The 2027 edition · May 24 – June 3
“Aimez-vous Brahms?” · In memoriam Radu Lupu (1945–2022)
After a first edition crowned with great artistic and public success, the HUMANS Festival presents an even more ambitious second edition, devoted to Johannes Brahms. Its title, “Aimez-vous Brahms?”, is a nod to Françoise Sagan’s novel, brought to the screen in 1961 by Anatole Litvak with Ingrid Bergman. The edition is dedicated to the memory of Radu Lupu, one of the greatest pianists in the world and a peerless interpreter of Brahms.
From May 24 to June 3, international artists and musicians from Cluj come together: Brahms’s symphonies with the HUMANS Festival Orchestra, chamber music, a tribute to Radu Lupu and masterclasses for students of the “Gheorghe Dima” Academy and pupils of the “Sigismund Toduță” College of Music. Composer in residence: Benjamin Attahir.
11
days
9
concerts
1
OFF concert
11
days of masterclasses
Program subject to change.
Concert program
26
May
Wednesday
“Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music, Sala Heritage · 19:00
Johannes Brahms — Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77
Johannes Brahms — Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68
Soloist and musical direction: David Grimal, violin
HUMANS Festival Orchestra
27
May
Thursday
“Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music, Sala Heritage · 19:00
Johannes Brahms — Double Concerto for violin and cello in A minor, Op. 102
Johannes Brahms — Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98
Soloists and musical direction: David Grimal, violin · Xavier Phillips, cello
HUMANS Festival Orchestra
28
May
Friday
Academic College, Auditorium Maximum Hall · 19:00
Johannes Brahms — Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 83
Orchestra of the “Transilvania” State Philharmonic
Conductor: Samuel Lee
Piano: Roman Lopatynskyi
29
May
Saturday
“Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music, Sala Studio · 19:00
Benjamin Attahir — String Quartet Al Dhikra
Quatuor Akilone
Johannes Brahms — Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115
Quatuor Akilone · Vicente Alberola, clarinet
30
May
Sunday
“Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music, Sala Studio · 19:00
Johannes Brahms — String Quintet No. 1 in F major, Op. 88
Johannes Brahms — String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18
Performers to be announced.
31
May
Monday
“Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music, Sala Studio · 19:00
Franz Schubert — Two Impromptus for piano, D. 935
No. 1 in F minor · No. 4 in F minor
Philippe Cassard, piano
Johannes Brahms — Piano pieces
Ballade in D minor, Op. 10 No. 1 · Ballade in G minor, Op. 118 No. 3 · Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 116 No. 2 · Rhapsody in G minor, Op. 79 No. 2
Philippe Cassard, piano
Johannes Brahms — Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8
Philippe Cassard, piano · David Grimal, violin · Maxime Grizard, cello
Screening of films and testimonies about Radu Lupu.
1
June
Tuesday
“Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music, Sala Studio · 19:00
Johannes Brahms — String Quintet No. 2 in G major, Op. 111
Johannes Brahms — String Sextet No. 2 in G major, Op. 36
David Grimal, Valentin Șerban, violins · Juan-Miguel Hernandez, Natasha Tchitch, violas · Xavier Phillips, Maxime Grizard, cellos
2
June
Wednesday
Iulius Mall · 17:00
Concert OFF — Youth concert
2
June
Wednesday
“Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music, Sala Studio · 19:00
Benjamin Attahir — 117:2b, for violin and cello
Magdalena Geka, violin · Lucie Mercat, cello (Quatuor Akilone)
Johannes Brahms — Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108
Ricardo Castro, piano · David Grimal, violin
Johannes Brahms — Three Intermezzi for piano, Op. 117
No. 1 in E-flat major · No. 2 in B-flat minor · No. 3 in C-sharp minor
Ricardo Castro, piano
Johannes Brahms — Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor, Op. 60
Ricardo Castro, piano · David Grimal, violin · Juan-Miguel Hernandez, viola · Maxime Grizard, cello
3
June
Thursday
Amphitheatre of the “Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music · 19:00
Benjamin Attahir — String Octet Jawb
Quatuor Akilone · Arcadia Quartet
Antonio Vivaldi — The Four Seasons, Op. 8 Nos. 1–4, from Il cimento dell’armonia e dell’inventione
Spring in E major, RV 269 · Summer in G minor, RV 315 · Autumn in F major, RV 293 · Winter in F minor, RV 297
Astor Piazzolla — Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas, arranged for violin and strings by Leonid Desiatnikov
Verano porteño · Otoño porteño · Invierno porteño · Primavera porteña
David Grimal, violin and musical direction · Quatuor Akilone · Arcadia Quartet · HUMANS Festival Orchestra
Vivaldi and Piazzolla in alternation.
Masterclasses
“Gheorghe Dima” National Academy of Music · for students of the Academy and the best pupils of the “Sigismund Toduță” College of Music.
May 24 – June 3 · schedule to be announced
Alexandre Gattet, oboe
principal oboe, Orchestre de Paris
Júlia Gállego, flute
Mahler Chamber Orchestra · professor in Barcelona
Julien Beaudiment, flute
former principal flute, Los Angeles Philharmonic · professor at the CNSMD de Lyon
Hugues Viallon, horn
horn, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France · assistant professor at the CNSMD de Lyon
Julien Hardy, bassoon
principal bassoon, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France · professor at the CNSMD de Paris
Antoine Ganaye, trombone
professor at the CNSMD de Lyon
Yan Levionnois, cello
cellist, laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Competition
Ayako Tanaka, violin
professor at the CNSMD de Paris
Doriane Gable, violin
former concertmaster, Paris National Opera Orchestra
Niek de Groot, double bass
former principal double bass, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Josef Sadílek, trumpet
principal trumpet, National Theatre Opera, Prague
Natasha Tchitch, viola
professor at Musikene, San Sebastián
Philippe Cassard, piano
professor in Manchester and Sion
Vicente Alberola, clarinet
principal clarinet, Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Quatuor Akilone, string quartet
chamber music
Juan-Miguel Hernandez, viola
McGill University, Montreal · Royal Academy of Music, London
Xavier Phillips, cello
professor at the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne
Benjamin Attahir, composition
composer in residence of the 2027 edition
Ricardo Castro, piano
professor at the Haute École de Musique de Genève
Artists of the 2027 edition
Click on an artist’s photo to read their biography.
Vicente Alberola
Clarinet
Benjamin Attahir
Composer in residence
Julien Beaudiment
Flute
Doriane Gable
Violin
Júlia Gállego
Flute
Antoine Ganaye
Trombone
Alexandre Gattet
Oboe
Maxime Grizard
Cello
Niek de Groot
Double bass
Julien Hardy
Bassoon
Nitzan Laster
Cello
Samuel Lee
Conductor
Yan Levionnois
Cello
Anna Lipkind-Mazor
Violin
Roman Lopatynskyi
Piano
Jin-Hi Paik
Violin
Josef Sadílek
Trumpet
Ayako Tanaka
Violin
Natasha Tchitch
Viola
Hugues Viallon
Horn
Ori Wissner-Levy
Violin
Quatuor Akilone
String quartet
Arcadia Quartet
String quartet
“Transilvania” State Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphony orchestra