Mihai Murariu (1984, Romania) Having won several awards in most of the composition competitions in Romania and with constant presences in the major contemporary music festivals of the country, Mihai Murariu is an active and appreciated composer of the younger generation. He also maintains an intense performing activity as an outstanding pianist and organist. Since 2011, the young musician has been a member of the Romanian Composers’ and Musicologists’ Union, and in 2013 he obtained his Ph.D. in Composition. Currently, he is an Associate Assistant Professor in the National University of Music in Bucharest.

apfel/Strudel is a pastry with a sweet or savoury filling rolled up in thinly stretched dough. The word Strudel means Whirlpool since the dough is rolled and the centre of the pastry resembles a whirlpool. Known worldwide, the Apple Strudel is a specialty of Austria and Bavaria; its filling is made from chopped apples, cinnamon, raisins, roasted bread crumbs, and other ingredients, depending on the recipe.

Replace all the ingredients above with musical elements in order to create a musical strudel: the dough becomes the ostinato, the apple becomes the leading motif, the cinnamon – a certain mode, the raisins – mini-cadenzas, the bread crumbs – different modes of attack and articulation, and so on.

Bon appétit! (Mihai Murariu)