Conductor Macelaru on winning Grammy: It proves there are examples for the younger generation

Romanian conductor Cristian Macelaru, whose name is on the list of laureates of the 62nd edition of the Grammy Awards, says that the fact that a Romanian is rewarded with this award proves that there are cultural values to be examples for the younger generation.

"As I am not the only Romanian who has won this award, I am glad that there were other Romanians who received it, which is proof that there are cultural values that we can be proud of and that will be examples for a younger generation that wonders where they will find their place in the global society of the 21st century. And that is why I am glad that a Romanian has won the prize once again," Macelaru told AGERPRES on Monday.

He also said that it was a great honour to have been associated with this award, calling a significant thing the fact that the vote that decides the awardees is cast by the members of the recording academy, who are all those who have made records in the past.

"It is, of course, an award that recognises an effort that we all made to create this record with music by Wynton Marsalis, and together with Nicola Benedetti and the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra we had the opportunity to do this a recording that, I think, is a very important work in defining a musical style of the author that is very interesting, a new voice of a purebred American composer, which brings with it jazz and contemporary music," he said.

Speaking about future projects, Macelaru showed that they do not necessarily relate to winning this award.

"I have always been a great 'promoter' of contemporary music, of 21st century music. I continue in the same way with the music of Wynton Marsalis, but also with other composers, but, of course, with my orchestras with which I work in Cologne, as well as in Paris. I have a lot of projects with records that will come out with 'older' music, so to speak. But creating theses ?works of art' in and of themselves that will be left behind as a testament of the beauty we can bring the world into the 21st century is a very important thing," added the conductor.

Macelaru added that he will return in spring to Bucharest. "I will have a concert soon," concluded the conductor.

On Sunday, Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, Romanian conductor Cristian Macelaru and the Philadelphia Orchestra received the 2020 Grammy Award for the Best Classical Instrumental Solo for "Marsalis: Violin Concerto & Fiddle Dance Suite" recorded at Decca House.

Macelaru is the second Grammy Award-winning Romanian conductor, after maestro Christian Badea became the first in 1985, when he shared the Best New Classical Composition award with composer Samuel Barber for "Antony and Cleopatra."

In November 2019, Macelaru was appointed music director of the National Orchestra of France starting in 2021.

He is the current Chief Conductor of the WDR Broadcasting Orchestra in Cologne, Germany.