The "Dinu Lipatti" Philharmonic from Satu Mare will have as guests in the 2021-2022 season, among others, the conductor Serghei Simakov, the pianist Anna Fedorova, the cellists Octavian Lup and Filip Papa.

The "Dinu Lipatti" Philharmonic from Satu Mare opened the 2021-2022 season with a concert included in the "George Enescu" International Festival, with the conductor MihneaIgnat and the violinist Valentin Șerban as guests. How did the Satu Mare Philharmonic receive the invitation to return to the "George Enescu" Festival?

Two years ago we took part in the Enescu Festival, so this year's invitation comes somewhat as a confirmation of the sustained work we have undertaken in recent years. And regarding to this year's guests - conductor MihneaIgnat and violinist Valentin Șerban - I can only express my satisfaction and joy to have with us this two, true artists of the younger generation of our country! It was Enescu's "Dixtuor" for wind instruments, a unique composition and, at the same time, a bidder for wind performers, and the Violin Concerto by Jean Sibelius, a work with which Valentin won the Enescu Competition, here in Satu Mare, winning our hearts with an interpretation full of sensitivity and virtuosity.

Given the current restrictions, how was the Philharmonic organized to operate today?

We tried to keep the artistic activity at somewhat normal parameters throughout this period. We manage to hold weekly concerts at 50% concert hall capacity. This year, although the premises were not very encouraging, we decided to continue with the subscription system and, to our delight, we found out that almost 90% of our subscribers are immunized with the vaccine. At the moment, the percentage of the vaccinated musicians in the orchestra is 70% ... however, we cannot be an exception in this epidemic, but we try to responsibly manage the cases of infection in our collective.

Because we are talking about the 2021-2022 season, how did you structure its program and which artists are invited?

Keeping the tradition of the past years, this year too at the beginning of the season we organized the "Musical Days of Satu Mare" - the 44th edition. Through this festival we try to promote other forms of classical music, to make contemporary composers known, diversifying a little the expectations of our audience. Now, we will continue with our weekly concerts and event concerts until the winter holidays break.

I would like to mention next week's concert, organized in partnership with the Oradea Philharmonic, whose choir will come to Satu Mare, where we will offer our audience the Requiem by Mozart. Then, we will mark 100 years of diplomatic relations with Japan, with a concert conducted by master Daisuke Soga. On the National Day, we are preparing a pan-pipe concert with Cezar Cazanoi. And at the end of the year, we bring you the long-awaited Christmas concert together with the Choir of the Art High School "Aurel Popp" from Satu Mare.

Basically, the season is done until the end, but, given the situation with the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, there are still uncertainties, especially regarding the guests from abroad. However, among the guests we will have the pianist Anna Fedorova, the conductor SergheiSimakov, the cellists Octavian Lup and Filip Papa. So, we strive to bring valuable artists and I can't overlook the fact that our orchestra is in a process of rejuvenation, a process that we wanted as smoothly as possible, doubled by an increase in the quality of performance.