Romania’s Enescu Competition adds masterclass with renowned Cristian Măcelaru to 2024 edition

Cristian Măcelaru, artistic director of the George Enescu International Festival and Competition and conductor of Orchestre National de France, will hold, for the first time in the over 60-year history of the Enescu Competition, a masterclass in conducting, instrumental interpretation, and furthering the study of music. The organizers said the program will guide young musicians in building successful careers in classical music.

The workshops will be conducted by maestro Cristian Măcelaru with the participation of the Romanian Youth Orchestra. The sessions will take place at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest from September 23 to 27.

“This masterclass, a new event in the structure of the competition, is intended to strengthen the mission of supporting and promoting young talents by encouraging artistic excellence at an international level,” reads the press release.

Participants will also take part in discussion sessions on themes such as score study, notation and score preparation for orchestra rehearsals, effective planning of rehearsals with the orchestra, or the conductor-orchestra relationship – understanding of group psychology applied to the orchestral ensemble.

Participants will be selected according to the eligibility and registration conditions available here. The application deadline is June 7 (for active participants) and June 30 (for passive participants).

In this masterclass, the young musicians are divided into two disciplines: conducting and instrumental (violin, cello, and piano). Two categories of participants are allowed to participate in each of these two disciplines: active and passive, of which only 6 candidates will be selected to actively participate in the masterclass.

On September 26, at the end of the fourth session of the conducting interpretation masterclass, maestro Cristian Măcelaru will select 3 of the 6 active participants to conduct the Romanian Youth Orchestra in the final concert that will take place on September 27 at the Romanian Athenaeum, in the presence of the public.

The George Enescu International Competition is an event held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania. This year’s edition is scheduled for August 31 - September 27.

(Photo source: the organizers; credit: Andrada Pavel)