We are excited to welcome to London, both in our popular 'Enescu Concerts' Series and at St James's Church Piccadilly, one of the most creative and admired musical groups in Romania. Imago Mundi Ensemble offers a contemporary perspective on the rich Romanian musical tradition, enlivening the irresistible scores of the urban folklore of the past. In London, the ensemble will present its most recent project, entitled 'Isvor. George Enescu' / 'The Source. George Enescu', which investigates the great composer's indigenous sources of inspiration, the ones that give two of his best known works, the Romanian Rhapsodies, as well as many other compositions their unmistakable local flavour. With traditional melodies and rhythms reproduced on period instruments and illustrated with stunning visuals, the concert will not only offer a rare insight into Enescu's laboratory, but a true musical discovery.
"Good taste, refinement, a cultured sound and professionalism are the defining qualities of the ensemble and their repertoire. Besides their specific sound, in which simplicity of the melody combines with the subtle instrumentation, certain arrangements succeed in creating an original mix of oriental folk, Renaissance tones, African echoes and American minimalism." (Professor Dan Dediu, Rector of the National University of Music, Bucharest)
Imago Mundi is:
Adrian Buciu - flutes, shakers / Oana Ivașcu - oboe, tambourine / Ștefan Barbu - violin, frame drum / Andreea Ţimiraș - cello / Cătălin Ștefănescu - kobsa, guitar / Daniel Ivașcu - bendir, shakers / Cristian Stănoiu - live video projections
'Isvor. Enescu' - Programme
traditional: When the shepherd lost his sheeptraditional: I've got a dime and I wanna drink ittraditional: DaybreakConstantin Pompieru: Pompieru's SârbaAlexandru Flechtenmacher: On a black rock / traditional: For twoGeorge Enescu: The Fiddler / traditional: Girdle Dance on a stringtraditional: Dancetraditional: My, the wolf's going to eat me / traditional: Little mosquito with big bootstraditional: The brass bandtraditional: Die, man, so you long no more / traditional: Girdle dance
musical arrangements: Cătălin Ștefănescu-Pătrașcu
Adrian Buciu - flutes, shakers
Born into a family with deep musical traditions, Adrian Buciu holds degrees in both the flute and conducting from the National University of Music, Bucharest. In 2006, he became a lecturer in the University's Chamber and Orchestral Music Department, and in 2007 was awarded the title of Doctor of Music (Summa cum Laude). Also in 2007, together with Mihail Ghiga he founded the University's Barockers Ensemble, which performs a repertoire of symphonic, vocal-symphonic, and vocal music. He performs and conducts extensively in Romania and abroad, having given concerts in the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Tunisia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Croatia, Switzerland, Germany, France, Norway, the United States, and Italy. He frequently performs on television and radio and makes special recordings.
Oana Ivașcu - oboe, tambourine
A classically-trained musician, Oana Ivașcu studied oboe at the Faculty of Musical Performance of the National University of Music in Bucharest. Open to innovation and experiment, Oana Ivașcu is familiar to audiences thanks to several groups she has founded and with which she performs: Imago Mundi, Allegria, Bucharest AV, and the Rhapsody Chamber Orchestra. She has worked extensively with major orchestras, including the Georges Enescu Philharmonic, the Radio Chamber Orchestra, and the "Ion Dacian" Orchestra of the National Operetta Theatre, the Oltenia Philharmonica (Craiova), and the Sinfonia Orchestra (Bucharest). She has given concerts in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Tunisia, Turkey and United States of America.
Ștefan Barbu - violin, frame drum
Ștefan Barbu studied violin at the National University of Music in Bucharest. Since 2000 he has been a violinist with the Radio Chamber Orchestra in Bucharest. He has performed with the Georges Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra on numerous occasions. He was a member of the Academy Choir (later renamed Kontakion) between 1995 and 1998. He has also been a member of the Musica Selecta choir (which performed live background music for the play Saragossa 66 Days at the Odeon Theatre between 1998 and 2000), the Rules for Graces baroque instrumental ensemble, and the Sartorious Ensemble, a baroque vocal group (1999), the Modus Antiqus early music instrumental ensemble, and the Arioso Quartet (between 2002 and 2005).
Andreea Ţimiraș - cello
Born into a family of musicians, Andreea began studying cello under the guidance of her father, first cellist of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra in Palermo (Italy). Graduate of the National University of Music Bucharest under the guidance of professors Aurel Niculescu and Marin Cazacu, she improved her artistry skills attending numerous Master Courses with David Geringas (cello) and the Abegg Trio (chamber music). Member of Sicilian Symphony Orchestra since 2001, Andreea has performed solo and with chamber groups, both at home and abroad, and has approached various musical genres such as ancient music works (with the Barockers Ensemble) and contemporary repertoire for which she has received several special awards. In October 2012 Andreea Ţimiraş became a Ph.D. student and assistant researcher of the Early Music Centre at the National University of Music in Bucharest.
Cătălin Ștefănescu - kobsa, mandol, guitar
One of the most outstanding musicians of his generation, Cătălin Ștefănescu holds a Ph.D. in Music and studied guitar at the "Georges Enescu" Academy of Arts in Jassy and composition at the National University of Music in Bucharest. He teaches guitar at the National University of Music. He was awarded the Grand Prize at the Sinaia Classical Guitar Festival and has given concerts in Romania's most important cultural centres: Alba Iulia, Arad, Bucharest, Deva, Jassy, Sibiu. Cătălin has been awarded a scholarship at the Volos Guitar Festival in Greece. His compositions have been performed in Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, Germany and Romania.
Daniel Ivașcu - bendir, darbuka, shakers
Daniel Ivașcu is a graduate of the National University of the Arts, visual artist by training and percussionist by vocation. He is among the initiators of stylistically diverse musical projects that include Imago Mundi (early music), Bucharest AV (audio-video fusion), Allegria (jazzy pop-rock), Shape of Sound (electro-pop), Special Guest Stars (rock fusion), and Body in Pieces (progressive fusion). He has played as a guest performer with Vlaicu Golcea, Electric Brother, Jazz e-Scape (electro-jazz), Cri-Gri (rockfusion), AB4 (alternative rock), and Maxim Belciug (classical guitar). Daniel has performed in concert in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Tunisia, Turkey. and United States of America.
Cristian Stănoiu - live video projections
Graduate of Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture in Marseille, of graduate courses in scenery, architecture, and video at the same school, and of the of "Ion Mincu" University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest. Cristian has been a constant participant in various art projects, cultural events, creative workshops like RollUp Art, Bucharest (projections on the facade of the Faculty of Architecture); Spazzi Aperta, Rome (video installation, sound and set design); Villes en Mouvement (video, sound urban art, photography and set design exhibition in Geneva, Annecy, Marseille, and New York); International Workshop in Nice; and the European Architectural Students Assembly in Denmark.
When & Where: Thursday 3 March, 7pm, Romanian Cultural Institute - 1 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8PHFree entrance. Please book your ticket on Eventbrite.Please note that the seating is unreserved.
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When & Where: Friday 4 March, 1.10pm, St James's Church Piccadilly, St James Piccadilly, 197 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LLThis lunchtime concert is free and no ticket is required.
