Transilvania International Guitar Festival
The Transilvania International Guitar Festival is a guitar festival organized by the Transilvania Guitar Association and the Municipal House of Culture Cluj-Napoca in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The Transilvania International Guitar Festival is opened to contestants of all ages and endeavours to promote professional performers and to stimulate young talents. Beginning with the fifth edition, the Festival has also hosted a chamber music contest.
Transilvania International Guitar Festival responded to the expectations of a large public – especially to the young segment – by making use of the potential of the classical guitar school from Transylvania and from other Romanian musical centers. Past Festivals have stood as a cultural monument, becoming the most important guitar festival in Transylvania.
The event reunites important names of Romanian classical guitar, with guests and contestants from several other countries. Opened entirely to the public, the Festival has three sections which cover the areas of art education:
- Recitals
- Master class of noted international professors finalized by a Master Diploma, conferences, seminars and instrument gallery
The Festival's target public is formed by all guitar fans no matter their ages, the local public, tourists and young intellectuals, artists, professional guitar players, diplomats from the participating countries and an international audience.
Festival editions
- I – 24–26 October 2003
- II – 22–24 October 2004
- III – 20–23 October 2005
- IV – 23–26 November 2006
- V – 22–25 November 2007
- VI – 18–23 August 2008
- VII – 17–22 August 2009
- VIII – 16–21 August 2010
Interesting facts
The Transilvania International Guitar Festival was formerly known as the National and then International Festival of Classical Guitar.
In 2006, the festival grew into the Transilvania International Guitar Festival.
Notable names to appear at the Festival
- Trio Andrei, a popular Romanian classical guitar ensemble, formed by Constantin, Aurelian and Adrian Andrei brothers
- Ionut Zamfirescu, the winner of the festival's first edition
- Stan Zamfirescu, the winner of the festival's second edition
- Dumitru Capoianu, Romanian composer
- Constantin Dumitriu, Romanian luthier
- Giampaolo Bandini – Cesare Chiacchiareta, guitar and bandoneon duo
- Ulrich Muller, German classical guitarist, teacher and luthier
- Giovanni Grano, Italian classical guitarist and teacher
- Mircea Gogoncea, Romanian classical guitarist
- Eugen Mang, Romanian classical guitar teacher
- Gyorgy Nemes, Romanian luthier
- Gabriel Bianco, French classical guitarist
- Claire Stancu-Delerue, French classical guitarist and teacher
- Liviu Georgescu, Romanian classical guitar teacher
- Georgeta Zamfirescu, Romanian classical guitarist, the winner of the festival's fourth edition
- Tudor Anghelescu, Romanian classical guitarist
- Rafael Aguirre Miñarro, Spanish classical guitarist
History of the Festival
The Festival was created in 2003 at the initiative of Prof. Constantin Andrei and the Municipal House of Culture Cluj-Napoca.
"Organized by the Municipal House of Culture and the Municipal Council of Cluj-Napoca, in our city took place during 24-26th of October National Festival of Classical Guitar.
The manifestation's director was Prof. Maria Florescu and the artistic director was Prof. Constantin Andrei and it reunited 20 contestants representing the musical centers of the country.
After two days, the jury, presided by Prof. Dumitru Capoianu and including Prof. Constantin Andrei, Maria Florescu, Valeriu Maior and Aurelian Andrei, awarded the contestants as follows: First Prize - Ionut Zamfirescu (Bucharest); Second Prize - Stan Zamfirescu (Bucharest); Third Prize - Daniel Castravete (Craiova); Special Prize - Anna Tunde Virginas (Targu Mureş); Mentions - Lucian Naste (Targu Mureş) and Anna Tunde Virginas (Targu Mureş).
The Festival was completed by the guitar recital performed by the valuable ensemble Trio Andrei, formed by Constantin, Aurelian and Adrian Andrei brothers, who delighted us as ever with their concert performance."
- M. Bocu, "Adevarul de Cluj" Newspaper, 2003
Starting with the third edition, in 2005, the festival addresses to contestants of all ages, proposing to stimulate young talents also, at the initiative of Stefan Trifan, the Transilvania Guitar Association's vice-president.
In 2006, at the fourth edition, the Transilvania Guitar Association becomes the main organizer of the festival that grows into Transilvania International Guitar Festival. The Transilvania Guitar Association brought innovative ideas for the festival, like competition for young guitarists, conferences, instruments exhibition and, in 2007, the chamber music competition.
Current Festival staff
- Constantin Andrei, Art Director of the Festival and the President of Transilvania Guitar Association
- Dan Brudaşcu, Manager (general director) of the Cluj–Napoca Municipal House of Culture
- Stefan Trifan, Executive Director of the Festival and vice-president of Transilvania Guitar Association
- Simona Plesuvu, Secretary of the festival
- Raul Matei, designer
External links