Uniunea de Creație Interpretativă a Muzicienilor din România (UCIMR) announces the 24th edition of the ICon Arts Transilvania Festival, one of the longest-running festivals dedicated to classical music, jazz, and the most vibrant creations in contemporary arts. Over the course of 17 days, this year’s edition aims to bring together approximately 160 participants in the heart of Transylvania, where they will be inspired by the local cultural heritage.

Between July 25 and August 10, villages and cities across Transylvania (Biertan, Brașov, Copșa Mare, Moșna, Râșnov, Richiș, Rusești, Sibiu) will host around 30 events, including classical, contemporary, and jazz concerts, interdisciplinary artistic residencies, masterclasses for performers, as well as local gastronomy tastings.

This year’s edition of the ICon Arts Festival proposes a vibrant, multidisciplinary, and multicultural program, where musical virtuosity blends with the picturesque atmosphere of Transylvanian villages and towns.

“For twenty-four summers, ICon Arts has brought together musicians from different continents, generations, and musical backgrounds, speaking different languages, yet creating a perfect synergy and harmony—both among themselves and with the local community. Transylvanian villages and towns are a magnet and an inexhaustible source of inspiration. The tranquility, picturesque landscapes, colors, nature, historical heritage, and people are all part of the charm of ICon Arts, and we are delighted to offer both a (non-)formal and informal learning experience, as well as a context for personal development for young musicians. Over time, participants have become remarkable artists and even teachers within the Academy, and this is our greatest joy. This year’s edition introduces new professors from China and brings back viola and clarinet masterclasses. Another novelty is the first edition of ICon Arts Ireland, taking place between April 30 and May 5, in the Galway region, following the success of previous ICon Arts editions in Rome.” – Sebastian Gheorghiu, Cultural Manager and Member of the UCIMR Board.

ICon Arts Transilvania Academy
Within the project, three sessions of the ICon Arts Academy will take place, dedicated to students and pupils who wish to refine their skills in composition, solo performance, and chamber music, under the guidance of renowned mentors from the music world.

For nine days, young participants will attend masterclasses in voice, guitar, clarinet, MiniCellos, percussion, piano, viola, cello, and violin, led by distinguished professors from China, Germany, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Romania.

Between July 25 and August 2, masterclasses will include cello (led by Pan Yan), violin (led by Ladislau Csendes), guitar (led by Costin Soare and Dragoș Ilie), percussion (led by Kai and Marc Strobel), voice (led by Veronica Anușca, as well as Diana Țugui and Salvatore Cordella), and the children’s MiniCellos class led by Ella Bokor.

Between August 2 and August 10, masterclasses will include cello (led by Wojciech Fudala), violin (led by Remus Azoiței), viola (led by Meng Xu), clarinet (led by Emil Vișenescu), and the MiniCellos class led by Ella Bokor.

Between August 1 and 9, 2025, in Brașov, masterclasses will take place in piano (led by Horia Mihail and Csíky Boldizsár Jr.), percussion (led by Alexandru Anastasiu), and voice (led by Iulia Isaev).

ICon Arts Ireland
A new addition is the ICon Arts Ireland edition, taking place from April 30 to May 5, in western Ireland, at Kylemore Abbey in the Connemara region, County Galway. The program includes a composition masterclass led by Dan Dediu, with participation from an ensemble consisting of Cristina Țegzeșiu (oboe), Andreea Banciu (viola), Adrian Mantu (cello), and Aileen Cahill (piano), as well as a chamber music masterclass led by Adrian Mantu and Duo ANIMAc [Andreea Banciu (viola), Aileen Cahill (piano)], and a violin masterclass led by Remus Azoiței.

Registrations
Registrations for the ICon Arts Transilvania Academy can be made via the festival’s official website by reserving, until June 1, 2026, one of the two available packages: 1,500 lei (access to training sessions) or 3,500 lei (including accommodation and half-board meals: breakfast and lunch). For ICon Arts Ireland, registrations are open until April 1, 2026, subject to availability.

ICon Arts Academy Scholarships
The 24th edition of the ICon Arts Transilvania Academy offers 10 partial scholarships for masterclasses held in Romania, each worth 1,750 lei. These are intended for participants choosing the 3,500 lei package and cover participation in one masterclass (voice, guitar, clarinet, MiniCellos, percussion, piano, viola, cello, or violin), accommodation, and half-board meals. Applications are open until April 6, 2026. Interested applicants must send an email to office@iconarts.ro including: a CV or biography, a video link featuring a musical performance, and a recommendation letter from a teacher or a professional in the field. Winners will be announced by April 30.

ICon Arts Artistic Residencies
This year, two artistic residencies will be organized. Between August 2 and 10, in Biertan, the contemporary composition residency—organized in partnership with the Contemporary Music Centre Dublin (CMC)—will be coordinated by composer Diana Gheorghiu and will include mentorship sessions and concerts within the festival.

Between August 1 and 9, in Râșnov, the jazz residency titled RYJO Bootcamp will be organized under the Romanian Youth Jazz Orchestra, in partnership with Burneci Music. Participants will benefit from guidance by renowned artists from the Radio Big Band, under the coordination of conductor and composer Simona Strungaru. More details about the residencies will be announced soon.

ICon Arts Transilvania Festival
The efforts of young musicians throughout the training programs culminate in concerts and recitals scheduled for July and August, hosted in places of worship, institutions, and private properties eager to support the arts. In addition to participants, the festival events will also feature the Academy’s masterclass mentors and new invited artists, performing across Sibiu, Brașov, and Cluj counties.

About UCIMR
Founded in 1995 at the initiative of Ștefan Gheorghiu, principal violist of the Bucharest Philharmonic, the Union of Interpretative Creation of Musicians in Romania is a nonprofit public utility organization that, for three decades, has contributed to the development and promotion of classical music both nationally and internationally. UCIMR supports performing arts—from soloists, choristers, instrumentalists to dancers and ballet performers—by initiating and implementing cultural projects aimed at facilitating exchange and promoting artists in diverse environments. Its mission is to develop the Romanian cultural landscape by promoting authentic artistic values. The organization creates opportunities for emerging artists while also supporting retired performers. In addition to the ICon Arts Festival, UCIMR organizes emblematic events such as The Jazz Cave, CellEAST Festival, and the National Day and New Year concerts in Sibiu.

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