Romanians who inspire: pianist Bogdan Ota

Guest writer Yvette Larsson starts a new series of articles, discovering Romanians who inspire. This week she talks to Romanian composer, pianist and producer Bogdan Ota, who became famous while at Norway's Got Talent.

Bogdan Ota, the 35-year old Romanian pianist born in a small town in North-Eastern Romania, caught my attention after a member of the Bucharest Lounge Facebook page sent me a link, to listen to one of Mr Ota’s performances. It moved me on a profound level to read about his life-story and to listen to his music. His music spoke the language of the history of the Romanians, their struggle – and their beauty! How did you get into music ? What inspired you? I remember when I was about 3-4 years old and I found my father’s guitar in the house. He is a doctor but he had a guitar as a hobby. From that point on, I started trying to play and create music. I was fascinated , and I still am, by anything that can produce beautiful sounds, in just one word: MUSIC. My first contact with the piano's sound was at a concert. My father used to go to classical music concerts. I was not so impressed back then, but later, when I was about seven years old, and I was in my first year of school, I remember that a former student of my teacher came to our class room and start playing piano. I was completely fascinated. Since then the piano has been forever in my heart. My parents bought me one that year and that became my toy, my holiday, my lover, my everything. I was well and professionally trained during the years and I was trying to be one of the best. One can never succeed to be the best pianist. There is no such thing. After graduating ‘Stefan Luchian’ Music Highschool of Botosani, at age 18 he was admitted first to ‘George Enescu’ Music University of Iasi- Department of Instrumental Interpretation. In 2003 he graduated from ‘George Enescu’ Music University and took a degree in Instrumental Interpretation – Piano Major. What is your drive when composing music? The music comes to me by inspiration. It’s like a dream, I cannot explain it. It is like a person who goes to sleep and a dream occurs. This is inspiration. You cannot demand to be inspired in a certain day, same way you can not demand to have a certain dream in a certain night. This is how I compose music. If I am not inspired I’m not writing. Sometimes my ideas come when I’m sleeping, sometimes when I’m driving, sometimes when I just sit down and do nothing… it’s not a phenomenon I can control.