By Djoeke Altena.
The Romanian Embassy to the Netherlands proudly hosted their first of many events in the light of their project ‘Musical encounters at the embassy of Romania’. A series of encounters where Romanian musicians and artists, with a Romanian origin, background or home, show their talent.
On 17 October 2017 H.E. Brånduşa Predescu, Ambassador of Romania to The Netherlands, welcomed the members of the diplomatic corps, members of the Romanian and members of the business community for a concert by two talented Romanian-Dutch musicians.
H.E. Brånduşa Predescu , warmly welcomed all the guest. ” I am happy and proud of launching this evening a special musical project aiming at bringing together young and already well-known Romanian musicians who perform on Dutch stages. It is a way to encourage the young artist and to greet the famous one, as well as to create a connection between two generations.”
The first young artist performing at the Romanian Embassy was the young pianist Radu Ratering (2004). His interest for the piano started when he was six years old and attended a concert by the well-known Romanian pianist Radu Lupu. In 2014 Radu Ratering was admitted at the Sweelinck academy where he took lessons from Marjès Benoist. At the age of 13 he already won the Royal Concertgebouw Concours (2017), the National Prinses Christina Concours (2017), the Prinses Christina Concours Zuid (2017) and the Steinway Pianoconcours (2016). Ratering is currently admitted at the Academy of Musical Talent in Utrecht.
Radu Ratering started with Tchaikovsky – The Seasons op. 37, no.3 and also played Brahms – Ballade op. 118, no.3- and Liszt – Die Zelle in Nonnenwerth, and Hungarian Rhapsody no. 4.
The violinist Florin Negreanu (1980) performed immediately after the piano concerto. Negreanu, born and raised in Romania, came into contact with the world of music when he was a child, due to his mother’s passion for music, who was an amateur violinist. At the age of eight Florin Negreanu started attending the music school in his hometown, Turnu Severin. When he was thirteen he studied music in Craiova for two years, before he went on to Bucharest. During this time he shined at national competitions, where he won a variety of awards. After finishing his studies in 2005, Florin Negreanu became a well-known violist who holds concerts regularly as a concertmaster, second violin or viola with an array or orchestras and ensembles.
Florin Negreanu, playing the viola, started with J.S. Bach – Gavotte end Rondeau – and also played Chiriac – Serenade – and Dumitrescu -Peasant dance. The viola concerto was followed by a duo concerto by Ratering and Negreanu playing R. Schumann – Sonate no. 1 opt. 10 in a.
Closing the event, Ambassador Brånduşa Predescu invited fellow diplomats, representatives of the business and the Romanian communities and other guests to a reception where everyone mingled while enjoying Romanian bites and wines.
