25 YEARS IN THE SERVICE OF ROMANIAN HERITAGE AND COMMUNITIES
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Constantly with us over the years, Radio Romania Music presents the developments, needs and achievements we have at the George Enescu House in Mihăileni. And this year too, in a wide-ranging interview conducted by Ariadna Ene-Iliescu with pianist Raluca Știrbăț, the picture of this moment is presented, which you can discover below.
”The president of the International Society „George Enescu” in Vienna, pianist Raluca Știrbăț, is also the initiator of the project to save Enescu’s house in Mihăileni. She recently spoke to our colleague Ariadna Ene-Iliescu about the „Concerts on Siret” festival:
„Concerts on the Siret” is an annual event, which aims to integrate the „George Enescu” House in Mihăileni into the cultural and educational circuit in the area and nationally. What is the current state of the house in Mihăileni?
Radio Romania Music has always supported us, even from the first days of the campaign to save the house. We had a small problem, so to say, a problem that unfortunately is common in more and more old houses made of clay, stone or brick, a fungus, a biological attack, but we will solve it. We hope to get rid of this by the fall. Of course, we still need some money, so all donations to the „Pro Patrimonio” Foundation are welcome. This year we marked Enescu Day on August 19 with a blue and red „supermoon” and an exceptional ensemble of children from Havârna playing folk games and music, but the concerts are being held at the „Miclescu” Manor House in Călinești and the „Moruzi” Manor House in Vârful Câmpului. We already had a very nice concert on Wednesday – a recital of arias and lieder, I also sang a solo, but the „focus” was on the exceptional soprano Tehmine Schaeffer, who came especially from Vienna. And on Sunday – the final concert of the young masterclass participants. Also, in September there will be another concert at the „Moruzi” mansion in Vârful Câmpului, a concert by the „PlaCello” Ensemble, also from Bucharest, with Răzvan Suma, Ștefan Cazacu, Mircea Marian and Ella Bokor, four cellists with a very beautiful program.
Between August 17-25 you are mentoring a young generation of pianists, as you said, students from music colleges in Botoșani, Suceava, Iași, Bacău, Piatra-Neamț and Bucharest. How do you go about working with these trainee performers?
The number 9 seems to have become the magic number in our masterclass, because we start at 9 and finish at 9 and we work about nine hours a day. Unlike other courses, I do the courses the way I like to do them, so that each child has one hour of class every day, so seven hours on paper which works out well towards eight to nine hours. We mainly work on new programs that they are just figuring out now in the summer for next year, but we also work on a concert piece that they already have well worked on from the previous year.
What kind of audience do the events in the „Concerts on the Siret” series have?
We are very happy that the audience is getting bigger and more varied. There are also people from the local area, who enjoy it tremendously. We have a lot of music lovers from Botoșani, Iași, Bacău, Piatra-Neamț, and the audience is getting bigger every year. This is already our fourth edition and we hope to grow over time.
What future plans are there for the „George Enescu” house from Mihăileni?
The house in Mihăileni will simply be a living place, a place where music is made and not just music, but also music education, a wide variety of activities dedicated to young people and children in the area – from painting to theatre, crafts. The „Pro Patrimonio” Foundation and the „Maria” Association, and I must also mention the „Dream Horses” Association, are basically the initiators, partners and supporters of these projects. They are very much involved. When the work to eliminate this biological attack is finished, the activities will continue without interruption. It is also a home where one can live, write, compose and create very well and with great inspiration. It is a place where various musical residencies have already taken place, so musicians have lived there – a string quartet. I would like to organize a small symposium in the future, maybe, or in the same way, residencies in other fields – in literature or architecture… because it’s a place that really charges you up!”
