"Academia Sighișoara" (founded in 1993) is an international festival for young musicians and visual artists from all over the world. A place of encounter and interchange, a platform for contemporary art in the new EU country Romania. For the next three years Academia Sighisoara is co-financed by a grant from Switzerland through the Swiss Contribution to the enlarged European Union.

The partners are Association Cultura Viva Sighisoara from Bern, Switzerland (www.verein-culturaviva.ch) and "Gheorghe Dima" Music Academy from Cluj, Romania (www.amgd.ro).

 

 

OBJECTIVES:

1.        EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE - Teaching the music students participating in the Academia Sighisoara master classes (instrumental and vocal instruction, chamber music, composition).

 

2.        ARTISTIC OBJECTIVE - Introducing the teaching professors and creating performance opportunities for students both during the Sighişoara summer courses and during year-round concerts.

 

3.        INTEGRATIVE OBJECTIVE – Promoting music and art as a common language, transcending religious, social and cultural differences.

 

4.        REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT – Encouraging the development of niche tourism in the region and outlining Sighişoara as an original neu centre of classical music in Europe.

 

 

 

 

Cultural issues open up new perspectives and contribute to progress and development. Sighişoara Music Academy is an international institution for young musicians from Romania and Switzerland, a place of encounters and exchanges, a platform for contemporary art in Romania.

Until now the Sighişoara Academy has been financed mainly from private sources. Without the personal contribution of teachers and members of the organization team, the implementation of the Sighişoara Academy would have been impossible. This project aims at tracing an ascending road, on solid bases, for an initiative which has proven, along already 20 editions, its capacity to attract young musicians and to creatively increase its professional and educational offer, as well as to confirm and consolidate its high value and good reputation.

By associating with an important musical higher education institution such as the “Gheorghe Dima” Music Academy in Cluj-Napoca, Sighişoara Academy intends to promote master classes for instrumental and chamber art music, highlighting contemporary creation and interpretation. Apart from the traditional composition courses, analysis courses will also take place, adapted to the various needs and perspectives of young musicians, as well as conferences on aesthetics and musical performance or the evolution of musical language. We also wish to offer classes dedicated to the famous Alexander technique of integrating mental and physical energy, as it is extremely useful to professional musicians, but little known in Romania.

Sighişoara Academy takes place in the summer, but its great success implies the performance of additional concerts and recitals throughout the year in Sighişoara, Cluj-Napoca and (possibly) other cities in Romania. A widening of the area of artistic collaboration is projected, implying partnerships with established events such as festivals, concert and recital series, thus contributing to an increased visibility of the Sighişoara Academy project.

The project’s development over time also calls for increasing involvement from qualified human resources: professors, performing musicians, an increased team of managing personnel. Apart from the possibility to benefit from already existing instruments and equipment belonging to the Academia de Muzică “Gh. Dima”, we also need to acquisition new instruments and equipment, especially rare items such as period instruments (cembalo, forte-piano) or various percussion instruments – a field that needs to be developed as well. Successively increasing costs and the need of renewal and expanding are calling for new structures of financing.

The partnership between the Academy of Music “Gheorghe Dima” in Cluj-Napoca and the Association Cultura Viva Sighişoara guarantees the sustainability of the project by strengthening local structures and the recognition of both institutions, while emphasizing cooperation and partnership. The Swiss partner’s contribution is the start-up financing and the Swiss know-how. The Romanian partner adds musical tradition and professional support. Exchange and collaboration will benefit both sides and, in the long run, Sighişoara Academy is intended to be completely transferred under the management of the Music Academy in Cluj. The 36 months of this project are the first necessary step.

The future belongs to youth therefore education is the most important domain for the development of a country. The promotion of young talents in the field of music is the main target of this partnership project between Romania and Switzerland. Sighişoara Academy might demonstrate the key function of art for the balanced economic and social development of one of the most beautiful areas of Romania.

 

Value of Swiss co-financing: 250.000 CHF

 

The project is co-financed by a grant from Switzerland through the Swiss Contribution to the enlarged European Union.