Nine decades have passed since the signing of the charter of the Romanian Composers' Society, now the Union of the Romanian Composers and Musicologists (UCMR). The series of concerts held during 1^st and 10^th November in Bucharest, Bacău, Botoşani, Braşov, Cluj, Craiova, Galaţi, Iaşi, Târgu Mureş, and Timişoara celebrated this event. We found out more information on the 'Decade of Romanian Music', and also on other UCMR projects from composer Adrian Iorgulescu, the president of the institution.

On November 2^nd 2010, we celebrate 90 years since the establishment of UCMR. How do you welcome the anniversary?

Firstly, by being grateful to my predecessors and to all the composers who, throughout these nine decades, have brought their contribution to the furtherance of quality Romanian music. Virtually no important author belonging to any generation has been left unincluded into the Union, and, naturally, this is extremely honouring. I should add to the list the light music, jazz, coral music and Church music composers, and last but not least, the people who represent the national musicology and musical criticism. All of them have consolidated the Romanian music through their creations and their confirmed worthiness, ensuring the Union's position as an institution essential to and representative of our national culture.

On the occasion of the anniversary, you organised a series of concerts under the name 'Decade of Romanian Music'. What can you tell us about this initiative?

Between 1^st and 10^th November, over 150 works of more than 100 Romanian composers were performed. We benefited from the collaboration with the most important national institutions, and I should mention the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company, the Bucharest Philharmonic, the National University of Music, the Romanian Television Society, the Romanian Youth, as well as other philharmonics and musical theatres in the country. All these institutions contributed to the celebration of Romanian music.

What are the next projects you are planning to organise during your new mandate as UCMR's President?

There are some things that must be continued, as they have proved their usefulness throughout the years. I am referring to the Union's participation in the organisation of the George Enescu Festival, or to the Musicology Symposium organised by us. Next, I am referring to a few traditional events: the International Week of New Music, which, during May 23^rd and 30^th, 2011, will be at its 21^st edition, the Meridian New Music Festival, organised by the Composers' Union through the International Society for New Music. Anyway, there are also other things we support, mainly the Musical Publishing House. Moreover, we are willing to participate in other types of musical events, and we openly and substantially support other festivals as well, mainly contemporary music ones, as we focus on the support of the living music phenomenon and on the furtherance of the values of national music. I am talking about the Cluj Musical Autumn, for example, or the Iași Festival of Romanian Music. We purchase works, as the Union's main task remains that of promoting the Romanian compositional and musicological creation, and on the other hand, we help composers and support young people by offering them internship grants in Romania and even abroad.