Between April 27-28, Cahul hosted a special edition of the "Nicolae Știuca" International Instrumental Performance Competition. The event, organized by the Cahul Municipal Philharmonic in collaboration with the Cahul City Hall and the "M. Cebotari" Music School, brought together participants from the country and abroad, highlighting the scale and value of this annual competition.

The record number of participants, significantly increasing compared to previous years, highlighted the growing interest in the field of instrumental performance among young people between the ages of 5 and 25. Over two days full of emotion and talent, the 250 contestants competed for the prizes at stake and had the opportunity to demonstrate their musical skills in front of a prestigious jury.

The event was attended by notable personalities from the music world, along with experienced teachers and musicologists, who provided feedback and evaluation to the contestants. Among them were famous names such as Aurelian Dănilă, Svetlana Bivol, Constantin Rusnac and others, bringing prestige and authenticity to the competition.

The jubilee edition also brought to the fore the award given by the mayor of Cahul, Nicolae Dandiș, who recognized and rewarded the musical excellence of a young talent, violinist Bunea Ioana, a student of the "C. Porumbescu" high school in Chișinău. This gesture comes to emphasize the importance and support given to talented young people in the field of classical music.

The "Nicolae Știuca" competition not only discovers and promotes young talents in classical music, but also marks a constant evolution, including for the first time a special compartment dedicated to orchestral accompaniment for the finalists. Thus, the competition becomes a catalyst for increasing the quality and complexity of artistic interpretations.

The laureates and finalists of this edition demonstrate once again the wealth of talent and passion for classical music, continuing to honor the memory of teacher and conductor Nicolae Știuca, a devoted promoter of young musical talents.

The laureates and finalists of the "Nicolae Știuca" competition with the First Prize:

Piano:
Burdujan Maria
Baciu Stephany
Movilă Marc
Condrea Nicoleta

Violin :
Tofan Matei
Radu Nicoleta
Bunea Ioana
Pleșca Petra

Cimbalom:
Boroș Petru Yustin

Accordion:
Boroș Paul Yannis
Gaiu Corneliu
Candja Alexandr

Wind instruments:
Vadim Zubac - Bagpipes
Dumitru Odobescu - Trumpet
Calugher Dan - Bagpipes

Performance with the symphony orchestra:
Pleșca Petra - violin
Cibotari Polina - violin
Gaiu Corneliu - Accordion

This edition of the "Nicolae Știuca" competition marks a reference point in the evolution and support given to classical music and the young generation of artists, reflecting the devotion and passion for the beauty of music in a framework of excellence and professionalism.

Photo by Bondareva Caterina