The First International Festival of Vibraphone, an event that was held for the very first in Romania, which was organized by the Radio Musical Bands, ended on Friday, 16 March. On this occasion in the studio "Mihail Jora" there performed the National Radio Orchestra conducted by Gerd Schaller and percussionist Igor Lešnikas solo.

The program started with Adagio for string ocherstra by Samuel Barber, a piece that was previously described by critics as being "full of pathos and cathartic passion" and, indeed, the interpretation of the National Radio Orchestra conducted by Gerd Schaller played the overlapping tension and its emotional intensity of this score.

Contemporary

The star of the evening was percussionist Igor Lešnik, head of the percussion party of the Croatian Radio Symphony Orchestra, and composer. The Concerto for percussion and orchestra included in the program is a complex piese that brings in each of the three parties another instrument as solo - kettledrums, vibraphone and drum - combining the stylistic elements of contemporary music with strong influences of jazz and rock - therefore, a concert suitable for the most diverse musical preferences.

We learned from Igor Lešnik details on the played score, but also about his participation in the Festival of vibraphone:

"I composed this piece with Franz Cibulka, an Austrian composer. He wrote the orchestration, and I did the solo. It is entitled Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra is, but I must say that it is actually a tribute to the rock band Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

The collaboration with Franz Cibulka was made through the internet,as we send our musical fragments to each other. The concerto was composed in 2002 and the premiere took place a year later, in Brazil.

This festival is absolutely wonderful; I know that it took place for the first time and I noticed how successful it was, I noticed the enthusiasm of the audience attending the concerts. I am grateful for the invitation I received, it is a pleasure to be here and I am absolutely convinced that this festival will go on."

Classic

The second part of the concert belonged to the creation of the Italian composer Ottorino Respighi, of which we could listen to the symphonic poemsPines of Rome and Roman celebrations. Conducted by Gerd Schaller, whom the Bucharest audience has already known, the group he has managed to transpose, the richness, variety and colors of Respighi's orchestral writing, in the Rome of ancient times.

Balance

At the end of the concert we talked to percussionist Alexander Anastasiu, whose contribution to the International Festival of Vibraphone was both solo, but also organizational:

"The First International Festival of Vibraphone, the only one in the world at this moment was a real success; we had internationally renowned guests, let's say, and I would again like to mention Toni Miceli, David Friedmann, Emmanuel Sejourné, Richard Szaniszlo and, not least, the lead perfomer of the evening, Igor Lešnik, who made a real show. Each night was special because it had a varied repertoire, which was very good for the public. Here we talk about pieces of Johann Sebastian Bach to contemporary compositions, including jazz of course. I could say I'm happy with what happened during this first edition of the Festival of vibraphone."