A truly special event featuring pianist George Todică, journalist Peter Quantrill, the Festival's Production Coordinator, Graziella Duma
Last year, we started a fruitful collaboration with Artexim, proud organiser of the George Enescu International Festival and Competition since 1991. This year, we continue our efforts to promote Romania's most significant classical music festival and international classical competition, in an event featuring the George Enescu Competition 2022 laureate, pianist George Todică, together with the Festival's Production Coordinator, Graziella Duma and British journalist Peter Quantrill.
The evening will commence with Graziella Duma's presentation on the 27th edition of the Festival, which will take place this year from 24 August to 21 September. This will be followed by a conversation on the current edition of the Festival and last year's classical competition. The British audience will be invited to travel to Romania and be part of this landmark edition, commemorating 70 years since the passing of George Enescu. The celebration of the great composer's artistic legacy will feature over 95 concerts and performances across six venues, with more than 4,000 artists from around the world.
The evening will conclude with a virtuosic piano recital by George Todică, featuring works by master composers from Romania and around the world.
Romanian concert pianist George Todică completed an Artist Diploma degree from the Royal College of Music in 2019 after previously undertaking his Bachelor of Music and Master's of Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, graduating in 2017. George had his Wigmore Hall debut in October 2018 as a Tillett Trust Young Artist. His competition success includes first prizes at the Norah Sande Award in England, the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales, ‘Stefano Marizza’ Piano Competition in Italy, the Moray Piano Competition in Scotland, 2nd prize at the International Piano Campus Competition in France, as well as the Ligeti prize and the prize for the best performance the contemporary work for piano and orchestra and 3rd Prize at the International Piano Competition Istanbul. His international performances include prestigious halls such as the Philharmonic Hall in Trento, the Mozarteum Concert Hall in Salzburg, the Dôme de Pontoise in France. His UK appearances include concerts at the Wigmore Hall, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Yamaha Music London, Charlton House, Lichfield Festival, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Buxton Festival, King’s Lynn Festival, Brunton Theatre, Inverness Town Hall, Ardkinglas Castle, Theatre Clwyd and various other venues.George is also a keen chamber musician, performing regularly with soprano Charlotte Hoather, as well as with violinist Maria Gîlicel and cellist Jobine Siekman, as part of the Chloe Piano Trio.
Graziella Duma is a professional musician with ten years of experience in the cultural management sector,specialising in the organisation and coordination of high-profile events. Eager to contribute beyond the concert stage, Graziella began working in cultural management in 2015, when she joined the team of the George Enescu International Festival. Her long-standing collaboration with the festival has offered her the opportunity to grow within an internationally respected institution. Since 2022, Graziella has held an essential role in Artexim – the organiser of the George Enescu International Festival and Competition - serving as Artists Manager, Coordinator of the Enescu Competition and Production Coordinator of the Enescu Festival, ensuring the seamless execution of one of the world’s most renowned classical music events. Her artistic journey began at the age of seven, when she started studying the violin. Still, her career formally shifted toward management when she took on the role of Producer of the Romanian Radio Chamber Orchestra at the Romanian Broadcasting Corporation in Bucharest - a position she continues to hold. With a dual background in performance and management, Graziella brings a blend of artistic insight and strategic thinking to every project she undertakes, aiming to create meaningful cultural experiences and contribute to the sustainable development of the arts sector.
Peter Quantrill writes and speaks about music. His work appears in Gramophone, The Strad, Pianist, Hi-Fi News, Bachtrack, and many other print and online publications. He also contributes essays on music and musicians to performing arts organisations and record labels such as the Salzburg Festival, Edinburgh International Festival and Deutsche Grammophon. He gives concert introductions across the UK and abroad, and he has given talks at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
