(b. 27 January 1945, Zărnești).
Romanian composer of mostly orchestral, chamber, choral, and vocal works that have been performed in Europe.
Prof. Vlad initially studied music theory with Filaret Barbu and oboe with Pavel Tornea at the Music High School in Bucharest from 1958–64. He then studied with Tudor Ciortea, Dan Constantinescu, Octavian L. Cosma, Victor Giuleanu, Myriam Marbe, Aurel Stroe, Zeno Vancea, and Anatol Vieru at the Universitatea Națională de Muzică București, where he graduated in 1971. He also attended seminars in composition with Virgilio Mortari at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 1971–72. He later earned his DMus under the supervision of Gheorghe Oprea at the Universitatea Națională de Muzică București in 2004.
Among his honours are a prize in oboe at the Festival of Young Performers of Romania (1964), the Special Prize from the Universitatea Națională de Muzică București (1971), a Second-Class Medal for Distinction in Culture (1983), the Premiul George Enescu from the Academia Română in Bucharest (1985), First Prize from the Uniunea Compozitorilor și Muzicologilor din România at the festival National Song of Romania in Bucharest (1987), eight prizes from the Uniunea Compozitorilor și Muzicologilor din România in Bucharest (1990, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2022, 2023 [for lifetime achievement]), and the Medal of Honour from the Universitatea Națională de Muzică București (2011). He was named an officer of the Ordinul Meritul Cultural by the government of Romania (2004).
He has also held other posts. He researched folk music from Romania at the Universitatea Națională de Muzică București from 1971–77 and at the Institutul de Etnografie și Folclor Constantin Brăiloiu in Bucharest from 1977–80. In addition, he served as an editor for the publisher Editura Muzicală in Bucharest from 1980–84 and as its manager from 1984–92, then served as director of the department of music of the Ministry of Culture and National Patrimony in Bucharest in 1992–93. He served as vice-president of the Romanian Community of Electronic and Computer Assisted Music in Bucharest from 2004–21 and as vice-president of the Uniunea Compozitorilor și Muzicologilor din România from 2006–22 and has served as a member of the board of directors of the Alianța Națională a Uniunilor de Creatori din România since 2006. He served as a member of the board of directors of the Institutul Cultural Român in Bucharest from 2009–13 and served as president of the section in Romania of ISCM from 2013–18.
He has taught as a professor of score reading at the Universitatea Națională de Muzică București since 1993, where he has served in the senate since 2004.
He was married to the composer Marina-Marta Vlad and is the father of the composer Roman Vlad.
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS
ORCHESTRAL:
Cum greu din adîncuri – As Hardly from Depths (sinfonia concertante), cello, piano, orchestra, 1971, revised 1981
Vise I – Dreams I, string orchestra, 1972
Aduceri amintre – Remembrances, 3 French horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, percussion, string orchestra, 1973
Timpul oglinzilor – The Time of Mirrors, small orchestra, 1974
Inscriptii în inimi I – Inscriptions in Hearts I – Simfonia Brevis, 1978
Symphony I, 'Drumuri în lumină – Roads in the Light', 1979
Vise II – Dreams II (concerto), string orchestra, 1982
Cumpăna luminii – The Scales of Light, mezzo-soprano, small orchestra (15 players), 1982 (variation of Mosaic [1974–78])
Symphony II, 'Din inimi – From our Hearts', 1984
Izvoare – Sources (symphonic poem), small orchestra (4 clarinets [all + saxophone], 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, piano, percussion), 1987
Lumini în asfintit – Lights in the Sunset, 1991
Din bucuria viselor – From the Joy of Dreams (concerto), string orchestra, 1991
Jocul viselor I – The Game of Dreams I (concerto), small orchestra, 1992
Jocul viselor II – The Game of Dreams II (concerto), small orchestra, 1992
Deodată, visele – Suddenly, Dreams (concerto), small orchestra, 1994
Lumina viselor – The Light of Dreams, 1995
Împletirea viselor II – Interlocking Dreams II, small orchestra (13 players), 1997
Rezonante pe fond pal – Resonances on a Pale Background (concerto), harp, string orchestra, 2002
Prin lumina rezonantelor – Through the Light of Resonances – Piece for Cello and Chamber Orchestra, cello, small orchestra, 2004
Lumină pentru viitor I – Light for the Future I, flute (+ piccolo, bass flute, contrabass flute), harp, small orchestra (20 flutes [4 + piccolo, 6 + alto flute, 6 + bass flute, 4 + contrabass flute]), 2006
From the Sound of Earth, cello, small orchestra (15 or more players), 2007
The Light of Roads, 2011
