„Cello, harp and emotions“
A cello and Celtic harp concert on the occasion of the winter holidays 2019
December 11, 7:30 pm, "St. Joseph's Cathedral" in Bucharest
On Wednesday, December 11, 7:30 pm, at the "St. Joseph's Cathedral" in the capital, will be held the concert "Cello, harp and emotions" organised by the Embassy of Spain in Bucharest, with the support of the Association for Music, Art and Culture and the National Museum George Enescu. The concert will be held by Spanish musician Pedro Bonet (cello) and Romanian artist Roxana Moişanu (Celtic harp).
This show, organised on the occasion of the winter holidays, aims to highlight the harmonious way in which the two instruments merge, highlighting their ability to raise awareness and transmit emotions and feelings.
Thus, the audience will have the opportunity to listen to the Spanish musician Pedro Bonet, interpreting „Suite No. 3 for solo cello“ by Johann Sebastian Bach, marked by bold harmonies for the respective times and polyphonies that create the feeling that several instruments are heard simultaneously. The „Suite for the cello solo“ by the Spanish composer Gaspar Cassadó will be followed, an exciting but also lively piece, with a pronounced rhythmic component, followed by the „Sacher Variations for solo cello“ by the well-known Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski.
Through the harp works selected for this occasion, Roxana Moișanu proposes an imaginary journey of over seven centuries of music, which can lead the listeners through majestic sounds proven throughout Europe: Spain, Germany, Italy, France and Romania. The recital begins with works from 13th-century Spain: „Cantigas de Santa María“, a collection of songs dedicated to the Virgin Mary. "Cantigas" were sung by choirs, singers with castanets or drums, as well as in instrumental variants for dances.
Both selected Cantigas are arranged and includes introductions originally composed by Roxana Moișanu.
„Bransle de Torche“, another harp arrangement made by Roxana Moișanu is part of the volume of French instrumental dances entitled "Terpsichore". German composer and organist Michael Praetorius named this volume after the Greek dance song, which is imagined, usually sitting down, holding a lyre and accompanying the ensembles of dancers with her music.
„Il Bianco fiore“ is a Renaissance dance composed by Cesare Negri. The dance is part of the „Le gratie d ́amore“ collection published in 1602. The harp arrangement includes a variational appendix composed by Mladen Spasinovici.
The work „Ribambelle # 5 / Carol of the Bells“, written by Megan Metheney, is actually a wonderful musical fusion between the piece Ribambelle # 5 composed by Bernard Andrès and the beautiful ever-popular „Carol of the bells“ composed by Ukrainian Mikola Leontovici.
The Celtic harp recital ends with „Dance from Transylvania“ by Ioan Căianu, in an special arrangement for Celtic harp by Roxana Moişanu.
All the harp arrangements and original composition by Roxana Moișanu and Mladen Spasinovici included in this recital are first world audition.
The program of the evening will end with a work adapted for cello and Celtic harp, „Sicilienne“, mistakenly attributed to the composer and pianist of Austrian origin Maria Theresia von Paradis. According to the latest research, the work was composed by American violinist of Polish origin Samuel Dushkin.
PEDRO BONET - cello
He starts studying the cello from an early age, under the guidance of Prof. María Lopes da Cunha and continues his musical training at the "Federico Moreno Torroba" Center in Madrid.
In 2018 he wins the 7th edition of the String Competition in the city of Vigo, for the cello specialisation, and the 1st Prize (upper category) at the "Melómano" Contest. In 2017 he was selected to participate in the International Competition “Witold Lutoslawski” in Warsaw and in the edition no. 89 of the "Juventudes Musicales" String Competition.
He collaborates with the baroque music ensemble "La Folía" and is part of the trio "Euphoria" and from the cello octet "KG". He has performed concerts with the Madrid Symphony Orchestra and has performed live, as a guest, in several programs broadcast on the public radio station in Spain (Radio Nacional de España).
ROXANA MOIŞANU - harp
She is a graduate of "George Enescu" High School of Music, Prof. Ioana Brustur's class, and of the National University of Music in Bucharest, class c.d.a. dr. Ion Ivan Roncea and Elena Ganțolea (chamber music).
In 1997 she was awarded the "Union of Performers, Choreographers and Music Experts Award". In 2002 she debuted as a soloist with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Ploieşti, under the baton of conductor Ilarion Ionescu Galaţi. In the same year she contributed to the recording of the soundtrack of the film "Youth without Youth", directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Starting with 2010, Roxana Moişanu performs recitals on her professional Celtic harp.
Roxana Moișanu founded the Romanian Harpists Association (AHR) in 2016, at the same time becoming co-organiser for the Bucharest Harp Festival, together with the National University of Music Bucharest.
In 2018 she becomes official correspondent of Romania and the Republic of Moldova, for the official magazine of the World Harp Congress.
Currently, Roxana is an instrumental artist and head of the harp within the Bucharest National Opera Orchestra, where she has been working for almost 20 years.
Organisers: Embassy of Spain in Bucharest
With the support of: the Association for Music, Art and Culture and the National Museum George Enescu
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