After an eight-year hiatus, the Bucharest Music Film Festival, the most popular profile event in the Capital, returns to George Enescu Square in front of the Bucharest Athenaeum with a spectacular edition between September 14 and 22, 2024.
A traditional event known for combining cinematographic art with music life, the Bucharest Music Film Festival relaunches itself with a new concept. It offers public evening concerts in the city centre in various musical styles, from the classical repertoire to jazz, from cinematic music to pop fusion, bringing hundreds of renowned artists and orchestras to the fore.
The 12th edition of the festival, organized by the Capital City Hall through ARCUB – the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Bucharest, takes place under the auspices of Bucharest Days and marks the 565th anniversary of the first documentary attestation of the city. Thus, for nine days, George Enescu Square will become the focal point of the festivities dedicated to the city with evenings of live performances supported by national and international artists, prestigious symphony orchestras, interactive concerts and musical workshops for children and parents, and film screenings. Bucharest Music Film Festival concerts are scheduled at 8:00 p.m., except for the children’s programs on weekends, which start at 10:00 a.m. Access to all events within the Bucharest Music Film Festival is free.
Valentina Nafornița, one of the most talented sopranos of her generation, laureate of the „Hariclea Darclée” international singing competition, the famous violinist Alexandru Tomescu, the National Radio Orchestra, the Royal Chamber, the George Enescu Philharmonic Choir will perform classical music masterpieces on the festival stage, under the baton of important conductors such as Constantin Adrian Grigore, Cristian Spătaru, Iosif Prunner, Octavian Lup. They are joined by other sound names, such as the legendary Mircea Baniciu and Ovidiu Lipan Șăndărică, Big Band Radio, led by conductor Simona Strungaru, Luiza Zan, Mădălina Pavăl Orchestra, George Miron & Grupul Vocal Acapella, Mihai-Ciprian Rogojan, Leyah, Valentin Șerban, soprano Veronica Anușca in a series of performances that include representative modern and contemporary creations.
The festival opens on Saturday, September 14, with an extraordinary concert by the Royal Chamber, conducted by Constantin Adrian Grigore, and the George Enescu Philharmonic Choir, conducted by Iosif Prunner. On the stage in Piața George Enescu, over a hundred elite instrumentalists and soloists will offer the public a grand show with a classical repertoire that includes famous overtures and choruses.
On Sunday, September 15, the Bucharest Music Film Festival transitions to world music in a unique combination of classical and alternative. The percussive and innovative rhythms of the Dreams and Drums project, presented by Mihai-Ciprian Rogojan, explore new dimensions of percussion at the unity between classical and electronic. The Mădălina Pavăl Orchestra will bring to the centre of the Capital textures from the classical world performed in an alternative style from a symphony of places: Bucovina, Moldavia, South Danube, and Balkan.
On Monday, September 16, George Enescu Square will turn into an open-air cinema, where moviegoers can watch the screening of the film Ennio (2021), directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. The film follows the life and career of legendary film score composer Ennio Morricone and has received numerous accolades, including the 2022 Cecilia Mangini Award for Best Documentary and Sound.
On Tuesday, September 17, Leyah invites the audience on an immersive sonic journey through the pop cinematic universe in the Kinesthesia concert. Known for her unique style and a refined fusion of classical and pop music, Leyah will deliver a profound performance where symphonies intertwine with introspective ballads. The day’s program is completed by the concerts performed by George Miron & the Acapella vocal group and the talented artists Operetta Stars.
On Wednesday, September 18, the festival makes a crossover to jazz: one of the best voices of Romanian and European jazz, Luiza Zan proposes to the public, together with Vlad Briciu (piano), Dimitrie Cristian Milea (bass guitar), Răzvan Florescu (vibraphone), Philip Goron (percussion) and Anthony Gutierrez (drums), a complete experience – the In My Village project, through which he explores and reinvents the music repertoire Romanians in a contemporary perspective.
Violinist Alexandru Tomescu will take the stage of the festival on Thursday, September 19, together with guitarist Dragoș Ilie. He will present his latest project, Paganini Magic, which highlights, through the delicate harmonies of the Stradivarius Elder-Voicu violin and the classical guitar, a series of sonatas for violin and classical guitar signed by the famous violinist Niccolò Paganini.
