Do not miss four world premieres by young and talented female composers in a dazzling multimedia concert!
Suggestively titled "ForestAria," this artistic project is dedicated to promoting female composition in contemporary music. It explores the fusion between human identity and natural textures, evoking the artist's organic integration within the ecosystem. A photographic portrait by visual artist Mihai Benea will accompany each composition. "ForestAria" addresses themes such as gender equality in the arts, ecological awareness, and the power of imagery in cultural communication, and builds an interdisciplinary platform where contemporary music and visual art engage in a robust, innovative dialogue
For this concert, theConTempo Quartet comprisesBogdan Sofei – first violin,Ladislau Csendes – second violin,Andreea Banciu – viola, andAdrian Mantu – cello.
Programme:
George Enescu– "Prelude à l’unisson"
Sarah Marze– "Strange Terrain"
Rucsandra Popescu – "Natural Distortion"
Crea Sullivan – "Awakenings"
Oana Vardianu – "Where the Meadows Fall Silent"
Antonín Dvořák– Finale from "American" Quartet
Project curated by composer and cultural managerDiana Gheorghiu.Organised by UCIMR –The Romanian Association of Music PerformersandRCI London.Co-financed by theAdministration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN).
ConTempo String Quartet
“A polished and professional group… full of exuberance and with a fine sense of ensemble… real sensitivity.”
— The Strad / Wigmore Hall
Formed in 1995 in Bucharest, the ConTempo Quartet has become one of Europe’s most dynamic and internationally acclaimed ensembles. They have been Fellows of the Royal Academy of Music (1999–2022), Galway Ensemble in Residence since 2003, and the RTÉ String Quartet since 2013. Winners of fourteen international competitions in cities including London, Berlin, Prague, and Munich, ConTempo has performed over 3,400 concerts worldwide in major venues such as Philharmonie Berlin, Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the National Concert Hall Dublin. Dedicated champions of new music, the quartet has commissioned and premiered more than 150 Irish works. Their cross-genre collaborations include the celebrated albums New Airs (No. 3 on the iTunes charts) and Spiccato Junction. ConTempo has received numerous distinctions, including the Romanian Music Critics Award, the Order of Knights in Performing Arts (presented by President Klaus Iohannis in 2022), and Honorary Doctorates in Music from NUI Galway. In 2025/26, the quartet celebrates its 30th anniversary with a season of festivals, collaborations, and gala concerts, including a performance of Jane O’Leary’s Triptych with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kensho Watanabe at Dublin’s National Concert Hall.
A multi-instrumentalist, violinist, and violist with a career spanning over four decades,Ladislau Csendes is renowned for his international concert activity, collaborations with prestigious orchestras and record labels such asMode Records New York, and for his promotion of theviola d’amore, highly praised by critics (Frankfurter Allgemeine). A founding member of theAperto Ensemble and a long-time collaborator of Bucharest-based contemporary music groups (Arheus,Pro Contemporania,Profil), he has made a significant contribution to enriching the Romanian contemporary repertoire through numerous premiere performances. He is aSenior Lecturer at theNational University of Music Bucharest,instrumental soloist with theRomanian Radio National Orchestra, and one of Romania’s most respected musicians dedicated to chamber and contemporary music.
Partners:ICon Arts Partnership (Ireland), Contemporary Music Centre Ireland (CMC), Asociația Mioritics, The National Museum of Maps and Old Books, and the Brașov County Museum of History –Olympia Winter Sports Museum.
Disclaimer: The project does not necessarily represent the views of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN). AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or for how its results are used—responsibility for these lies entirely with the funding beneficiary.
When: 07 Nov 2025, 19:00 – 21:00
Where: Romanian Cultural Institute, 1 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PH, UK
