Nicolae Brânduş is a member of the Union of Composers and Musicologists from Romania and the author of symphonic music, vocal-symphonic, opera, chamber music, vocal and choral music. Along his career he was granted important prizes: George Enescu Prize of the Romanian Academy (1977), the of the Romanian Radio-television prize for opera and music vocal-symphonic (1975, 1977) and with the Cultural Merit Order as Officer (2004). On April 16^th 2010 he was 75 year old. On this occasion, he gave the following interview:

Happy birthday, Mister Nicolae Brânduş!

Thank you!

How are you feeling today when you turn 75?

I am standing and thinking that each one of us lives for more or less years. I lived for 75 years until now and I thank God to have kept me alive.

Because you are one of the Romanian prolific composers, can you tell me how you see the evolution of the composition field in the period we are living?

Today the composition field is no longer as homogenous as it used to be - let's say - 50 years ago when I may have started to become known in a way in this field also. These days, there are many trends, some of them divergent, some of them more charged with certain spirituality, certain intellectual capacity and others that are at the level of the talent.

What do you think should be the qualities of a young musician in order to become a good composer?

The culture first of all. What is missing, perhaps, to young people today, unlike the young people dozens of years ago, it is the capacity to follow an education very well made in the field of musical field. People read little, generally. I know young people mentality who would rather get close to the internet or other mass communication forms. But people read too little and there are some fundamental books in the music history that, of course, must be very well read.

How do you intend to celebrate your birthday?

Today I celebrate less. On April 18th 2010, at the Union of Composers, a composition portrait is organized for me, where first hand artists will play: the Contraste Trio from Timişoara, the violinist Diana Moş, the mezzo soprano Antonela Bârnat - six interpreters that I hope will make an interesting concert starting from older works of mine.