Artistic Manager – Eugen Negruța, Master of Arts
CONCERTINO is an accordion ensemble from the Republic of Moldova with a history of 20 years, well known and appreciated by the public in the country and abroad. These professional musicians, graduates of the Academy of Music, Theatre, and Fine Arts in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, set themselves the goal of promoting the classical accordion in the Republic of Moldova; until then, it was known here more as a folk music instrument.
They have acquired their name through hard work, determination, and the unique talent that allows these players to skillfully and with virtuosity express accordion vibrations with a lot of intensity and deep emotions.
They are laureates of numerous international competitions, holding several gold distinctions, the title of "World Accordion Champions," and the honorary title of Emeritus Artistic Collective of the Republic of Moldova.
They have been and continue to be invited to many European festivals, and they have toured extensively in many countries, performing in significant venues all over the world.
CONCERTINO can be proud of a unique repertoire of classical and jazz music in innovative accordion orchestrations from their national and worldwide musical history and their typical vitality. Any work realised by this ensemble, regardless of the genre it represents, captures the style and imprint of CONCERTINO, which always excels with a crossover of good taste and artistic quality.
The Concertino Accordion Band is an endless source of creative energy, artistic innovation, authentic musical values, and the image of the country. Was founded in 2003 under the name "Concertino" Accordion Ensemble.
2007–2017 works at the Organ Hall in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova.
2017–present works in the National Philharmonic "Serghei Lunchevici" in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova.
The Concertino Accordion Band consists of 5 accordionists, complemented for timbral diversity with violin, drums, percussion, guitar-bass, and piano. All members are professional artists with higher education and outstanding merits in the field of performing musical art.
The artistic conductor of the Concertino Accordion Band is Eugen Negruța, born in Chisinau in 1980, a graduate of the "Sergey Rachmaninov" High School of Music and the Academy of Music, Theatre, and Fine Arts in Chisinau.
On October 18, 2003, Eugen Negruța and a few of his college colleagues created the Accordion Ensemble "Concertino".
Through their prodigious artistic activity of almost 20 years, they promote the accordion as an instrument of several musical styles and genres: popular, classical, jazz, and world.
In 2013, in Canada, at the most prestigious competition of its kind in the world, the World Accordion Championship, they won the title of "World Accordion Champions", thus confirming the words of the great master accordionist, Richard Galliano, who "christened" the ensemble as "the best accordion collective in the world".
In 2010, the Concertino Accordion Band was awarded the honorary title of Emeritus Collective of the Republic of Moldova for outstanding merits in artistic activity.
So far, "CONCERTINO" has won trophies in more than 20 accordion competitions in Europe.
The most relevant Awards :
2019 - Grand Prix - "World Music" Festival Innsbruck, Austria; Grand Prix - "Acordeomania" Competition, Pleven, Bulgaria
2015 - Grand Prix - Competition-Festival "Rang-du-Fliers", France
2014 - Grand Prix - Competition-Festival "Accordé'Opale", France
2013 - 1st Prize - World Accordionists Championship, Victoria, Canada; 1st Prize - International Festival-Competition "The World of Accordion", category "Orchestra", Castelfidardo, Italy; 1st Prize - International Festival-Competition "The World of Accordion", category "Tango e Piazzolla", Castelfidardo, Italy
2012 – Gold Prize – April Spring Friendship Art Festival, Pyongyang, DPRK
2010 - Grand Prix - Competition "Citta di Lanciano" Lanciano, Italy; 1st Prize - Competition "Citta di Castelfidardo", Italy; 1st Prize - Competition "Fisa...armonie" Trieste, Italy; 1st Prize - Festival "World Music" Innsbruck, Austria
2009 - 1st Prize - "Libertango" Competition, Lanciano, Italy; Grand Prix - “Ascoltate” Competition, Prienai, Lithuania; 1st Prize - Pula International Accordionists Competition, Croatia
2008 - 1st Prize - Competition "Citta di Castelfidardo" Castelfidardo, Italy; 1st Prize - Festival-Competition of Accordion Orchestras Prague, Czech Republic; 1st Prize - Competition "From Baroque to Jazz" Wroclaw, Poland
2007 - Grand Prix - Contest "Citta di Lanciano" Lanciano, Italy
2006 - 1st Prize - Competition "Citta di CastelFidardo" CastelFidardo, Italy
The band enjoyed great success at the most prestigious TV show in Romania - "Românii au talent", 2015 edition, where they won 2nd prize.
