Carola Grindea was a famous Romanian-born piano teacher and the founder of two renowned music institutions: the European Piano Teachers Association and the International Society for the Study of Tension in Performance. She developed a therapeutic method, called Grindea technique, a pre-performance tool to help release tension and achieve mental focus.

Vaya con Dios band's concert in Bucharest, initially scheduled for November, was re-scheduled for December 23, in Fratelli Studios. The concert was delayed as the lead singer of the band, Dani Klein, had health issues.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn (in picture), the head of the International Monetary Fund, has recently said in a TV interview that Romania and several other European states are on the brink of disaster, but that he didn't believe in bankruptcy. He mentioned Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Hungary and Romania.

*The Government approved unitary salary law: 15% increase of the base salary every year – in Ziarul Financiar
*IMF and Fiscal Council criticize the income tax drop from 16 to 10% – in Ziarul Financiar
*Ovidiu Buluc, HelpNet: Four out of ten pharmacies are making losses – in Ziarul Financiar
*Alpha made EUR 10 million gross profit in the third quarter, up 23% – in Ziarul Financiar

The Romanian Government will increase the base salaries in the public sector by 15 percent in 2011 compared to their October level, while the minimum gross salary will be raised to RON 670 (around EUR 156) from the current RON 600 (around EUR 140).

German trio To Rococo Rot will perform in Bucharest on November 26, at the Kulturhaus club (4 Sf

Romanian Andrei Rosu, who aims to run seven marathons on seven continents, will be representing Hospice Casa Sperantei Charity at the Pacific Coast Marathon in Chile, on December 5. This is Rosu's fourth marathon on the list, after the North Pole one, the Australian one and the one in Istanbul in October.

Jeffrey Franks (in picture, right), the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission to Romania, has asked for the recently voted flat tax drop to 10 percent not be enforced in Romania, as it is raising several concerns and as it had not bee discussed with the new Fiscal Council.

Two new expats will join the Petrom broad of directors from January 2011. Daniel Turnheim (in picture) will be the new chief financial officer of the company, replacing Reinhard Pichler, while Hilmar Kroat-Reder will be responsible for gas and energy, replacing Gerald Kappes. The two directors who will leave Petrom will have new attributions in the OMV group, the mother company of local Petrom.

Romanian private lending fell 1.1 percent in real terms to EUR 48.3 billion in October from the previous month, according to data from the Romanian Central Bank (BNR). Private lending in Romanian lei was down 1.1 percent on the month in October, while loans in foreign currency fell 0.5 percent.

Romania could invest EUR 30 billion in the energy sector by 2020, with the main source of financing for the investments being the Bucharest Stock Exchange, said Varujan Vosganian, president of the Economy, Industries and Services commission in the Senate, who attended the Energy Forum 2010.

A Romanian traditional products fair will take place between November 26 and 28 in Lia Manoliu national park in Bucharest under the name “Garlic fair” (Basarabia Blvd).