Taraf de Caliu

The haidouks are back. After more than 30 years of touring around the world, the founding members of the Taraf de Haidouks have returned home and, under the baton of Sharaimanic, started a new project – Taraf de Caliu. The musicians from Clejani are the latest generation of lăutari to carry on this traditional music from southern Romania, the music that made them one of the most appreciated gypsy bands in the world. Under the magic bow of violinist Caliu, the haidouks hit the road again. Since 1991, when their music began to conquer Western Europe, the musicians from Clejani have performed in almost every continent in the world, in cities such as Tokyo, Singapore, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Istanbul and London.

Their avowed fans include Yehudi Menuhin, the Kronos Quartet (with whom they have performed and recorded), actor Johnny Depp (with whom they appeared in the film 'The Man Who Cried') and Yohji Yamamoto, the renowned fashion designer. In 2002, the musicians received the BBC World Music Award for the best group in Europe and the Middle East.

Impex

As collaborations between Roma and non-Roma musicians is still quite rare in Romania, the musical project founded by Andrei Dinescu 10 years ago called "Steaua de mare" had the aim to create an evolutionary and collaborative environment through music, generating a movement in Bucharest that continues to develop and inspire the public and musicians to this day. IMPEX is the latest iteration of this idea of stylistic fusion and interethnic collaboration, the band is composed of 5 musicians with extensive musical experience spanning various genres.

Over the years, the members of the band, Andrei Dinescu, Marian "Jerry" Boacă, Pity Imecs, Attila "Darbuk" and Paul "Pepsy", have played all kinds of music ranging from classical, rock, jazz, experimental music, classical and modern/contemporary "lăutărească" music : manele (Roma pop), Turkish and Arabic music. All of these come together to send a humanitarian message of breaking down barriers and prejudices, showing we can all thrive when we cooperate.

Filip Simeonov

He is one of Bulgaria's most acclaimed clarinet masters and the only Taraf de Haidouks clarinettist of all time. Nowadays, the occasions when Filip Simeonov reunites with the band of haidouks from Clejani are rare, and when it happens, the Balkan bridges get stronger and the music gets louder. Romania and Bulgaria become, together, "home".

Alexei Ciobanu

Alexei Ciobanu graduated from the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts in Chisinau and joined the "Măiastra Carașului" Popular Orchestra in 1997. For ten years he was part of the Érik Marchand et le taraf de Caransebeș band, in international recordings and concerts. From 2003 to the present, he is an employee of the House of Culture of the Municipality of Timișoara, where he sings with the "Timișul" Folk Ensemble.