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Date and time
09 August - 09 August 2025, 19:00 - 20:00
Location
Bastionul Măcelarilor, Sighișoara 545400, RomaniaAbout
On Saturday, August 9, at 7:00 PM, at the Butchers' Bastion in Sighișoara, the percussion will be heard again. Kuniko Kato, Alexandru Anastasiu and ICon Arts students will vibrate in unison.
ICon Arts Festival is an action co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and the Sibiu County Council.
KUNIKO KATO
“Kuniko Kato’s effortless, error-free technique and ability to manipulate sticks and sticks to create melodies from non-melodic instruments are destined to humble both aspiring and established percussionists.” - Gramophone
“These are meticulous and vigorous performances, at once elemental and elegant. Brilliant.” - The Sunday Times
“A refined colorist, Kuniko emerges here as a worthy heir to the legendary Keiko Abe, for whom most of these scores were written.” - Le Monde
Born in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture. After completing her postgraduate studies at Toho Gakuen School of Music, she moved to Europe and graduated as the top student at the Rotterdam Conservatory.
After participating in ensembles such as Saito Kinen Orchestra, Ensemble Ictus and Ensemble Nomad, she began her international career as a soloist.
She received the Saji Keizo Prize (12th edition) from the Suntory Arts Foundation in 2011.
In 2013, she won the Best Recording Award at the 26th Music Pen Club Japan Music Awards.
The album "IX", featuring works by Iannis Xenakis, was awarded "The Best Song" by NPR (USA) in 2015.
She also received the CD Shop Grand Prize at the 10th edition in 2018.
She received the Award of Excellence at the 73rd Agency for Cultural Affairs Art Festival in 2018.
Kuniko founded and runs Artist Incubation Project, Inc., as its artistic director, and is a mentor to support the development of a new generation of young artists.
She is the only Japanese artist with an exclusive contract with the famous British label LINN Records, recognized for its high sound quality in the UK.
She represents the Pearl and Adams Musical Instruments brands globally.
In 2020, she received the Aichi Prefecture Cultural Prize, was appointed a special ambassador for her hometown of Toyohashi, and lives in the United States.
ALEXANDRU ANASTASIU
Alexandru Anastasiu is a doctor of the National University of Music Bucharest (with the thesis The Vibraphone and musical creation dedicated to it from the beginning of the 20th century to the present), percussionist in the National Radio Orchestra and vibraphonist soloist. He is a graduate of the National University of Music in Bucharest, class of 2000, and in 2002 he obtained the Master's Degree in musical interpretation at the same university, class of prof. dr. Alexandru Matei.
Considered the best percussionist in his class, Alexandru Anastasiu improved his technique and musical knowledge by studying with prof. Bogdan Băcanu and prof. Peter Sadlo at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg (2006).
In 1998 he obtained the "Soros Foundation Award for his entire activity", together with the GAME Ensemble. In 1999 he qualified for the semi-finals of the International Vibraphone Competition in Clermont-Ferrand (France), and two years later he won the Yamaha scholarship for percussion instruments.
In 2009 he released the first compact disc of vibraphone and orchestra in Romania, Vibraphone Concertos, together with the National Radio Orchestra, Percussion Studio Group and Musica Viva Trio.
His professional training and ability to understand music were just two of the reasons why he was invited to the jury of important competitions: the "Mihail Jora" Competition, Bucharest, 2001, the National Percussion Competition, 2003, etc. Alexandru Anastasiu was an assistant professor of the percussion class at the National University of Music in Bucharest.
In 2012 he organized the first International Vibraphone Festival, with the support of the Romanian Radio, an occasion that brought together major names from the international scene.
Since 2013, the prestigious company from the United States, Mike Balter, has been creating the model of sticks bearing the signature of Alexandru Anastasiu.
In 2014, he organized the International Percussion Festival, unique in that it benefited from the participation of the Orchestras and Choirs of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting – the National Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra, as well as the Academic Choir. Also, percussion ensembles and renowned soloists from Japan, Croatia, France, Belgium, Korea and Romania participated.
In 2020, he graduated with a master's degree from the conducting class coordinated by maestro Tiberiu Soare.
Since 2021, he is an associate professor of the percussion class of the Transilvania University of Brașov.
Also, since 2022, he is a member of the Brașov Philharmonic.
In 2024, he was appointed as a university lecturer at the Faculty of Music at Transilvania University Brașov through a competition.
In the same year, he was appointed as an instrumentalist artist at the Brașov Philharmonic through a competition.
