Virtuoso Concert in aid of the renovation of The Enescu House 

The Trustees of Pro Patrimonio Foundation - Romania's National Trust - invite you to a Virtuoso Concert 


presenting  Romania’s premier musicians
Alexandru Tomescu & Raluca Stirbat
in aid of the renovation and revitalization of
The Enescu House (Mihăileni, Romania)

  

Thursday, 26 March ~ 7.00 - 9.30 pm
No. 1 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PH
 
SOLD OUT
YOU CAN STILL MAKE A DONATION ONLINE HERE
Join our Facebook Event 

George Enescu (1881 - 1955) is Romania’s best known and world renowned composer. His house in Mihaileni (Romania), where he spent many of his holidays, worked and composed parts of his masterpieces, belonged to Enescu’s mother and was built by her parents sometime between 1775 and 1830. However, the building is now in danger of collapse and destruction. The house not only has memorial value, but it also stands as an example of the Romanian vernacular architecture of the first half of the 19th century. If this dwelling should perish, a powerful part of the memory of Enescu will be lost.
 

 

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) – Praeludium and Allegro “in the style of Pugnani” for Violin and Piano (1910)
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) – Scherzo in C minor for Violin and Piano, WoO posth.2 from F-A-E Sonata (1853)
Eugène Ysaÿe (1858-1931) – Sonata No. 3 in D minor for solo Violin, “à Georges Enesco” (1923)
 
Interval with wine and canapés
 
George Enescu (1881-1955) – Nocturne in D flat major for solo Piano, “Hommage à la Princesse Marie Cantacuzène” (1907)
George Enescu (1881-1955) – Sonata Op. 25 No. 3 in A minor for Piano and Violin, “dans le caractère populaire roumain” (1926), 2nd and 3rd Mvt.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
 

Alexandru Tomescu (violin) is the artist for whom music has no limits: ready to play the most difficult scores in marathon concerts, in month-long tours, the violinist is unanimously appreciated by the audiences all over the world. After graduating from the Bucharest Conservatory where he was taught by Ştefan Gheorghiu, he continued his studies abroad with Igor Oistrakh, Ruggiero Ricci, Tibor Varga and Eduard Schmieder. Winner of prestigious prizes in competitions such as Marguerite Long – Jacques Thibaud, George Enescu, Paganini or Sarasate, he has performed on the world’s most renowned and sought-after concert stages: Carnegie Hall (New York), Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles), Théâtre des Champs Elysées (Paris), Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Concertgebouw (Amsterdam). In 2007 Alexandru won the right to play the Stradivarius Elder-Voicu which belongs to the Romanian State and promised to make its sound heard by all Romanians. The Stradivarius Tour became one of the most sought-after classical music events in Romania. This year will be its first international edition, marking the 60-th anniversary of Enescu's death with another marathon: all of Enescu's works for violin and piano.

 

Raluca Stirbat (piano) was born in Iasi (north-east Romania) and is today not only one of the most outstanding representatives of the young generation of Romanian pianists, but can also already look back on major international successes. Raluca Stirbat held her debut as a concert pianist at the age of ten with Joseph Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D major, and from this point on, she was considered a child prodigy and appeared with all the important orchestras in Romania (including the George Enescu Philharmonic and the Radio Symphony Orchestra) and abroad. After studying for a year at the George Enescu Music Academy in Iaşi, in 1994 she went to Vienna Music University, where she studied with Prof. Jürg von Vintschger and graduated with an M.A. in concert piano performance. Soon the doors of major concert halls opened to her (Vienna Konzerthaus, Vienna Musikverein, Stefanie Hall in Graz and the Mozarteum in Salzburg). In summer 2012, Raluca Stirbat initiated the international campaign Save Enescu’s Memorial House in Mihaileni, Romania to save and restore the house where the Romanian composer spent many years of his childhood, youth and maturity and wrote many of his masterpieces. For her special artistic performances and her social commitment, Raluca Stirbat was appointed an integration ambassador by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Austria in March 2013. Recently, Raluca Stirbat has been awarded Honorary Membership of the Pro Patrimonio Foundation.

Pro Patrimonio seeks your generous support for one of its most valuable projects – the Enescu House. In 2014 Pro Patrimonio obtained the legal permit to undertake critical emergency works to protect this ancient house from rain and snow. Pro Patrimonio Foundation now has the goal to fully rehabilitate Enescu's house in Mihaileni, Botosani County, Romania, and to create The George Enescu International Music Academy, a centre of excellence for the study of classical music, a centre which through the process of its restoration will showcase traditional architecture, crafts, and the visual arts. The conservation and care of Enescu's only remaining childhood residence is essential; it is a responsibility of major importance that we all of us bear to protect our common European heritage. It will become a place where great music scholars connect with talented young people on their own individual journeys.

The Enescu Music Academy in Mihaileni will become an important point of attraction for the international community of musicians and classical music lovers. The restoration process will be implemented through an educational workshop thereby raising the interest in clay architecture and building techniques in an interchange between specialists and students. The house will be refurbished to create an authentic atmosphere, as many original pieces of furniture have been saved and restored.

The Pro Patrimonio Foundation - Romania’s National Trust - is an international non-profit organization with branches in Romania, UK, France and the United States, established in 2000 by arch. Serban Cantacuzino. The goals of the Foundation are to save, preserve and restore the architectural and cultural heritage of Romania. We lobby for the protection of Romania’s cultural heritage, aiming to teach people to appreciate the value of it, and to provide support for the restoration and re-use of historic buildings. We try to connect them with a cultural and economic network, respecting traditional craftsmanship and appropriate construction techniques.
 
At the moment the Foundation has over 100 volunteers, especially young people, who help in the projects for the protection and restoration of historical buildings and the education of local communities. This year Pro Patrimonio is working on the 60 wooden churches project, the action to save the Enescu House of Mihăileni, the promotion of the cultural landscapes around the Villa Golescu in Campulung, and the teaching of traditional crafts at the Manor of Tibanesti.

Trustees of Pro Patrimonio UK: Serban Cantacuzino, Nicolae Ratiu, Indrei Ratiu, Richard Ralph, Moritz Fried

If you cannot attend the event we would be most grateful for any support for the ENESCU HOUSE project.  From £5 or more, your donation, small or large, would help us complete the restoration works and establish The George Enescu International Music Academy.

You can donate online, by cheque or bank transfer to Pro Patrimonio: Bank of Scotland a/c 00816088 s/c12-11-03, IBAN GB95 BOFS 1211 0300 8160 88
Address: Pro Patrimonio, 18 Fitzhardinge St, London W1H 6EQ
 
We gratefully receive any type of support, therefore please also contribute by sharing the message about our project with your friends and family and get them involved as well.
 

Ratiu Family Foundation (RFF), Romanian Cultural Centre in London (RCC), Romanian Embassy, Romanian Cultural Institute, Fundatia ADEPT, My Romania

DeliTwist, AZIMO, Alira Wines, CrespoCom, Boss Revolution