19th August 2024 public event held in the courtyard of the George Enescu House in Mihăileni
Folk dance ensemble „Zorile Havârna”. Coordinator – Ionel Roboschi, Choreographer – Narcis Fediuc
Vocal group „Armonia” of the secondary school „Ioan Cernat”, Havârna. Coord. – prof. Roberta Mihalciuc, prof. Ciprian Ignat
August, 17-25 Masterclass held by pianist Raluca Știrbăț at Miclescu Manor, Călinești, Bt
August 21, 19:00 o’clock Recital of arias and lieder
Tehmine Schaeffer – soprano (Vienna) and Raluca Știrbăț – piano at Miclescu Manor, Călinești, Bt, Sala din Deal
August 25th, 18:00 o’clock Concert of young pianists participating in the Masterclass, students of music colleges from Botoșani, Suceava, Iași, Bacău, Piatra-Neamț and Bucharest, Miclescu Manor, Călinești, Bt, Sala din Deal
Theodora Epuran, Narcis Artenie, Bianca Andreea Havîrneanu, Luca Cirstean, Ruxandra Blandu, George Taranu, Alexandra Mariţencu Caia
Images and video: Raluca Ştirbăţ archive
Initiators: Pro Patrimonio Foundation, Maria Association, Internationale George Enescu Gesellschaft Wien, Dream Horses. Partners: Bucecea City Hall, Elsaco, PlaCello. Sponsors: Egger, Ideograf, Cella Cosimex SRL.
Photo: Florin Timofte
September 16th, 17:00 o’clock, Moruzi Manor, Vârfu Câmpului, Bt
PlaCello Ensemble: Răzvan Suma, Ella Bokor, Ștefan Cazacu, Mircea Marian. Special guest: Natsumi Kuboyama (piano, JPN). On the program works by: Haendel, Charpentier, Haydn, Schumann, Rossini, Popper, Shostakovich.
Lecture by PhD. Remus Tanasă, researcher Institute of History “A.D. Xenopol”, Iași
Images and recordings of this concert that defied the dark rain clouds and delighted the audience in the courtyard of the Moruzi Manor can be found in the article by Mrs. Florentina Toniţa for Botoşani News, photo/video: Botoșani News / Florin Timofte
Câteva gânduri despre Enescu – the lecture given by PhD. Remus Tanasă, researcher at the Institute of History “A.D. Xenopol” Iași, at the end of the concert at the Moruzi Manor.
If you want to know more about the events and the needs of the Enescu House, you can visit
Enescu House in Mihăileni on its third life
Details and images from previous editions of Concerts on Siret:
Concerte pe Siret, ediţia a IV-a, 17-25 august 2024
Concerte pe Siret. Concert final Masterclass, 22 august 2023. Călinești, Sala din Deal.
Concerte pe Siret, ediția a III-a
Cum a fost la Concerte pe Siret, ediţia a II-a
Cum a fost la „Concerte pe Siret” ediţia I
„Concerte pe Siret”. 140 de ani de la nașterea lui George Enescu
July 2024
After a year of intense efforts, the George Enescu House in Mihăileni has overcome the most difficult phase. The biological report prepared by Mrs. Ionela Melinte, a biologist, certifies that the works to eliminate the Merulius lacrymans fungus were correctly approached and that the house is now biologically sanitized. The interventions were carried out carefully and with small steps in order not to risk spreading the contamination, but also to prevent major damage to the structural frame. We thank our donors and sponsors, without whom these works would not have been possible: Egger Group, Dedeman, EchitArt, Elsaco.
In spite of the maintenance and landscaping works with drains, soakaways, vertical systematization and ventilation of the underground spaces, the humidity in the cellar persists. Because this excessive humidity cannot be controlled naturally, we are in talks with BioDry to use high-performance mechanical dehumidification solutions.
Work is currently concentrating on re-finishing to make the house welcoming and ready for activities. Interior and exterior plaster, stoves and floors are being redone. The work also partially affected the electrical wiring. While the lighting has been conserved since the start of the work, the entire socket network has been dismantled in order to be able to carry out work on the foundations, plinth and floors. This now needs to be redone.
The estimated cost for all these activities to complete and reopen the house is around 25 000 Euro.
Since it was introduced to the public and educational projects have gradually started to take place in or in connection with the George Enescu House in Mihăileni, it has proved to be a real catalyst. More than just a heritage object, it is what generates strong links for local communities on the left bank of the upper Siret, a revived local identity, a renewed interest in the stories of place and the cultural landscape of the river, open access to culture and music education, sound study and traditional crafts.
In parallel with these efforts to restore and maintain the Enescu House, the George Enescu Academy of Music and Sound Studies in Mihăileni was established, functioning as a center of excellence in the study of classical music. Children from the Moldavian region have been attracted to the Academy, giving them the chance to get a quality education in a cultural environment that combines memorial and music education.
