Doina Rotaru

I’ve used structural principles of symbolic values and functions –like circular or spiral shapes, sacred numbers and so on. The symbol becomes an idea of composition, and this idea generates the structures, the musical time , the syntax, the architecture and the expressions of the work. I’ve also used elements from ancient Romanian folklore, where almost every sound is enriched with ornaments, glissandi, micro-tones, overtones and , of course, heterophony. The expression of Romanian ancient folk music is very nostalgic, creating a melancholic atmosphere and the feeling of a painful beauty (Doina Rotaru) Born in 1951, Romanian composer Doina Rotaru has a B.A. and a M.A in composition at the National University of Music in Bucharest. She studied here between 1970 and 1975 with – among others – Tiberiu Olah. Since 1996 she has been a professor of composition and, since 2008, the head of the composition department at the same University. In 1991 she obtained a scholarship in Holland (Amsterdam) where she studied with Theo Loevendie. She has written so far over 100 works that cover almost every musical genre: from solo, chamber, choral to orchestral works, from works that mix instrumental with electronic music to theater music. Her music has been performed in many concerts and festivals all over the world : Europe, Far-East, Australia, Canada and South-America. – some of these being “author concerts”. Some of Doina Rotaru’s works have been commissioned by Radio France, Radio Graz, Suntory Hall Tokyo, French Ministry of Culture, Stockholm Saxophone Quartet, Warsaw Autumn , ensembles and soloists from France, Germany, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Switzerland. She was invited as a lecturer about her music in Germany (Darmstadt, Summer Courses for New Music – 1992, 1994), Holland (Amsterdam, Gaudeamus International Composers’ Workshop – 1990,1992 ), England ( Huddersfield University – 1995, Brighton – 1995), Japan (Tokyo Suntory Hall – 1998, 2001) and Iceland (Skalholt, 2006). Doina Rotaru has been invited to take part in international juries for composition competition in France (Paris, 2002, 2006), Slovenia (Ljublijana, 2004) and Romania (Bucharest, 2006). Since 1998 she also has a PhD in Musicology at N.U.M.B., with the work “Contemporary composers and archaic traditions”. Her teaching career has led to the writing of two school books, in collaboration with fellow professor Liviu Comes: “Counterpoint School Book for Music Highschools” (Ed. Didactica, 1977) and “Vocal and Instrumental Counterpoint Treatise ” (Ed. Muzicala, 1987). In 1998 she was the Artistic Director of the “Contemporary Music Week” festival in Bucharest. Her works are published by the Musical Publishing House (Editura Muzicala) in Bucharest , Leduc and H.Lemoine, Paris.