Ion Bogdan Stefanescu

CV in English

Soloist with the “George Enescu” Philharmonic Orchestra, Bucharest, Romania

Professor of Flute at National University of Music, Bucharest, Romania

Member of Romanian Writers Union

“I have known Mr. Ștefănescu for nearly 25 years. He is an outstanding musician and teacher. He has assisted me in many of my classes in Europe. I have watched his progress, technically and musically over the years where he has grown to be a very mature musician of the highest quality. I listened to him on the many CD’s he has made during this period and I was very impressed with his beautiful tone, flawless technique and imaginative choice of repertoire…” 

Sir JAMES GALWAY                        

”Ionuț was one of the friendliest of my students, and among the most gifted. He was already an accomplished player when I met him, and we spent many happy hours together both at the University, and later when I was a guest in his home. His musical tastes are wide and creative, exceeding the limits of my own skills and interests, but always convincing and appropriate in his performances both solo, orchestral, and in collaborative chamber music. A very remarkable talent”.

Alexander Murray

“Ionuț Bogdan Ștefănescu, master of the flute family, quite a big family today, playing all these instruments with a lot of skill and sovereign musical science, is one of those artists who harmoniously combines the creative imagination with the spontaneous communication skills and a deep sensitivity of tones…” Aurel Stroe

Studies

  • Doctor in Music – Bucharest National University of Music (2002)
  • Master of Music Degree – University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA – leading
  • Professor Alexander Murray (1995 – 1996)
  • Bucharest National University of Music – Flute Section (1993)
  • George Enescu High School of Music, Bucharest (1987)

Special courses with: 

James Galway, Alain Marion, Wolfgang Schultz, Pierre Yves Artaud

Artistic activity

Début at the age of 14, as soloist at the Athenaeum Hall (with “Il Cardellino”, by Antonio Vivaldi). Since 1983 up to the present, he performed over a thousand concerts and recitals, in Romania and abroad.

Laureate of many national and international competitions:

  • Constantin Brâncuși Prize For Excellency in Culture, granted by The National Grand Loge from Romania and Romanian Academy, 2018
  • Medal and Diploma for performance of Concerto by André Jolivet, at the 21st edition of ”George Enescu Festival” granted by UNIMIR (The Romanian Union of Interprets), 2013
  • The Medal of Cultural Merit, Order of Chevalier, conferred by the President of Romania for Excellency in Culture , 2011
  • Romanian Music Magazine Prize for Interpretation, 2009
  • Composer Union Prize for Trio Contraste, 2009
  • Composer Union Prize for  Solo Activity, 2007
  • The Medal of Cultural Merit conferred by the President of Romania for Excellency in Music , 2004
  • Lions Club Prize for Best Performance in James Galway Seminar, 2003
  • Prize of George Dima Academy of Music, Cluj, Romania, 1987 
  • First Prize at Concertino Competition – Prague, Czechoslovakia, 1986  
  • Diploma of Merit – Elite Chamber Music , G.B.Viotti, Vercelli – Italy, 1984 
  • First Prize at the National Flute Competition, Romania, 1985
  • Participated in many national and international music Festivals: 
  • NFA, Washington, USA
  • British Flute Society, Manchester
  • George Enescu International Festival, Bucharest;
  • International Contemporary Music Festival in Bucharest, Darmstadt or Stockholm;
  • Festival of Classical and Contemporary Music, Phenian, North Korea 
  • National Flute Assosiation, Kanssas, USA
  • International Flute Assosiation, Munchen
  • Zeit für Neue Musik, Bayreuth, Germania
  • Wien Modern
  • Steingreber Festival

He is a member of the three most important Romanian contemporary music groups: ProContemporania (1990), Trio Contraste (2000) and Profil (2003). Also, member of ”George Enescu” Wind Qunitet (2005), Silvestri Ensemble (2019) and Trio Affresco (2020); also founder of Barock Orchestra (2006) and Flaut Power (2016)

Radio and TV recordings

S.R.R.; Deutschlandfunk-Köln; WDR; Société de Musique Contemporaine Lausanne; Bayeriche Rundfunk; DRS 2; Deuchlandfunk