Every summer, hands-on experiential and creative education workshops are organized in which children from Mihăleni take part, this year the heritage education component is called „The Heritage Kit and Caravan – Houses and Communities Working Together” and is being carried out with monthly activities, kits and workshops in five communities where Pro Patrimonio has restoration interventions.
Pro Patrimonio’s involvement over the years has been done without State involvement, through private donations, cultural projects and volunteering. Once the consolidation and restoration work on the building is completed, the use of the house will be directed towards education and research, with a preponderance in the field of music and in the interest of future generations.
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Un proiect simbol pentru comunitatea locală
O ciupercă dăunătoare afectează lemnul Casei George Enescu din Mihăileni. Intervenţii de urgenţă.
Concerte pe Siret. Concert final Masterclass, 22 august 2023. Călinești, Sala din Deal.
Concerte pe Siret, ediția a III-a
Eliminarea umezelii la Casa George Enescu. Şantier sub observaţie.
March 18, 2024
The partnership initiated five years ago between Pro Patrimonio Foundation and UiPath Foundation continues throughout 2024 in the communities of children around the George Enescu House in Mihăileni and Neamțu Manor in Olari – historical monuments from Botoșani and Olt counties.
Over the past ten years Pro Patrimonio Foundation has been promoting education of and for heritage, through its trans-annual and interdisciplinary “Education for Heritage” program wherever the Foundation physically intervenes. The more over 40 workshops initiated by Pro Patrimonio these past years are mainly aimed at children in the 7-14 age group, in vulnerable situations in the communities where the foundation carries out its projects for the rescue, conservation and rehabilitation of architectural heritage (Golescu Villa in Câmpulung, Neamțu Manor in Olari, Perticari-Davila Manor in Argeș, George Enescu House in Mihăileni, etc.).
The activities are organized annually in the form of practical workshops and aim to educate and teach directly, through experimentation and creativity, about architectural heritage, local memory and identity, nature, buildings, relationships between people and cultural values. “Enescu House Festive Days” (2020), “School of Landscape, Art and Sound” (2021), “The Story of My Village” (2022) and the “Heritage in a Pack” kit series are examples of projects and activities that have taken place in previous years at Enescu House and Neamțu Manor and have involved not only local children and young people but also the local community.
This year, the heritage education component is called “Heritage Kit and Caravan – Homes and Communities Working Together “ and is being carried out with monthly activities, kits and workshops in five communities where Pro Patrimonio is undergoing restoration interventions.
The partnership initiated five years ago with the UiPath Foundation’s support programes was thus natural, benefiting from the expertise of local needs identified so that the intervention could have the desired effect.
Started with 20 children near the George Enescu House in Mihăileni, Botoșani in January 2020, UiPath Foundation’s flagship intervention – “Leap towards the Future” – has grown each year and reached its 5th year of collaboration with Pro Patrimonio Foundation to provide educational support for 40 children and their families. A year later the program was replicated in the socially disadvantaged communities around the Neamțu Manor in Olari, Olt, a monument also under the care of Pro Patrimonio Foundation. Here, from 2021, through this collaboration it was possible to provide support for 20 children, now reaching 30 beneficiaries. The tangible support is continuous, constant throughout the year, annually. Through this educational program, children from socially vulnerable families – aged between 11 and 16 – receive an integrated package of support, with the aim of reducing the risk of dropping out of school and helping them to reach their full potential.
The intervention requires a long-term approach that takes into account the child’s whole ecosystem. Through the program, children benefit from weekly tutoring lessons for Romanian language and literature, Mathematics or English to strengthen their school knowledge. In addition, they benefit from various educational activities, monthly scholarships, tablets with internet access and educational apps, medical and psychological support. Families also receive regular packages of food, school supplies, clothing, shoe ware and books.
Every child in the program participates in “Inspirational Speakers”, “Conversation Club” and U&I Summer Camp, just a few examples of other landmark activities that broaden children’s horizons about their career paths, encourage them to practice English through interactive activities, and provide the framework for the development of many skills, including effective communication, teamwork, managing emotions, digital skills and financial literacy.