In parallel with his orchestral artistic activity, Alexandru Anastasiu carries out a rich solo activity, giving numerous recitals and concerts, all with the aim of promoting the vibraphone – a little-known instrument – and attributing it a well-deserved place as a soloist instrument.
source
ICon Arts Festival is an action co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and the Sibiu County Council.
KUNIKO KATO
“Kuniko Kato’s effortless, error-free technique and ability to manipulate sticks and sticks to create melodies from non-melodic instruments are destined to humble both aspiring and established percussionists.” - Gramophone
“These are meticulous and vigorous performances, at once elemental and elegant. Brilliant.” - The Sunday Times
“A refined colorist, Kuniko emerges here as a worthy heir to the legendary Keiko Abe, for whom most of these scores were written.” - Le Monde
Born in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture. After completing her postgraduate studies at Toho Gakuen School of Music, she moved to Europe and graduated as the top student at the Rotterdam Conservatory.
After participating in ensembles such as Saito Kinen Orchestra, Ensemble Ictus and Ensemble Nomad, she began her international career as a soloist.
She received the Saji Keizo Prize (12th edition) from the Suntory Arts Foundation in 2011.
In 2013, she won the Best Recording Award at the 26th Music Pen Club Japan Music Awards.
The album "IX", featuring works by Iannis Xenakis, was awarded "The Best Song" by NPR (USA) in 2015.
She also received the CD Shop Grand Prize at the 10th edition in 2018.
She received the Award of Excellence at the 73rd Agency for Cultural Affairs Art Festival in 2018.
Kuniko founded and runs Artist Incubation Project, Inc., as its artistic director, and is a mentor to support the development of a new generation of young artists.
She is the only Japanese artist with an exclusive contract with the famous British label LINN Records, recognized for its high sound quality in the UK.
She represents the Pearl and Adams Musical Instruments brands globally.
In 2020, she received the Aichi Prefecture Cultural Prize, was appointed a special ambassador for her hometown of Toyohashi, and lives in the United States.
ALEXANDRU ANASTASIU
Alexandru Anastasiu is a doctor of the National University of Music Bucharest (with the thesis The Vibraphone and musical creation dedicated to it from the beginning of the 20th century to the present), percussionist in the National Radio Orchestra and vibraphonist soloist. He is a graduate of the National University of Music in Bucharest, class of 2000, and in 2002 he obtained the Master's Degree in musical interpretation at the same university, class of prof. dr. Alexandru Matei.
Considered the best percussionist in his class, Alexandru Anastasiu improved his technique and musical knowledge by studying with prof. Bogdan Băcanu and prof. Peter Sadlo at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg (2006).
In 1998 he obtained the "Soros Foundation Award for his entire activity", together with the GAME Ensemble. In 1999 he qualified for the semi-finals of the International Vibraphone Competition in Clermont-Ferrand (France), and two years later he won the Yamaha scholarship for percussion instruments.
In 2009 he released the first compact disc of vibraphone and orchestra in Romania, Vibraphone Concertos, together with the National Radio Orchestra, Percussion Studio Group and Musica Viva Trio.
His professional training and ability to understand music were just two of the reasons why he was invited to the jury of important competitions: the "Mihail Jora" Competition, Bucharest, 2001, the National Percussion Competition, 2003, etc. Alexandru Anastasiu was an assistant professor of the percussion class at the National University of Music in Bucharest.
In 2012 he organized the first International Vibraphone Festival, with the support of the Romanian Radio, an occasion that brought together major names from the international scene.
Since 2013, the prestigious company from the United States, Mike Balter, has been creating the model of sticks bearing the signature of Alexandru Anastasiu.
In 2014, he organized the International Percussion Festival, unique in that it benefited from the participation of the Orchestras and Choirs of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting – the National Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra, as well as the Academic Choir. Also, percussion ensembles and renowned soloists from Japan, Croatia, France, Belgium, Korea and Romania participated.
In 2020, he graduated with a master's degree from the conducting class coordinated by maestro Tiberiu Soare.
Since 2021, he is an associate professor of the percussion class of the Transilvania University of Brașov.
Also, since 2022, he is a member of the Brașov Philharmonic.
In 2024, he was appointed as a university lecturer at the Faculty of Music at Transilvania University Brașov through a competition.
In the same year, he was appointed as an instrumentalist artist at the Brașov Philharmonic through a competition.
In parallel with his orchestral artistic activity, Alexandru Anastasiu carries out a rich solo activity, giving numerous recitals and concerts, all with the aim of promoting the vibraphone – a little-known instrument – and attributing it a well-deserved place as a soloist instrument.
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