TVR 1; TVR 2; TVR Cultural; Antena 1; B1TV; Alfa TV; TVRM; DiGi24; Money Chanel

CD & DVD

  1.  Klangvisionen für Flöte(n), Gutingi, 2023
  2. Musique pour descender 3, Electrecord, 2020
  3. Ansamblul Profil – ”Sequentia”, UNMB și ed. Muzicală, 2019
  4. Plânsuri / Shades of Crying Moods, UNMB și Editura Muzicală, 2019
  5. Octavian Nemescu, prod. UCIMR, 2019
  6. Blue Drops, A & A Records, 2019
  7. SIMN 2018 – CD2, Radio România,.2018
  8. SIMN 2017, Radio România, 2017
  9. Twenty Shades of Music, E-media, 2017
  10. Visători la steau singurătății, Casa Radio, 2016
  11. Șarpelecupene, Sargasso, 2016
  12. Dialog, gutingi, 2016
  13. Preschimbarea la față, CMN, 2016
  14. Flutes Play, gutingi, 2015
  15. Romanian composers and performers in spectacular hypostases, UCMR, 2015
  16. 100 Hours – A & A Records, 2014
  17. Sieben Rosen hat der Strauch, gutingi, 2014
  18. Flautul de aur, Casa Radio, 2013
  19. Werke von Horst Lohse – Trio Contraste, Cavalli Records, 2013
  20. Der Schlüssel der Träume, gutingi, 2013
  21. Carmen Petra Basacopol – Portret musical, Casa Radio, 2013
  22. Ce vă spune Trio Contraste? – Brumar, 2013
  23. Forgetmenot, gutingi, 2012
  24. Yuri Botnari @ George Enesc Philharmonic Orchestra, Sony DADC Austria, 2012
  25. Visători la steaua singurătăţii, DVD produs de Fundaţia ABI, 2012
  26. Securi decapitate – Tracus Arte, 2012
  27. Octavian Nemescu – Musique pour décendre, Nicklas Records, 2011
  28. Cuvăntul de trecere – Gr.Ph.Telemann – Integrala Sonatelor pentru 2 flaute, Tracus Arte, 2011
  29. 27 British Composers, Casa Radio, 2011
  30. Tabu – Violeta Dinescu / Trio Contraste. Ed gutingi, 2010
  31. Un compozitor – Un interpret, Uniunea Compozitorilor, 2009
  32. Povestea unei aripi, Editura Muzicală, 2008
  33. Apfelwürmer, Cavalli Records, Germania, 2007
  34. Musique pour réveil,  Electrecord, 2007
  35. Tabu Suite, Schweitzer Radio, 2007
  36. Composer’s Dialogue, Institutul Polonez București, 2007
  37. Aurel Stroe – Kammermusik 1949 – 1984, ed. MuMu, LC 15154, 2007
  38. Jazz Poems – Inside Stories, TVR Media, 2006
  39. George Enescu – Chamber Symphony, Arte Nova, 2006
  40. Circuit (flaut solo), gutingi, Germania, 2005
  41. Uroboros (flaut solo), Editura Muzicală, Bucureşti, 2005
  42. Wandlungen (Trio Contraste), Leondra, Germania, 2005
  43. Sonnengesang (Trio Contraste), gutingi, Germania, 2004
  44. Tineri artiști in dialog – Profil Festival, UCMR-ADA, 2004
  45. 14th International New Music Week, UCMR-ADA, 2004
  46. Pâlnia şi Stamate, Casa Radio, 2004
  47. Romanian Women Composers (ProContemporania), Arfa – UCMR 2003
  48. MC – Muzică Clasică Piese celebre, Brilliant Classics, 2003
  49. Scarlatti & Beethoven (George Enescu Quintet), AIX Records, SUA, 2002
  50. J.S.Bach, AIX Records, SUA, 2002
  51. Stravinsky – Firebird / Ravel – Bolero, AIX Records, 2002
  52. Mixtures I (George Enescu Quintet), AIX Records, SUA, 2002
  53. Athenaeum vol.I – Iris, 2000
  54. George Enescu – Dixtuorul (Bucharest George Enescu Philharmonic), Ed. Art Nova, 1999
  55. George Enescu – Simfonia de cameră (Bucharest George Enescu Philharmonic) Art Nova, 1999
  56. Rock Bands – Pro Musica & Accent, Electrecord, 1987

Compositions

  1. Film music for ”The life of a single woman”, director Ioan Cârmăzan, 2023

  2. Tilincaison for tilincă & tape, 2022

  3. Dialog în contre-jour, on a text by Nichita Stănescu, forl five flutes and tape, 2022

  4. Wings of moon for flaut, tape and flute orchesatra, 2022

  5. Invocation for Alto flute, tape flute orchesatra and percussion, 2022

  6. Broken canon for five flautes & tape, 2022

  7. On the way back to Itaca for Alto flute and Flute ensemble, world premiere in Sibiu Philharmonic, Meridian Festival 
  8. Original music for “Haches décapitées” by Matei Vișniec, Ed. Tracus Arte, 2012
  9. Theatre music for ”Nobody is perfect”, director Radu Beligan, 2010
  10. Deep Voices Praying – for two bass flutes, first premier – SIMN, 2009
  11. Dizzy Flutes – for 4 flutes, first premier – SIMN, 2009
  12. Theatre music for ”Strangers in the night”, director Radu Beligan, 2008
  13. MAMBOlero – percussion and tape, first premier – SIMN, 2007
  14. Pianissimo Summer Dream – Percussion Ansamble – first premier – Lausanne Conservatoire, 16 noiembrie 2005
  15. Original Music for “The Funnel and Stamate” – Urmuz, regia Gavril Pinte, production S.R.R., 2004
  16. Original Music for Ilie Constantin poetry, director Cristian Munteanu, production S.R.R., 2004

Opera libretist:

  1. “Blue Night”, music by Diana Rotaru
  2. “W” – after “Stage Director” by W.A.Mozart

Published Books:

  1. On the way back to Itaka, National Foundation for Science and Art, 2022
  2. Encounters in Musical Code, Editura Muzicală, 2022
  3. The Mirror with Two Reflections, Editura Militară, 2021
  4. Sewn-Up Smile, Fundația Națională pentru Șiință și Artă, 2020
  5. Signs – Touches, Tracus Arte, 2018
  6. A verse that leaves death speechless, Tracus Arte, 2016
  7. Soulful Shout, Tracus Arte, 2014
  8. Six scripts looking for a director, Tracus Arte, 2013
  9. HIM, Tracus Arte, 2013
  10. Blood Voices, Tracus Arte, 2012
  11. The Passing Word, Tracus Arte, 2011
  12. Chage Unchaged, Opera Magna, 2010
  13. Of Stones and Birds, Axa Publishing, 2006
  14. The Ages of Flute, Libra, 2005
  15. Game of Mirrors, Libra, 2004

His biography is included in

MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT (International Biographical Centre, Cambrige, 1988) 

FIVE THOUSAND PERSONALITIES OF THE WORLD (Ed. Two, The American Biographical Institute, Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, 1989).

WHO’S WHO ÎN ROMÂNIA (Ed. Pegasus Press, Bucureşti, 2002)

Ion Bogdan Ștefănescu performs on Muramatsu 18k