Foto: Cătălin Georgescu
In line with Pro Patrimonio’s objectives and mission – in this collaborative project for the George Enescu House – a dedicated project entitled “Music Academy for Children” was established in 2020 . It gave the opportunity to a group of children from the towns of Mihăileni and Vârful Câmpului in Botoșani to educate themselves in the spirit of music. The program facilitates children and young people from the area to develop their musical skills, study an instrument, participate in local competitions and meet established artists who give recitals at “Concerts on the Siret River”. The aim of the weekly courses is not necessarily performance, but the formation of a musical culture and personal development through music. A new generation of children from Mihăileni will join the program in May this year.
To support young people studying piano, in 2022, through the collaboration between Pro Patrimonio and teacher Diana Bratan, the manual “Introduction to the ABC of Music. A guide for teachers and parents”. The publication introduced, clearly and concisely, through graphic illustrations, indispensable notions for a solid musical foundation. Printed copies were distributed free of charge to interested teachers and young people, and the digital version is still available online in the Pro Patrimonio Foundation’s Useful Resources Library.
Despite the critical times it is going through, the Enescu House in Mihăileni proves its vitality through the strong links it creates and carries forward. The local community has come to our aid in various ways. These people have been part of the educational projects we have been running in the community for four years now, as well as the three editions of Concerts on the Siret river. The house-symbol has already been reclaimed in the local identity and they don’t want to lose it.
Following the biological attack that the wooden structure of the house suffered (infestation with the Merulius lacryman fungus) the work to save the house has returned and is progressing against the clock to avoid winter.
Survey researches to detect the presence of the fungus deep within the outer walls have been carried out with the constant assistance of biologist Ionela Melinte. The house structure was supported with metal posts to allow interventions on the walls. Undercuts were made where necessary. The external drains were completed and the systemization works were completed by creating a slope and stone platform in the northern area.
All infested wood was burned so as not to carry the pest to other places, and unattached wood material was treated preventively with Bochemit solution.
The fungus identified in the cracks of apparently healthy wood
As a solution adapted to the place and the construction site, samples were made with a press for the bricks in the ground, the resulting bricks to be used for repairs.
An interview given by architect Șerban Sturdza, president of the Pro Patrimonio Foundation and architect Sergiu Popa, the local site coordinator, for Mr. Gabriel Basarabescu on Radio Romania Actualități’s After Walls show puts the spotlight on all this unceasing struggle and effort that gives meaning to our work.
We gratefully thank the local donors who have chosen to direct money to this general effort; the Local Council of the Municipality of Mihaileni, Botoșani county and Mr. Mayor Laurențiu Bărbăcariu as well as the two companies – without whose substantial financial help this would not have been possible – EGGER Group and Dedeman.
We need the money to buy time for the Enescu House!
Read also:
O ciupercă dăunătoare afectează lemnul Casei George Enescu din Mihăileni. Intervenţii de urgenţă
Eliminarea umezelii la Casa George Enescu. Şantier sub observaţie.
Summer evening at Concerts on the Siret river, August 22 marked the end of the master course held by pianist Raluca Știrbăț at the Miclescu Manor in Călinești, Botoșani county.
The protagonists of the concert were the seven young pianists participating in the masterclass, students of the national music colleges of Botoșani, Suceava, Iași, Bacău, Piatra-Neamț and Bucharest, multiple winners of national competitions and not only: Ruxandra Blându, Theodora Epuran, Bianca Hăvîrneanu, Maria-Cristina Hrițcu, Alexandra Marițencu, Irina Petrescu and George Țăranu.
The unconventional and reconverted former agricultural space in Călinești generously hosted the Bösendorfer piano and a very large audience. In this unique and charming setting, more than 170 participants enjoyed an event of the finest artistic quality, with a difficult, complex and varied piano repertoire, from Mozart, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt to Silvestri and Rautavaara.
At the same time, an exhibition of panels presented the stages of work that the Enescu House in Mihăileni, the pivotal element of the Concerts on the Siret, has gone through, now undergoing extensive repairs after a xylophagous and biological attack on the wooden structure. The setting of the Călinești farm complemented the ambience of the concert with a small exhibition selling local produce.
We thank Egger for their support, Bucecea and Mihăileni Town Halls, Project Botoșani, Botoșani Order of Architects, Ideograf, Cella Cosimex, Maria Association, Sturdza family and all those who made this event possible, as well as the tireless ambassador of Enescu’s music, pianist Raluca Știrbăț.