They have performed on many prestigious stages in Denmark, France, Italy, Austria, Poland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Lithuania, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Romania, North Korea, China, and Canada.
Artistic tours:
Romania: 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, France(Cannes)-2019; Italy (Sulmona, Castelfidardo) - 2019; Italy(Teraccina) - 2018; Germany(Berlin) - 2018; France (Rang-de-Fliers, Strasbourg), Germany (Schwäbisch Gmünd), Belgium (Bruges) -2015; Germany -2015; Switzerland -2015, 2014, 2013, Finland (Ikaalinen) - 2011; Turkey (Istanbul) - 2011; Italy (Castelfidardo, Cervigniano del Friuli, Lanciano) - 2010; France (Nice) - 2010; Austria (Vienna, Dornbirn) - 2010; Germany (Berlin) - 2010; Latvia (Daugavpils) - 2009; Lithuania (Kaunas) - 2011, 2009; Russia (Moscow) - 2009; Azerbaijan (Baku, Sumgait) - 2008; Belgium (Brussels) - 2008; Luxembourg - 2007, 2006; China (Shanghai) - 2007; Austria (Vienna) - 2006; Denmark - 2006, 2005, 2004.
Recordings - 7 CDs:
„Astor Piazzolla” (2006); „Music World” (2007); „Colours of Music” (2012); “Live in Berlin” (2014); “Ten Years under the Rock’s” (2015); “Our Way” (2017); “Piazzolla 100” (2021)
COLLABORATIONS:
World-renowned accordionists:
Vladimir Zubitsky (Ukraine-Italy), Duo Paris-Moscow - Domi Emorine and Roman Jbanov, Frank Marocco (USA), famous accordionist and composer Richard Galliano (France);
Instrumentalists, performers and big-name collectives:
Ilian Girnet (violin), Maria Vlasova(accordion), Stefan Negură(nai), Constantin Moscovici(nai), Adriana Babin(nai), Marin Gheras(nai), Tudor Gheorghe, Helena Goldt (Germany), Cristina Scarlat, Geta Burlacu, Lilia Șolomei (soprano), Ljubica Vranes(mezzo-soprano) and Dragoljub Bajick (baritone) from (Serbia), "Fan-Fart" - Dance Studio, "Akord" Band, "Repede" Ballet Show, "Millenium" Band, ABV Tenors, Ballet Troupe and Choir of the Craiova Opera, Moldovan National Youth Orchestra, National Chamber Orchestra and National Chamber Choir of the Chisinau Organ Hall, Symphonic Orchestra and Academic Choral Chapel "Doina" of the Chisinau National Philharmonic.
Intensive and long-lasting collaboration is the one with the renowned Romanian Maestro Tudor Gheorghe and the Romanian conductor and orchestrator Marius Hristescu; together they have realised valuable artistic projects presented in Romania and in Chisinau: "Degeaba 30", "Tot ce-i românesc nu piere", "Risipitorul de frumuseți", "Tandru, senzual, uitat", "Valsurile mele".
The band collaborates with several composers and arrangers, some of whom wrote specially for the Concertino: Igor Iachimciuc, Veaceslav Gordzei, Evghenii Derbenco, and others.
However, most of the arrangements and transcriptions for this composition belong to the members of the band, who are also the authors of a number of scores for accordion ensembles and orchestras.
Significant musical projects:
„World music”, „Astor Piazzolla”, „From Baroque to jazz”, „Film music”, „XXth century music”, „Operissimo -2015”, „Concertino in winter dream”, Opera „Carmen” by Georges Bizet: Carmen Rock Version-2015; VINOPERA at MIMI castle -2018, Carmen-CROSSOVER- 2019, Carmen-CROSSOVER – DescOperă Festival -2022.
