Lumières d’Europe Academy in Residence at the Enescu Festival 2025
The George Enescu International Festival will once again host Lumières d’Europe in Bucharest from September 1 to 10, 2025. This musical residency project, led by violinist David Grimal, is organized in partnership with the National University of Music Bucharest.
Young musicians from across Europe who wish to apply for this project can do so until May 31, 2025: https://www.lumieresdeurope.eu/apply.
In 2023, the project was held under the patronage of UNESCO. This edition will explore the theme “Resistance and Freedom.”
Fifteen young musicians from across Europe will be selected for the residency, where they will work in Bucharest with renowned artists invited to this edition: Itamar Golan (piano), David Grimal (violin), Natasha Tchitch (viola), Leonid Gorokhov (cello), and César Viana (composer-in-residence). These five internationally acclaimed musicians will mentor the young talents in performing works by composers inspired by the ideals of resistance and freedom, including Enescu, Shostakovich, Pártos, Schnittke, Silvestrov, Schulhoff, Veress, Viana, and Weinberg. Additionally, the audience will have the opportunity to hear a world premiere by the composer-in-residence, César Viana.
Philosopher Paul Audi and political essayist Nicolas Tenzer will deliver lectures during Lumières d’Europe, and at the end of the residency, the selected young musicians will perform concerts alongside their artist-mentors. These events, held at the National University of Music Bucharest, will be open to the public with free admission.
„ARTEXIM, the organizer of the George Enescu International Festival and Competition, reaffirms its commitment to supporting young musicians by providing them with opportunities for artistic and professional development. At the 19th edition of the George Enescu International Competition in 2024, laureates not only received financial prizes but were also offered the chance to perform in future editions of the Festival and Competition, as well as in concert seasons of Romanian philharmonic orchestras.
For Lumières d’Europe, the 2025 edition will take place within the Enescu Festival from September 1 to 10, bringing together guest artists, a composer-in-residence, scholars, and 15 talented young musicians from across Europe to explore the theme “Resistance and Freedom” through music and interdisciplinary dialogue.
These initiatives reflect ARTEXIM’s continuous efforts to support and promote young musicians by offering them platforms for artistic expression and development within prestigious cultural events.” - Cristina Uruc, Interim Manager of ARTEXIM
The Vision of Lumières d’Europe, in the Words of Its Founder, David Grimal
In 1945, Romain Gary published L’Éducation européenne, the first novel in a series that bears witness to his deep love for a Europe in turmoil at the time. He championed an enlightened Europe, one that upholds universal values such as liberty, equality, and faith in human intelligence. There exists a fraternity—often imperfect—between the Europe of soldiers in the trenches and that of artists, thinkers, and the great human achievements that continually strive toward the utopian dream of a united, free, and peaceful continent.
The First Edition of Lumières d’Europe in Romania
The first edition in Romania took place in 2023, also in Bucharest, as part of the Enescu Festival. Fourteen selected musicians participated in multidisciplinary sessions and performed alongside renowned artists. The program featured five concerts, where scholarship recipients played alongside distinguished European musicians: pianist Philippe Cassard, violist Diemut Poppen, cellist Anne Gastinel, and violinist David Grimal, the artistic director of the program. Concerts were held at the National University of Music Bucharest, Mogoșoaia Palace, and Godot Theater.
The Lumières d’Europe 2023 program also included four conferences at the French Institute, featuring prominent guests such as Serge Haroche (Nobel Prize-winning physicist), Erwin Kessler (then-director of MARe Museum), Valentina Sandu-Dediu (Rector of the New Europe College), Sever Voinescu (editor-in-chief of Dilema veche, now Dilema), and composer Eric Montalbetti.
Young musicians from across Europe who wish to apply for this project can do so until May 31, 2025: https://www.lumieresdeurope.eu/apply.
About the George Enescu International Festival
The George Enescu International Festival is one of the world’s most prestigious classical music events, held since 1958. The 27th edition will take place from August 24 to September 21, 2025, marking 70 years since the passing of George Enescu. This year’s theme, “Celebrations,” will bring together over 4,000 world-renowned artists in more than 95 concerts, honoring Enescu’s artistic legacy and his profound impact on classical music worldwide.The George Enescu International Festival is held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania.Cultural Project Financed by The Government of Romania through the Ministry of Culture.
Organizer
- ARTEXIM
- ArtProduction Foundation
- Romanian Radio Broadcasting Society
- Romanian Television Society
- Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB – The Cultural Center of Bucharest
- Rompetrol – KMG International
- BRD – Groupe Société Générale
- JTI – Immersive Experience (Innovation Partner)
- Lexus (Mobility Partner)
- Purcari, One United Properties, Mobexpert, Nazzuro Aqua, L’OR, Althaus, Liliana & Peter Ilica Foundation, Senia Music
- mediaTRUST