Axia Marinescu is one of the most valued Romanian pianists in France. She has a vast concertistic activity and has so far recorded four albums, the most recent one released in November 2021 under the Klarthe record label. The disc was printed last year in April at Salle Gaveau in Paris and it is dedicated to the dance music from the piano repertoire, an historical outline from the baroque era to the contemporary age.

Axia Marinescu, on January 30^th the concert for the "Les Femmes Dansent" disc's physical format launch will take place. This is the latest album out of the four you recorded so far. Where did this idea of presenting an evolution of dance music from the point of view of French female composers come from?

This is an idea I've had for some time and I think the pandemic was the trigger factor (it was benefic, for this purpose). Two years ago, I kept thinking what could be the starting point for my next disc, and based on this passion for dancing I've had since I was little, I have come to the conclusion that a repertoire dedicated to this musical form and musical type would be appreciated. I have discovered many creations of French female composers, some of them unknown to the public, which have never been played or recorded. My work implied a lot of handwriting and research in the library, a work that I love very much and which gave me the opportunity to discover even some piano music gems. It is also an opportunity to draw a path and a development of this musical genre, from the baroque era to the present day. So, we start with a very well-known composer at the court of King Ludovic 14^th , Élisabeth Jacquet of Guerre, and end with a contemporary composer born in 1963, Sophie Lacaze.

As you mentioned, there are pieces on this disc that were recorded for the first time, brought to light by research of valuable manuscripts. After this process, was the issue of printing the manuscripts raised?

Yes. It should be noted that in France, there are several associations which are committed to the revalorisation of the repertoire written by the female composers, because we should overcome this feminist-extremist mentality, if I could call it that. This is not the case. It is simply about the fact that many of these female composers have been forgotten for one reason or another by history, and I personally find it lamentable. This is why many French associations are today in charge of printing, discovering and valuing these manuscripts. We hope that as many of these promises as possible can be materialised starting from this CD. In any case, they are being carried out and are quite an important project.

The "Les Femmes Dansent" was printed last April at Salle Gaveau in Paris and will be released in physical format, also there, through a recital. What feedback have you received so far from the French public?

Fortunately, we have only had positive ones so far. Following the digital launch, which took place at the end of October 2021, the disc was placed in the top 10 on streaming platforms. It was also designated as one of the discs of the year in France, which pleased us. So, the feedback was positive from both critics and the public, which is most important to me, as we are talking about a not so familiar repertoire.

How can the Romanian public have access to the album?

The Romanian public can listen to the album on all streaming platforms - Spotify, iTunes, Amazon. I think we have a platform even on YouTube, that the record label launched; so it can be listened on there too. Otherwise, as of January 14, the disc can also be ordered in physical format.