Artist in Contest
Portraits
Alina Elena Bercu
Alina Elena Bercu was born in Brasov at 9th of February 1990. She began studying piano only in 1998 with Mrs. Magdalena Toma. After some months her unusual talent was discovered by Mrs. Prof. Ph. D. Stela Dragulin which included Alina between her pupils.
This" little real pianist" performed many recitals in our country as well as abroad.
Recently she returned from her second tour in Germany, where she performed also in the famous Tonhall from Dusseldorf. Till now she played with the accompaniment of the philharmonic orchestras from: Ploiesti, Ramnicu Valcea, Brasov and in October 2000 she performed the ending concert of the International Festival Constantin Silvestri from Targu Mures.
For the 2000-2001 season she is programed to play Concerto No.2 for piano and orchestra by Sostakovich.
Her recital performed at the Romanian Radio Society from 16th of June 2000 was broadcasted directly by the National Television.
Without knowing that Alina has only two years of practice, the critics praise her artistic prestation from 2000:
"Surprisingly is the force of attack, amazing is the precision of interpretation as well as the elegance and her unforgetable sureness"
Hans Karl Pesch - "Bergische Zeitung", Germany, 03. 27. 2000
"Those who could listen little pianist Alina Elena Bercu, playing with an incredible technical maturity and stylistic understanding, certainly had the revelation of an exceptional musical phenomenon, miraculous testimony of the musical nature of Romanian people."
Vasile Donose - "Revista Radio Romania", Bucharest, 04. 05. 2000
"Exciting was the presence in concert of the 9 year little pianist from Brasov, Alina Elena Bercu (pupil of the famous professor Stela Dragulin) whose talent manifests explosively, after only two years of practice, she succeds to remake the concertistic route built by Mihaela Ursuleasa at the same age."
Tanta Diaconescu - "Revista Actualitatea Muzicala", Bucharest, 06.12.2000
"The interpretation which she gave to the musical pieces, convinced by perfect movement of her fingers - like a perle necklace - and by such an energetic chord, so that it was totally unexpected."
Uwe Muller - "Remscheider General - Anzeiger", Germany, 02.02.2001
"The whole recital was performed with a special accuracy, with a faultless precision for the musical text, with an impressive control of hands movement and with a special dimensioning of the musical phrases."
Ulrich Mutz - "Bergische Morgenpost", Germany, 03.02.2001
Shwan Sebastian
Shwan Sebastian was born on 4th of August 1979. He began studying the piano at the age of 5. During the years he has enjoyed the guidance of the teachers: Mihaela Calomfirescu, Mihaela Zamfirescu and Prof. Ph. D. Serban Soreanu.
Since 1997, Shwan Sebastian has been studying with Prof. Ph. D. Stela Dragulin, the former Dean of the Faculty of Music from Brasov, at present the Vice-Rector of Transilvania University of Brasov. Shwan Sebastian is attending the 6th semester at the Music Faculty of Brasov.
In 1999 Shwan Sebastian has performed, in two consecutive evenings, all the five concertos for piano and orchestra by L. van Beethoven. During this season the young pianist performed with a great success: Concerto no.3, by B.Bartok, Concerto no.3 op.30 by S. Rachmaninoff, Concerto in G major by Ravel and Concerto no.3 in C major op.26 by Prokofieff.
Along the years, Shwan Sebastian has been remarked through his exceptional results. He won the first prize to all national and international competitions he participated to. The young pianist is the winner of both categories of the international contest Jeunesses Musicales - Bucharest.
Recently, he has realised a compact disk recorded directly from a concert in Germany. The Romanian Society of Radio made records from all his recitals performed in Bucharest and stored them in their collection.
Shwan Sebastian played with the most philarmonic orchestras from Romania. He performed recitals in Romania, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Hungary.
In May 2001 he will leave for a tour in Indonezia and Singapore.
About Shwan Sebastian, the critics have expressed their opinion as it follows:
"The revelation of the evening: young Shwan Sebastian, a promising great pianist"
Ilie Dumitrascu - "Gazeta de Transilvania" - Brasov, 10.09.1998
"Shwan Sebastian is a hypersensitive pianist. His technique, based on a rare musicality, is perfect at his age."
Costin Turchila - "Adevarul" - Bucharest, 06.30.1998
"Absolute virtuosity. . . . the recital of the young pianist Shwan Sebastian was an extraordinary event"
Hans Karl Pesch, "Bergische Zeitung", Germany, 27.03.2000
" Shwan Sebastian is an extraordinary pianist which put the public on fire."
Uwe Muler - "Remscheider General - Anzeiger" - Germany, 02.03.2001
SANDU D. ALEXANDRA IRINA was born on 1990, February 19, Slobozia town, Ialomita District; pupil in the third form, School number 3, Slobozia, teacher name: Emil Mihai; member of the Painting Circle of Secondary School of Arts, Slobozia, teacher name: Liliana Ionescu; member of “Henri Coanda” National Foundation of Bucharest, beginning with 1999 and member of “European Literature Circle (ELC). Prizes:
· first prize at the painting competition of Plastic Art (district contest), organized by the School Inspectorate of Ialomita;
· first prize at the poster competition “Our families in the World” (National Contest), organized by the Representation of United Nations Fund for Population, Bucharest, 1997, September 12;
· first prize at the poster competition “Our families in the world” (International Contest), organized by the Representation of United Nations Fund for Population, New York, 1997. The poster was published by U.N.F.P. in the whole world;
· first prize at the exhibition ”Come and get light” organized by the Episcopal Office of Slobozia and Calarasi, fourth edition, Slobozia, 1998, May 15;
· first prize at the National Competition of children who paint for the Ozone Stratum protection organized by the Water, Forest and Environment Protection Ministry, Ozone Secretariate and the Environment Protection Agency of Constanta, Constanta, 1998;
· the “Solar explosion” painting exhibited in Paris and Cairo on the occasion of the International Congress for the Ozone Stratum Protection, 1998, September 17;
· diploma of talent at the national competition “The sun has been hidden” organized by the World’s Legends League “Gnomes Land”, Bucharest, 1999, August 12;
· first prize at the poster competition (national contest) “Decisions for the twenty-first century” organized by the Representation of United Nations Fund for Population, Bucharest, 1999, November 12. The painting was exhibited at the office of U.N.F.P.-New York;
· “Golden Palette” prize at the competition “Vision of the future” organized by the World Bank at Bitola, Republic of Macedonia 2000, June 23. This painting is one of the paintings collection of the World Bank from Washington.
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