Read also:
Concerte pe Siret, ediția a III-a
Cum a fost la „Concerte pe Siret”
„Concerte pe Siret”. 140 de ani de la nașterea lui George Enescu
Concerte pe Siret, ediţia a II-a, 18-27 iulie 2022
Cum a fost la Concerte pe Siret, ediţia a II-a
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This year, Concerts on the Siret is dedicated to supporting work on the George Enescu House in Mihăileni. For donations – Casa George Enescu din Mihăileni, Botoșani – DONATE A xylophagous and biological attack on the wooden structure of the Enescu House in Mihăileni has forced the interruption of educational and concert activities. An emergency intervention site had to be opened here and cultural activities temporarily moved to other cultural sites of significance to the neighbouring communities |
Pro Patrimonio Foundation and Associația Maria have the honour to invite you to the 3rd edition of Concerts on the Siret River to enjoy good music in unique settings.
We propose four particularly interesting locations:
You will have the opportunity to see for yourself or in the explanatory drawings on display that an exciting activity to enhance the tangible and intangible heritage of local communities is taking place on both sides of the Siret, this generous river that enriches the cultural landscape of Moldova.
E-mail: propatrimonio.romania@gmail.com
George Enescu’s house in Mihăileni, Botoșani county, a historical monument owned by the Pro Patrimonio Foundation, was saved from collapse and went through a seven-year restoration process. As small as it is interesting, it represents a tangible witness of the way of life for an intellectual family of the 19th century. That is precisely why Enescu House can become a subject of experimental research with a specific purpose: what was the standard comfort of life in the countryside for families with intellectual potential and a desire for development?
It is the place where the composer spent periods of his childhood and adulthood, finalizing many of his masterpieces. It was the last place he visited before leaving the country for good in September 1946. The house belonged to George Enescu’s mother, Maria Cosmovici, and was built by her parents, most likely, in the middle of the 19th century. Currently, the house is returned to the local community in the form of a cultural and educational center. In 2020, the restoration works were completed, a moment also marked by the inauguration of one of the most ambitious projects of the Pro Patrimonio Foundation, the “Academy of Music and the Study of Sound”.
Read also:
Cum a fost la „Concerte pe Siret”
„Concerte pe Siret”. 140 de ani de la nașterea lui George Enescu
Concerte pe Siret, ediţia a II-a, 18-27 iulie 2022
Cum a fost la Concerte pe Siret, ediţia a II-a
DONATE FOR REPAIRS
During the five days of the Heritage Caravan workshops at the Enescu House in Mihăileni together with the team of children involved we researched the subject “How do we discover and creatively tell stories about the place we live in?” We had very intense work days, but with much satisfaction at the end for both the children and the inhabitants of Mihăileni.
The first day was dedicated to establishing the clues for Mihăileni. Each of the 22 participating children from the village earned one of the Mihăileni clues, “fought” as a warm-up for the history fragments by participating in fun and sporty team games. The elements of the village were then redrawn by the children in the context of history and the future they themselves imagine.
All these elements were then put together in a DIY frame book by the children, through which they learned an ancient Japanese bookbinding technique. The creations and other complementary textiles were finally personalised with linocut stamps.
Outdoor games and board games rounded off the autumn-tempered afternoon at the Enescu house.
The second day of workshops followed the theme and resource already developed last year in the Enescu Workbook – available in the Foundation’s free resource library. The previously created “on foot” route round Mihăileni was brought to life this year with a dynamic circuit with marker posts and interactive panels at the most interesting points of the village.
The children have worked hard to create four complex panels dedicated to the past, present and future of the Enescu House, the Zahacinski Museum, the former Town Hall and the Ceramics Factory.
The other destinations of Mihăileni were thus enriched with small wooden signposts to be mounted on the site.
On the third day we received new friends. Actress Irina Artenii defied the tiring Bucharest-Mihăileni distance and came for a short but intense workshop. The children got behind the curtains and played in like young actors. The end of the games gathered all the energies in a series of mini skits with secrets they couldn’t seem to get enough of.
The shadow theatre in the second part of the workshops was not only a new and novel experience for everyone but also an opportunity to create our models for the following day’s filming.
There was much laughter and applause at the end of the four teams’ scenes.
Getting ready, editing and filming!
The most excitement was probably reserved for this day, the fourth of the educational workshops in Mihăileni. With minimal training by our friend Alin Iacob and some home-made exercises, the four team coordinators became for one day directors and responsible for editing four short films with the enthusiastic teams of child actors, already prepared the day before for the audience and the camera.
