ARTEXIM, the organizer of the "George Enescu" International Competition and Festival now has a new director. In accordance with the ministerial order nr. 168/03.03.2022, Cristina Uruc will temporarily perform, through detachment, the contractual management position for a maximum of 6 months. She told us all about her come back to ARTEXIM and about the "George Enescu" International Competition on Wednesday, the 17^th of Mars 2022, during the show "Perpetuum mobile"with Lucian Haralambie.

Here with us in the Radio Romania Musical studio, Cristina Uruc-director of ARTEXIM and the organizer of the"George Enescu" International Competition and Festival. Welcome, Cristina!

Good evening, Lucian! Thank you for inviting me! And hello to the listeners of your broadcast!

Cristina, congratulations! You are now the new director of Artexim. You've started your career in the world of concerts and cultural events organization in 2007 at Artexim. With this in mind, how did you receive this position?

Thank you. I am honored to have received this mission from the Ministry of Culture. Coming back to Artexim is one the biggest challenges of my career and I'm embarking on this journey with great joy and emotion, together with the great Cristian Macelaru- the artistic director of the "George Enescu" Competition as well the International Festival, with the Artexim team and with the support and guidance of Mihai Constantinescu.

You're occupying this position starting with the 4^th of Mars. We were just talking before we went live, about the fact that you came straight from the " Philharmonic of Sibiu" where you've worked lately. The "George Enescu"International Competition is the main focus. You said that when you've accepted this 6 months position. Entries are open until the 15^th of April. What will the 2022 edition of the "George Enescu" International Competition look like?

The 2022 edition will have two stages. The first stage, will be online, between the 1th and the 20^th of May, when the judging will take place. For the first time in the history of the competition, those who will pass the online stage of the piano, cello and violin competitions will pass directly to the semifinals and then the finals taking place in Bucharest, between the 4^th and the 18^th of September. On the 4^th of September, the winners of the previous edition together with the "George Enescu" Philharmonic of Bucharest, conducted by Peter Ruzicka will play in the opening. We're also preparing four recitals of members of the jury and we really wish to highlight the importance of the events that we will organize in September.

From what I understand, an official statement was also given today?

Today was given an official statement which also contains a surprise for those who will apply for the competition. A very important artist managership agency, Askonas Holt, decided to offer free mentorship and artistic counselling for a year to the three winners of the piano, cello and violin sections. So we're hoping that we will have lost of applicants, so that we will have a nice, beautiful and high-level competition.

You can find more info on the "George Enescu" International Festival web site. You've spoken about those will apply to the "George Enescu" International Competition this year. There have been many reactions amongst people from the cultural sector regarding the war in Ukraine and the Russian musicians have been banned from two international piano competitions- the one from Dublin and Honens Piano Competitions, which takes place in Canada. Have you ever considered such a decision?

We're all very concerned about the delicate context in this side of Europe and mostly about the situation of the artists, people of culture and musicians. The "George Enescu" International Competition welcomes the direction that the World Federation of International Music Competitions, whose members we are, have chosen. We can't and we won't judge a potential candidate as part of an ideology, just because he has a certain nationality. In the history of the competition, we have had many valuable candidates who have participated in all of the fourth categories-piano, violin, cello and composition-who have represented Russia as well as Ukraine or any other nationality in the world and we will leave the possibility of applying open to everyone interested in the "Enescu" Competition, irrespective of their nationality.

So, appliances are open for another month from now, the time limit being the 15^th of April. I also have a question about the ex-director of Artexim. What role will Mihai Constantinescu have in the new team?

Her Director, as well like to call him, we the ones from the old team…

The man that I found every single time back stage at the "George Enescu" International Festival.

Mihai Constantinescu will play a very important role in the team composed of the artistic director Cristian Macelaru and the Artexim staff which I will be coordinating. To have him with us as advisor on artistic and logistic aspects for the competition as well as for the festival is a gain and an opportunity that not many organizations can take pride in.

A team in which, as you were saying, Cristian Macelaru will be the artistic director. Have you already spoken about the 2023 edition of the "George Enescu" International Festival? Have you established anything?...if you can tell us, of course.

We maintain a continuous dialogue with master Cristian Macelaru, who at the moment is focused mainly on the organizational and artistic aspect of the "George Enescu" International Competition. The Festival managed to become the biggest festival of its kind at international level in 2021, which forces the whole team to dedicate themselves body and soul to at least maintain the artistic and organizational standards that the whole world is now used to. But until we will give out any information about the artists and the orchestras invited to the festival, I invite you to watch on the 20th of Mars, "Daphnis and Chloe: Suite no 2" by Ravel interpreted by the National Orchestra of France conducted by the great Cristian Macelaru. It can be watched on the web site of the festival and on the social media platforms as we wish to celebrate the international Francophonie day. Cristian Macelaru is the artistic director of a Romanian festival as well as the artistic director of (…). So, what better occasion to celebrate Francophonie Day and the Enescu Festival.

Cristina Uruc, we're waiting for the 2022 edition of the "George Enescu" International Festival. I' m already inviting you to talk then as well, to see exactly, like we do every time, who has applied, what are the stages and what is going to happen in April, May and September, like you were saying. Thank you coming to Perpetuum mobile and I wish you good luck.

You're very welcome. I thank you very much!