On the same evening, the Resonant Quintet ensemble (Alin Dănilă (bassoon), Georgiana Mihăilă (flute), Doris Iorga (oboe), Cosmin Cobasa (horn), and Flaviu Ludușan (clarinet)) will delight the audience with a recital that explores the timbral subtleties of the brass instrument, bringing to the fore classical and modern compositions.
On Friday, September 20, the festival will offer a special moment to the public: Big Band Radio, under the baton of conductor Simona Strungaru, will join the unmistakable Mircea Baniciu, Ovidiu Lipan Șăndărică, Teo Boar and Vlady Cnejevici to offer an exceptional show, which will electrify the atmosphere.
The New Hope Orchestra artists, conducted by Octavian Lup, will mark World Peace Day on Saturday, September 21, at 19:00, on the Bucharest Music Film Festival stage with violinist Valentin Șerban and soprano Veronica Anușca, as part of the Romania for Peace concert – a message of harmony and solidarity through music.
The festival ends on a majestic note, Sunday, September 22, with the National Radio Orchestra, conducted by Cristian Spătaru. The centre of attention will be the soprano Valentina Nafornița, whose voice will enrich a repertoire that includes works signed by Giacomo Puccini and offer a high-class interpretation.
Bucharest Music Film Festival also expands its repertoire with special programs dedicated to children and parents, coordinated by Cătălin Milea, offering them a series of interactive experiences designed to develop creativity and stimulate curiosity. On September 15, the „Happy Carousel” concert and musical workshop, presented by Gabriela Costa (vocals), Cătălin Milea (vocals) and the well-known guitarist Alex Man, invites the little ones to discover music through word games, stories and rhythms engaging.
On the same playful note, on September 22, during the workshop „Remi and the Adventure of Sounds: Drums and rhythm, small percussion instruments”, under the guidance of musicians Juan Carlos Negretti, Anthony Gutierrez and Cătălin Milea, children will experience the various sounds and rhythms, discovering instruments such as drums, maracas and tambourines. At the end of the workshop, the participants will have the opportunity to go on stage and give a mini-recital, enjoying the applause of their loved ones.
BUCHAREST MUSIC FILM FESTIVAL – OFFICIAL PROGRAM
SEPTEMBER 14-22, 2024 | GEORGE ENESCU SQUARE
Saturday, September 14
20:00: Royal Chamber | Conductor Constantin Grigore
Choir of the George Enescu Philharmonic conductor Iosif Prunner
Sunday, September 15
10:00: „The Merry Carousel” | Gabriela Costa, Cătălin Milea, Alex Man
20:00: Dreams and Drums | Mihai-Ciprian Rogojan
21:00: Mădălina Pavăl Orchestra
Monday, September 16
20:00: Film screening | Ennio (2021) | directed by Giuseppe Tornatore
Tuesday, September 17
19:30: Operetta Stars | Andrei Lazar, Gabriela Daha, Valentino Tiron, Alexandru Mihai Burca
20:00: George Miron & the Acapella Vocal Group
20:30: Kinesthesia | Leyah
Wednesday, September 18
20:00: In My Village | Luiza Zan Sextet
Thursday, September 19
20:00: Resonant Quintet
20:30: Paganini Magic | Alexandru Tomescu (violin), Dragoș Ilie (classical guitar)
Friday, September 20
20:00: Big Band Radio | conductor Simona Strungaru | Mircea Baniciu, Ovidiu Lipan Tăndărică | Teo Boar Vlady Cnejevici
Saturday, September 21
19:00: Romania for Peace | New Hope Orchestra | conductor Octavian Lup | Valentin Şerban (violin) | Veronica Anușca (soloist)
Sunday, September 22
10:00: „Remi and the Sound Adventure: Drums and Rhythm, Small Percussion Instruments” | Juan Carlos Negretti | Anthony Gutierrez Cătălin Milea
20:00: National Radio Orchestra | conductor Cristian Spătaru | Valentina Nafornița (soloist)
The event is organized by the Capital City Hall through ARCUB – the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Bucharest, with the support of the Ministry of Culture.