Each of the four chosen locations — the George Enescu House, the Former Town Hall, the Zahacinski Museum and the Ceramics Factory — were creatively, playfully and amusingly told from the perspective of the past, the present and the future imagined by the children themselves.
Costumes were assembled, metaphors were written, recordings of voices, music and old objects collected by the children, all to tell the story of a series of places we all want to continue living for the benefit of the community.
All the videos can be accessed online on the Pro Patrimonio Foundation’s You Tube channel as well as next to each storyboard created by the children, via an attached QR code.
MUZEUL ZAHACINSKI din Mihăileni
FABRICA DE CERMAICĂ din Mihăileni
The last and probably the most loved day of the Heritage Caravan was the day dedicated to sports and culinary competitions, exhibition of works and film evenings.
We made the tour of the 20 landmarks on the Mihăileni Map – also available online https://me-qr.com/4037478 – with the whole group of children, mounting the signposts they themselves had made.
The award ceremony was attended by parents. They too came prepared for the cooking competition. Tensions were high, as they are every year, when the votes were counted.
The film evening started with the 4 creations of the children and trainers and continued, in the spirit of the caravan, with a screening of the animated film accompanied by pizza and lots of good cheer.
The feedback notes collected urgently send us back to the community to continue our work in the future, with the children unanimously confirming that they love the proposed activities and want more. And having said that, all the fatigue gathered in preparing and organizing the camp pales when compared to the joy and fulfilment of doing things of real use to the community, in the spirit of discovery and creative transformation of tangible and intangible heritage.
None of this could have been done without the phenomenal help of the trainers and volunteers involved on time and throughout all of this year’s truly demanding activities. So special thanks:
– Ana Maria Apostoiu – for her dedication, for being with us for years and for being the fastest trainer-raiser we know
– Răzvan Bogză – for his creativity, inventiveness and integration into the team as if we had known each other all our lives
– Ruben Mardaru – for his openness, competitive spirit in all activities, hard work to make things go according to plan and continuous involvement in the management of the Enescu House
– Cosmina Manolache – for her perfect integration in the team and in the spirit of Pro Patrimonio activities, professionalism and open-mindedness
– Delia, Teona and Carmen for their punctual involvement
In order to signpost the route for discovering the town of Mihăileni, we had the agreement of the Municipality of Mihăileni. This route has been mapped and narrated since last year in the George Enescu House Notebook, available online bit.ly/3PIAoW5 and bit.ly/31OQSYA
We thank UiPath Foundation for the partnership and trust it has shown for three years in supporting educational programs and caring for the heritage object, the George Enescu House in Mihăileni.
Read also:
Worksite diary – Landscape and Art Workshop
Landscape and Sound Workshop Log
From 2 to 6 August 2022, the George Enescu House in Mihăileni, Botoșani County, will host for the third consecutive year the Heritage Caravan of the Pro Patrimonio Foundation. The theme for the five days of educational workshops is “The story of my city”.
Around 20 children from the community benefit from an intensive series of practical and creative workshops. These will be coordinated around the theme of discovering their own town and its rich cultural and natural context. The town of Mihăileni, an old border town on the Siret, will be narrated to the children through games and clues, bookbinding, linocuts, interactive panels and on-site signage, theatre workshop, shadow theatre, sketches and video montage. Learning through play is complemented, as tradition has it, by sports and cooking competitions with prizes, an exhibition and film evening that are open, limited places available, to anyone who is curious.
In order to signpost the discovery route of Mihaileni, we appreciate the agreement of Mihaileni Town Hall. This route has been mapped and described since last year in the George Enescu House Notebook, available online https://www.propatrimonio.org/caietul-casei-enescu-ghid-interactiv-de-explorare/
We thank UiPath Foundation for the partnership and trust it has shown for the last three years in supporting educational projects and the care for the heritage building, the George Enescu House in Mihăileni.
Read also:
Worksite diary – Landscape and Art Workshop
Landscape and Sound Workshop Log
April 2022
50 children from five communities surrounding the historical monuments George Enescu House in Mihăileni, Botoșani county and Neamțu Manor in Olari, Olt county, will receive “Heritage in a Package. The Art Nouveau Style” work kits before the Easter holidays.
