Sat Nov 21st – The Backstage of Life Concert

BACKSTAGE OF LIFE

Music and poetry from the hidden side of creation

Much-loved Ireland-based musicians Adrian Mantu, Andreea Banciu and Dermot Dunne join Romanian performers and composers Cristina Tegzeșiu, Alexandra Tănase, Mihai Murariu and Diana Gheorghiu to invite audiences into the backstage of life — and into the backstage of creation itself.

What happens to music before it becomes a finished piece? Conceived in Transylvania, Backstage of Life explores this question through completed works, improvisations and musical ideas still in transformation.

The programme brings together Romanian and Irish cultural influences, with music by Harry O’Connor, Mihai Murariu and Diana Gheorghiu, alongside traditional Irish tunes arranged by Dermot Dunne, all woven around the poetry of Latvian writer and performer Aleksandra Line. Her texts speak of memory, fear, belonging, fragility and the experiences we often carry quietly within us — deeply personal feelings that are, at the same time, shared by us all.

Music and poetry meet as different ways of expressing what is often difficult to say aloud.

Backstage of Life is an international collaborative project organised by UCIMR – the Romanian Association of Music Performers and ICon Arts Partnership (Ireland), in collaboration with the Contemporary Music Centre (Ireland), Music Connects (Ireland), the Embassy of Romania in Ireland and LOUDER.LV (Latvia).

The project is co-funded by Romania’s Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN).

We also thank King House Boyle, Oughterard Courthouse and the Royal Irish Academy of Music for their kind support.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

DIANA GHEORGHIU is a Romanian composer, cultural curator and Artistic Director of Backstage of Life. A graduate of the National University of Music Bucharest, she is the co-founder of the ICon Arts Transilvania Academy and Festival and ICon Arts Partnership (Ireland).

Active in both Romania and Ireland, she develops international artistic projects that build lasting connections between the cultural ecosystems of the two countries through contemporary music, interdisciplinary creation and cultural exchange.

As the Artistic Director and Curator of Backstage of Life, Diana Gheorghiu conceived the project’s artistic vision, bringing together composers, performers and poets in a collaborative creative process. Alongside her curatorial role, she also contributes as a composer, embodying the project’s central idea that artistic creation is both an individual and a shared experience.

THE ARTISTS

MIHAI MURARIU is a Romanian composer, pianist and Associate Professor at the National University of Music Bucharest. An award-winning composer and active performer in contemporary music ensembles, he combines composition, performance and teaching in a multifaceted artistic practice. Within Backstage of Life, he mentors the participating composers, guiding the development of new works while exploring the relationship between composition, performance and improvisation.

HARRY O’CONNOR is an Irish composer and graduate of MTU Cork School of Music and the University of Oxford. Selected for the Contemporary Music Centre’s Emerging Artist Scheme 2026–2027, his music explores the relationship between landscape, heritage and cultural memory, bringing together contemporary classical language, jazz and film music. Within Backstage of Life, he contributes to the development of new repertoire and to the creative dialogue between composition, improvisation and poetry.

ALEKSANDRA LINE is a Latvian poet, performer and cultural manager, currently Acting Director and International Project Manager at the Latvian Music Information Centre, as well as co-founder of LOUDER. Her work combines contemporary poetry, spoken word and interdisciplinary artistic practice, collaborating with composers and musicians across Europe. Within Backstage of Life, her poetry forms the conceptual core of the laboratory, connecting music, text and improvisation.

CRISTINA TEGZEȘIU is a Romanian oboist with an extensive international background, having graduated from the National University of Music Bucharest, the Musik Akademie Basel and the Bern University of the Arts. Currently Principal Oboe of the Brașov Philharmonic, she combines orchestral, chamber and contemporary performance. Within Backstage of Life, she contributes to the development and performance of newly created works, bringing together interpretative precision and openness to artistic experimentation.

ALEXANDRA TĂNASE is a Romanian violinist and soprano whose artistic activity combines instrumental and vocal performance across both classical and contemporary repertoire. A violin teacher and winner of the First Prize at the Belgrade International Singing Competition (2019), she is recognised for her versatility and expressive stage presence. Within Backstage of Life, she explores the relationship between voice, violin and improvisation as part of the concert-performance format.

GUEST ARTISTS – IRELAND

ADRIAN MANTU is a Romanian-born, Ireland-based cellist, educator and cultural leader. A founding member of the internationally acclaimed ConTempo Quartet, he has performed more than 2,000 concerts worldwide, appearing at major venues including Wigmore Hall, the Berliner Philharmonie and Carnegie Hall. Alongside his international performing career, he is deeply committed to chamber music education and intercultural collaboration, creating projects that connect artists and audiences across Europe.

ANDREEA BANCIU is a Romanian-born violist based in Ireland. A founding member of the ConTempo Quartet, she studied in Bucharest, London and Madrid before establishing an international career as a chamber musician and educator. She currently teaches viola and chamber music at Technological University Dublin and the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

DERMOT DUNNE is an Irish accordionist renowned for his versatility across contemporary classical, traditional Irish and cross-genre performance. A frequent soloist with leading orchestras and chamber ensembles, he has collaborated extensively with composers and performers from Ireland and abroad, expanding the expressive possibilities of the accordion through innovative programming.

ABOUT UCIMR

Founded in 1995 by violist Ștefan Gheorghiu, UCIMR is a non-profit organization of public utility with extensive experience in organizing large-scale cultural events. Over 30 years, UCIMR has implemented more than 400 projects, including international festivals, concert seasons, artist residencies, and educational programs. Its activities are characterized by innovation, interdisciplinarity, and the promotion of artistic excellence.
More details: www.ucimr.ro | Facebook: @UCIMR | Instagram: @ucimr