widowed at just 24 years old and dedicated her life entirely to raising her children. She is an example, not only because of how the Maestro regarded her, but also as a role model for any young married person today. Such attitudes are rare!