On the 3rd of April 2024, at the Radio Hall in Bucharest, you will be able to attend a concert by the internationally acclaimed pianist Alexandra Silocea, who will perform with the Radio Chamber Orchestra. They will be performing Robert Schumann's Concerto in A minor for piano and orchestra with Delyana Lazarova at the console. Alexandra Silocea spoke to the Perpetuum mobile programme on April 2nd about her return to Bucharest:

Tomorrow night you will be the soloist of the Radio Chamber Orchestra.You will return to this ensemble to perform the unique concerto for piano and orchestra by Robert Schumann.Why did you choose this specific piece?

This work was chosen for me. I don't know of any pianist who would voluntarily choose this concerto. It is so physically, emotionally, and technically difficult in every way. This concerto was chosen two years ago, if I'm not mistaken. I was supposed to play it with conductor Leo McFall. Unfortunately, I got injured a few days before the concert and in order to avoid cancelling the concert completely, Leo and the chamber orchestra and I decided to replace it with a Mozart concert. However, he's back, this Schumann, that keeps wanting to be played in Romania. So, I'm back this time, tomorrow with Delyana Lazarova and the Chamber Orchestra. I was cautious not to chase after a tram, so I wouldn't injure myself.

How was the meeting with Delyana Lazarova? Is this your first collaboration?

It's the first collaboration, first rehearsal today, tomorrow we have the dress rehearsal. She is so sensitive, expressive, attentive to every detail and what I really appreciate is that she makes me feel very at ease, which for a conductor is very nice.

You will be playing an instrument brought specifically for this concert. What's the whole story behind this?

The story is that for most of the concerts, if I recall, even in Romania, the Bösendorfer company has brought me one or more pianos each time, if we think of the Enescu Festival, 2021 edition, when I performed Stravinsky's Les Noces with Vladimir Jurowski and the Berlin Radio Orchestra, where four Bösendorfer pianos were brought, which I chose in Vienna and brought to Bucharest. For tomorrow's concert, another Bösendorfer is coming via SoundCreation. It comes from Cluj exclusively for Bucharest and then returns. It's a 280 VC series piano coming from the Vienna Konzert. This piano joined me together with the technician from Vienna who will be operating it tonight.

How does your agenda look like after tomorrow night's concert at the Sala Radio? When will we see you on a Romanian stage after tomorrow night's concert?

After the concert I'm going back to Vienna. I have a series of concerts at museums, a project that is very dear to me, then a series of other international concerts, and, if I'm not mistaken, in Romania at the end of November with the National Radio Orchestra.

Once again at the Radio Hall, this time with the grand symphonic ensemble. Do you have an invitation for those who didn't get a ticket for tomorrow night's concert, but who will be with us on Radio România Muzical?

I know that many will be online, on the airwaves. I can only wish you an enjoyable hearing, a pleasure to listen to this special piano brought to you and this concert overflowing with exuberance, positivism and sudden, happy but also slightly nostalgic emotional states.