First violin: Gabriel Gheorghe
Second violin: Viorel Bustean
Viola: Lucian Moraru
Cello: Dan Joitoiu
Double Bass: Sandel Smarandescu
The project Traffic Strings was initiated by the viola player Lucian Moraru and from the very first appearances the show was very welcomed by the public as a unique, daring and inventive project. Initially a string quintet, the group TRAFFIC STRINGS surprises now with a “new instrument” with interesting timbale combination between strings instruments and panpipe who create exiting colors. The present repertoire of the group requires the use of the panpipe, accordion, piano and a percussion part.
The hallmark of the program is its diversity - it includes 'The Four Seasons' by Vivaldi, arias by Puccini, well-known pieces such as 'Lonely Shepherd' and virtuosity pieces for the panpipe followed by dynamic and explosive musical moments of traditional Romanian folk music - the musicians are committed to exploring sounds that enchant audiences with their novelty and keep them glued to their seats for two hours that seem to fly away in an instant. The concerts are followed by several encores.
Astor Piazzolla / Ar. Lucian Moraru - ESCOLASO
Primavera Portena - Las Quatro Estaciones Porteñas
"The panpipe is not new to RO'Strings, a Romanian string quintet: in 2006, they toured Canada with Gheorghe Zamfir playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons. But in the year 2007, Ro'Strings expanded their horizons with the Traffic Strings project and added an accordion and a piano to the panpipe bringing their normal string quintet to an octet"
"Their music does not belong to one single stream or musical era, therefore the name Traffic Strings, which denotes the continuous leaps performed in the music history. Vivaldi and other classic composers, but also jazz or mixed modern music appear to be a suitable choice. They pass through the filter of their instruments anything that inspires them and they consider valuable".
"A wonderful pastiche of Latin songs intermixed with a fragment of Haydn's music cleverly arranged by Werner Thomas-Mifune. What a sense of humor! Great playing by Traffic Strings".
"This new and modern combination of timbres has the flavour of exotic South America and the warm ornamental tones and fiery rhythms of the seductive Argentinian tango";
"the outcome is one of organic fusion and immense aural pleasure in which the sounds blend to create a new and exciting atmosphere".
"The red line who cross the musical program is diversity. The musicians explore without fearless with a commitment to expanding the new flavor sonorities who reach and captivate the public in such way that the two hours concert time is seems to be to short from the first minute until the very end with many encores".
"Don't let the novelty factor of the panpipes jade your view of these performances. They are very sound string quintet arrangements, created by Ro'Strings violist, Lucian Moraru, which use the panpipes and accordion sparingly and appropriately. These are wonderful musicians who deserve broad exposure. I found the piano work in Michelangelo 70 particularly interesting but there is much good to enjoy here - including the work of young panpipe player, Vladislav Panush"
"Wonderful music, yes; but, I admit, it was the panpipes that made me initially linger on these videos. One tends to associate the panpipes with those Andean buskers that I have seen on three continents but the instrument deserves respect. It is perhaps the oldest wind instrument with roots going back five thousand years. Early examples have been found almost literally everywhere in the world. Romania has been particularly active in reawakening interest in panpipes in Europe so it is appropriate that Ro'Strings should deliver a serious treatment to the instrument in their work".
The group's first album resulted from a prolific partnership they had in 2006 with the world renowned panpipe player Gheorghe Zamfir. On this disc you can listen to a version of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" distinctively orchestrated by Lucian Moraru, the founder of the group. He has used the panpipe instead of the solo violin, thus accomplishing a genuine premier in this area. The next two albums where released in 2009: "Tango Finesse" who include a bouquet of Argentinian Tango and the 2nd disc is called "Seasons for two hemispheres" where it can listen a version of Astor Piazzolla's Las Quatro Estaciones Porteñas together with Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" both rearrange it by Lucian Moraru, thus accomplishing a genuine premier in this area.
For TANGO FINESSE we created a premier adaptation, using a combination of instruments less utilized for the interpretation for the Argentinean tango - this expressive particularity is invoked in this project by the deep yearning tone of the pan flute contrasting with the lightsome sound of the violins and the dark and voluptuous stamp of the viola and the cello founded on the rhythm of the bass, all completed by the melody of the accordion. Furthermore, through these adaptations as means of expression I have tried to introduce alongside this new sounds combination more special sounds which bring rhythms of percussion instruments. Sounds which can be obtained technically with the possibilities of the instruments used in this recording.
Traffic Strings Quintet & Vladislav Panush Panpipe solo
The project Traffic Strings Quintet & Vladislav Panush Panpipe solo was initiated by the viola player Lucian Moraru, from the very first appareances the show was very wellcomed by the public as a daring and inventive project with interesting timbral combination between an exiting colors of this wind instrument - panpipe and string quintet.
The red line who cross the musical program is diversity. The musicians explore whithout fearless with a commitment to expanding the new flavor sonorities who reach and captivate the public in such way that the two hours concert time is seems to be to short from the first minute until the very end with many ancores.
For TANGO FINESSE we created a premier adaptation, using a combination of instruments less utilized for the interpretation for the Argentinean tango - this expressive particularity is invoked in this project by the deep yearning tone of the pan flute contrasting with the lightsome sound of the violins and the dark and voluptuous stamp of the viola and the cello founded on the rhythm of the bass, all completed by the melody of the accordion. Furthermore, through these adaptations as means of expression I have tried to introduce alongside this new sounds combination more special sounds which bring rhythms of percussion instruments. Sounds which can be obtained technically with the possibilities of the instruments used in this recording.