Pro Patrimonio’s Heritage Education Programme is a continuous, trans-annual and interdisciplinary programme through which the Foundation has been carrying out a steady activity for over seven years, constantly diversified. The majority of the workshops undertaken are aimed specifically at children and young people from areas -sometimes poor and unstructured- where projects are being carried out to save, preserve and rehabilitate the architectural heritage (The Golescu Villa in Câmpulung, the Neamțu Manor in Olari, the Perticari-Davila Manor in Argeș, the George Enescu House in Mihăileni, etc.).
The 50 beneficiaries of the “Heritage in a Package.The Art Nouveau Style” work kits are children from the Future Acceleration Program run by UiPath Foundation in collaboration with Pro Patrimonio Foundation in both Botoșani and Olt. For three years Pro Patrimonio Foundation and UiPath Foundation have joined forces to help the local children’s communities.
The Easter kits encourage the discovery of the Art Nouveau style in Europe through exercises and practical tests, including examples from Romania. Springtime with its explosion of plants and flowers will be tuned in with this journey through the story of one of the most spectacular styles in architecture. Individual activities will engage the graphic and creative skills of the young beneficiaries in a personalised workbook and help the children to design a decorative object for the Easter table complemented by tasty surprises. The subsequent group activity will bring the children together in a joint workshop.
These DYI kits will be sent to children who will work on them independently according to precise instructions and at the same time having various free options plus an online meeting for further guidance and comparison of results. The group challenge encourages teamwork and the necessary human interaction and will be carried out under the guidance of a teacher or adult coordinator.
The kits encourage the exploration of Art Nouveau through practical exercises and games that stimulate curiosity, craftsmanship, creativity and logical thinking. The chosen field engages the dialogue between past, present and future, blends elements of past heritage with elements of contemporary technology and encourages the discovery and improvement of the inhabited, aesthetic and relational-human universe near by.
In the run-up to Christmas the children will receive a new set of kits with a different theme.
Audio details in the Radio Romania International interview, Pauza Mare show, minute 45 https://bit.ly/3NOBQpi.
In the run-up to Christmas the children will receive a new set of kits with a different theme.
Context
The George Enescu House in Mihăileni, Botoșani county and the Neamțu Manor in Olari, Olt county are two historical monuments owned by Pro Patrimonio Foundation. Over the years numerous individuals, private institutions and companies have donated time, money and materials to save them.
The George Enescu House din Mihăileni was saved from collapse and underwent a 7-year restoration process. It is now returned to the local community as a cultural and educational centre. The “Academy of Music, Education and Sound Studies” has been running here for three years.
The Neamţu Manor in Olari is in the early stages of restoration. Since 2018 the steady, step-by-step restoration has been underway. Even during the ongoing construction, the manor is an important landmark for the local community, since 2021 the “Experimental Centre for Studies and Education at the Neamțu Manor in Olari” has been created and is dedicated to this place.
Read also: Heritage Education
Landscape and Sound Workshop Log
“Workshop 5: Community Festivities”, July 16-21, 2019
On the 4th of March, we launched a music manual — ‘’ Introduction to the ABCs of Music. Guide for teachers and parents’’, written by Diana Bratan, during an online webinar. It was inspired by the atmosphere, projects and needs of the children from communities around the George Enescu mansion in Mihaileni.
The public for the presentation consisted of music teachers and parents, and next to the author, Diana Bratan — who is a music and piano teacher herself, Paula Gavriluta — music teacher for the Music Academy in Mihaileni; Greta Gasser — piano teacher at Gasser Music Studio Yorkshire Young Musicians and Manchester High School for Girls; Raluca Munteanu — programme director at Pro Patrimonio.
The manual can be downloaded as a pdf from Pro Patrimonio’ free resources library: https://bit.ly/ABCmuzical.
Also, there is already a number of printed copies which can be ordered at the following address propatrimonio.romania@gmail.com. The manuals are free of charge, buyers have to cover just courier fees. The copies will be sent out in a ‚first come, first served’ manner, within the available numbers.
The publication is part of a larger framework developed by the “Academy of Music and Education for Children”, a music education program run by the Pro Patrimono Foundation in partnership with the UiPath Foundation.
Read more: “Introduction to the ABCs of Music. A guide for teachers and parents”
