On Friday, October 28th, starting at 7:00 p.m., conductor Gheorghe Costin will conduct the National Radio Orchestra in a concert dedicated to the 94th anniversary of Radio România on November 1st. We learn more details from the renowned conductor in an interview made by Ioana Ţintea.

Mr. Gheorghe Costin, with what thoughts do you return to the stage of the Radio Hall and how is the reunion with the artists of the National Orchestra?

Whenever I come to Bucharest to the National Radio Orchestra, it is a joy for me to meet them and make music together. It is not the first collaboration with the National Orchestra, I was with the Chamber Orchestra, but I also had many collaborations with The National Radio Orchestra and here, I am glad that I was invited again to do a concert, which is an anniversary concert, because it has been 94 years since the first concert of the National Radio Orchestra and as I was telling you, it is a joy to meet the members of the orchestra again.

The music program you have chosen is a very special one. I would like to dwell a little on the Concert no. 1 for piano and orchestra by Pascal Bentoiu, a rarely performed work. What made you choose this opposite?

To tell you honestly, I didn't choose him specifically, it was the Radio's proposal to do this concert and my greatest joy is the reunion with the soloist of this concert, Raluca Știrbăt, a soloist who has reached full maturity and I remember 32 years ago I had a tour with Raluca in France, with the Philharmonic Orchestra from Iași with maestro Ruha. I know it was an absolutely special concert on that tour and Raluca was a high school student at the time. He played Liszt's Concerto 1 in E-flat major absolutely superbly, and when I found out that Raluca would play this concerto by maestro Bentoiu on Radio, I was very happy. And all the more I would like to tell you that we will do this concert together again on Romania's National Day, on December 1st, with the Timișoara Philharmonic.

Finally, I would like you to give us some thoughts for the 94 years that Radio România celebrates on November 1st.

Those are beautiful years, years, I would even say young, I am definitely not thinking of the centenary. There are so many seasons, 94 seasons in which the Radio Orchestra fulfilled through music, it did everything that could be done in music and I think it filled the souls of the audience and the public with joy.