By
THIRSTY
Romanian violinist Irina
Muresanu has performed in concert halls throughout North America, Europe
and Asia. Her solo engagements include concerts with the Boston Pops, Miami
Symphony Orchestra, Williamsburg Symphonia, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
(Geneva), Transvaal Philharmonic (Pretoria, South Africa), Romanian National
Orchestra, Orchestre de la Radio Flamande (Brussels) and Boston Philharmonic.
In 2013, she announced
her “Four Strings Around the World” project, a solo violin recital featuring
works of composers inspired by various musical cultures around the world. And,
in April 2018, her recording, Four
Strings Around the World, was released by Sono Luminus Records.
In July 2019, Muresanu
will perform for the fifth year at the Newport Music Festival. Stay Thirsty Magazine was privileged to
visit with her for these Five Questions at the University of Maryland in
College Park, where she is Associate Professor and holds the Tretter
Distinguished Faculty Fellowship in Violin.
STAY
THIRSTY: This July, you will be performing for the fifth year
at the Newport Music Festival. What continues to draw you back to this
particular festival?
IRINA
MURESANU: I call it “the magic of Newport.” What makes this
festival unique is the majestic location of the concerts (the mansions and the
ocean create an unbeatable atmosphere), the extraordinary chemistry amongst the
musicians and our special rapport with the audiences. On either side of the
stage there is a passionate love for music, and often, audience members attend
several (and sometimes all) of the festival concerts. Many of the musicians
have long term friendships with audience and board members, and every year, we
form new ones. It feels like a “Great Gatsby” lavish musical party that no one
wants to miss – and one that lasts more than three weeks!
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| Irina Muresanu |
STAY
THIRSTY: How did you select the repertoire for your concert in
Newport?
IRINA
MURESANU: The vision of the Artistic Director, Pamela Pantos, is
crucial in figuring the outline throughout the whole festival. She draws the
repertoire in conjunction with the “wish lists” from the musicians so there is
a cohesive and unified feel that showcases the personality of the musicians in
their best light. The programs encompass a very wide variety of styles and
genres, from Baroque to Broadway, from enchanting solo instrumental to glorious
operatic concerts, so there is something for everyone. Come to one concert and
I can guarantee you will be back for more.
STAY
THIRSTY: Your project and recording entitled Four Strings Around the World has
received much acclaim. What was the genesis of that project and do you see it continuing
in the coming years? Are you working on other recordings at this time?
IRINA
MURESANU: “Four Strings Around the World” has been an
enormous discovery of the violin’s many voices and the presence of the
instrument (or its ancestors and cousins) in almost all the majority of world’s
cultures.
In many ways, this is the
story of the violin through time and space. It is a project of global
resonance, with music of composers that draw influences from the folk music of
their own roots. The CD features pieces of Romanian, Irish, Austrian, German,
Italian, Persian, Indian, Chinese, Argentinian, Native American and American
composers. Two of the pieces (one by Indian composer Shirish Korde and one by Native
American composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate) were composed especially
for the “Four Strings” project.
It is an impressive
line-up that inspired me to search for more. Just think about how many musical
cultures exist around the globe. I like to say that this is a “living and
breathing” project that will keep growing and will keep me busy for a long time
to come.
I am happy to say that the
album, produced by the Grammy-award winning label Sono Luminus, got rave
reviews and the project was awarded a prestigious NewMusicUSA grant and a
Creative and Performing Arts Award from the University of Maryland.
The next recording that I
am planning to release is a project titled “Rorem, Ravel and Ragtimes.” I find
the confluence of French and American music in the first half of the 20th
century fascinating. Almost all American composers (Gershwin and Ned Rorem
included) went to study in Paris. Maurice Ravel fell in love with Jazz, Blues
and Ragtime during his American tour, and the “Roaring Twenties” brought to
Paris a craze for Ragtime called “Ragtimis.” This CD will interspace various
pieces by Ravel, Rorem and Gershwin with ragtime of various composers – and
hopefully a few ones especially composed for this CD.
STAY
THIRSTY: You are also known for playing new music by American
composers. What started you down that path and whose compositions especially
shine in your view?
IRINA
MURESANU: I always loved performing contemporary music and
admire many of the American voices. I have recorded and performed all William
Bolcom’s violin and piano sonatas and I champion works of two Bostonian
composers: Elena Ruehr and Thomas Oboe Lee. I am proud to say that I am the
dedicatee of their violin concertos and various other pieces, which I have also
premiered. The list of names is much longer, as I continuously incorporate new
music in my repertoire. There are so
many interesting voices! A few years ago, I performed a program named “Women of
Note” that featured many American women composers.
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| Irina Muresanu |
STAY
THIRSTY: There are many very dramatic photos of you playing a
violin while standing dressed in an evening gown in the ocean. In those photos
are you really playing your 1849 Giuseppe Rocca violin?
IRINA
MURESANU: You can be sure I get asked that question a lot, but
most people ask me if I was really in
the water. I always say the answer is “Yes and No.” Yes, I was in the ocean
(and lucky to catch a day with balmy temperatures) and No, it was not my 1849 Rocca violin (let’s leave it at that…).
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| Irina Muresanu |
The end product came out
spectacular and it sure grabs one’s attention. I guess I might draw the line at
walking through fire, though.
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