George DRAGA

– Composer –

ARTISTIC BIOGRAPHY

Born on 26 of April 1935 in Aldesti, Bîrsa, Arad county. Died on 3 of October 2008 in Brasov.

Educational background:

– the Musical Military High School (1946-1954) under Hans Hoerath and Dumitru Văsescu (clarinet), Alexandru Teodorescu and George Manoliu (violin), Constantin A. Ionescu (theory and solfege), Anastasie Danu (harmony), Ion Totan (instrument theory and orchestration);

– Bucharest Conservatoire (1957-1963) under Victor Iuşceanu (theory and solfege), Ion Dumitrescu (harmony), Nicolae Buicliu (counterpoint), Anatol Vieru (composition and orchestration), Alexandru Paşcanu (instrument theory), Tudor Ciortea (musical forms), Zeno Vancea (music history), Tiberiu Alexandru and Emilia Comişel (folklore), Dumitru D.Botez (choir conducting), Madeleine Cocorăscu (auxiliary piano).

Professional Activity

– Between 1963 and 1993 he was editor of the MUZICA journal of the Union of Composers and Musicologists of Romania; in this capacity he published analyses of works by composers Aurel Stroe, Ştefan Niculescu, Tiberiu Olah, Wilhelm Berger, Cornel Ţăranu, Zeno Vancea etc. and gave lectures on music in several cities in the country;

– Between 1993 and 1998 he was a museographer at the "GEORGE ENESCU" Museum in Bucharest where, among other things, he filed descriptive cards of most of George Enescu’s works.

Prizes

In 1989 he was awarded the Union of Composers’ Prize for small-size works for Concert Overture No.1.

CREATION

Among his works it is worth mentioning: ten symphonies, Concert Overtures No. 1 and 2, Heterophonies, two Rhapsodies, Concert Mass, Prelude for string orchestra and wind quintet, Concert Music, the symphony poem Sarmizegetusa, six cantatas (among which Christmas Cantata, New Year's Eve Cantata, Lyrical Cantata, Rustic Cantata); concertos for various instruments (violin, flute, bassoon); three string quartets, folk dance suites from various regions of the country (Maramureş, Bihor, Banat, Crişana, Transilvania, Braşov); twelve marches for brass band, subsequently orchestrated for symphony orchestra; choral music (Songs from Năsăud, Sunflower - Twelve Choir Songs with lyrics by Monica Pillat, Songs from Maramureş, Carols from Maramureş, choir volumes Dragu-mi la veselie... (Joy's My Heart's Delight..., Vino, bade, joi la noi... (This Thursday Come Love My Way...), Badea-i cu două drăguţe... (Two Girls My True Love Has...), Men's Choir Songs, Twelve Psalms for voice and piano, Twelve Folk Songs for voice and piano, lieder on lyrics by Monica Pillat, chamber music: Sonata for Piano, Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Toccatta for Piano, Scherzo for Violin and Piano, Variations for Piano, Quartet for Woodwinds (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon), Quintet and Octet for Brass Instruments, Variations for Flute and Piano, Echo for Bassoon Solo.

New Year’s Eve Cantata, for choir and orchestra, June 2005
Sonatina for Violin and Piano, June 2005
Dances from Transylvania, for orchestra, August 2005
Dances from the Banat, for orchestra, August 2005
Symphony No.VI, August 2005
Christmas Cantata (II), for choir and orchestra, August 2005
Divertimento in Classical Style, for orchestra, November 2005
Concerto for String Orchestra, November 2005
String Quartet No. 3, November 2005
Quartet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon, November 2005,
Two Girls My True Love Has, mixed choirs, 2005
Symphony No. VII, 16 January, 2005
Dances from the County of Arad, for orchestra, 1 January 2006
12 Concert Marches, for orchestra, February, 2006
Romanian Dances from the Bra[ov Area, for orchestra, February 2006
Rustic Cantata, for choir and orchestra, February 2006
Lyrical Cantata, for choir and orchestra, March 2006
Symphony No. VIII, May 2006
Dances from Bihor (I), for orchestra, June 2006
Men’s Choir Songs (II), June 2006
Dances from Bihor (II), for orchestra, 23 June 2006
Symphony No. IX, for orchestra, 21 July 2006
Symphony No. X, for orchestra, 29 October, 2006
Concertino for Violin and Orchestra, November 2006
Folk Songs for Voice and Orchestra, November 2006
Dances from Bihor (III), for orchestra, November 2006
Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, December 2006
Lieder with Lyrics by Monica Pillat, December 2006
Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra, 27 December 2006
Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra, 6 February 2007
Rhapsody for Horn and Orchestra, April 2007
Dances from Maramure[ (II) for orchestra,aprilie, 2007
Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra, May 2007
Dances from Maramure[ (III), for orchestra, June 2007
Variations on a theme by Haendel, for orchestra, 23 June 2007
Variations on a theme by Orlando di Lasso, 4 July 2007
Variations on a theme by Palestrina, 11 July 2007
Variations on a hymn by Sabin Dragoi, 23 July 2007
Concert Overtura No. 3, September 2007
Variations on an Old Romanian Carol, 15 December 2007