Inscriptii în inimi II – Inscriptions in Hearts II, 2012
Wild Flowers, string orchestra, 2013
Sonorities and Anemone II (concerto), cello, string orchestra, 2015
Sonorities and Anemone III (concerto), violin, cello, string orchestra, 2016
Sonorities and Anemone V (concerto), flute, oboe, bassoon, string orchestra, 2017
Through the Light of Flowers I, small orchestra, 2017
Through the Light of Flowers II, 2018
Legendary Reverberations, 2018
Light of the Centennial Sound, 2020
In the Light of Evocation: George Enescu, 2021
Genesis 3, string orchestra, 2023
Intertwined Light I, 2023
Young Bird 2, string orchestra, 2023
Intertwined Light II, 2025
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Sonata, oboe, piano/harpsichord, 1969
Septet, flute (+ percussion), oboe (+ percussion), clarinet (+ percussion), bassoon (+ percussion), French horn (+ percussion), trumpet (+ percussion), piano, 1970
Thoughts, flute, harp, 1971
Sketch I, flute, 1974
Sketch II, viola, 1975
Quintet, clarinet, trumpet, violin, viola, piano, 1977 (variation of Mosaic [1974–78])
Commentary on 'Mosaic', 8 French horns, 1977
Mosaic, violin, viola, cello, 1978
Watercolours, oboe, 1981
Winter Landscape, piccolo, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, piano, 1981 (variation of Mosaic [1974–78])
Flowers for Peace, string quartet, 1982
Mosaic, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1983
The Spring (string trio no. 1), violin, viola, cello, 1984
Codex Caioni, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1984
Voices of Peace, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, fixed media, 1986
Portraits, harp, 1987
String Trio, violin, viola, cello, 1987
Sunlit Landscape (string trio no. 2), violin, viola, cello, 1987
On This Sunny Land I (string trio no. 3), violin, viola, cello, 1988
String Trio, violin, viola, cello, 1990
The Joy of Dreams I, flute, violin, viola, cello, percussion, 1990
The Joy of the Passage (string trio no. 4), violin, viola, cello, 1991
The Secret of Dreams I, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1992
The Time of Dreams, flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, 1993
The Secret of Dreams II, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, harp, 1993
The Joy of Dreams II, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, 1994
The Legend of Dreams, flute/oboe, clarinet, bassoon, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1994
Flash of Dreams, flute, violin, viola, cello, 1995
From the Light of Dreams I, flute, violin, viola, cello, 1995
From the Light of Dreams II, flute, violin, viola, cello, 1996
Beyond Dreams I–V, any number of winds, any number of strings, any keyboard instrument, 1996
The Secret of Dreams III, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, piano, percussion, 1996
Împletirea viselor I – Interlocking Dreams I, 3 flutes, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, violin, viola, piano, accordion, percussion, 1997
Resonances on a White Background, soprano saxophone (+ alto saxophone, bass saxophone), trombone, piano, percussion, 1999
Resonances on a Mauve Background, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 2000
Resonances on a Light Blue Background I, flute, cello, 2000
Resonances in the Future (11 solo pieces), flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, harp, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion, 1997–2001
Resonances on a Green Background, flute, harp, cello, 2001
Resonances on a Light Blue Background II, flute, trumpet, cello, 2004
Resonances on a Red Background II, flute, piano, percussion, fixed media, 2004
The Light of Blue Resonances I – Concertino, mezzo-soprano, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, B-flat trumpet, harp, violin, viola, cello, double bass, fixed media, 2005
The Light of Blue Resonances II, viola, fixed media, 2005
Flowers and Resonances – Trio for Saxophones, Viola and Piano, saxophones (1 player), viola, piano, 2005
Lamento I, French horn, fixed media, 2005
White and Resonances, viola, fixed media, 2005
On This Sunny Land II, string quartet, 2006
Light for the Future II, flute, harp, 2006
Resonances on a White Background, soprano saxophones (+ alto saxophone, bass saxophone), trombone, piano, percussion, 2006
Grey and Resonances, harp, fixed media, 2006
Beyond Dreams VI, piccolo (+ flute), alto flute (+ bass flute), violin, viola, piano, accordion, percussion, fixed media, 2006
Through the Sound of Resonances, flute, harp, cello, piano, 2007
Thoughts and Resonances, violin, viola, cello, fixed media, 2007
The Sparkle of the Mosaic, cello, fixed media, 2007
Red and Resonances, flute, harp, cello, piano, fixed media, 2007
From the Sounds of Sight I, double bass, fixed media, 2007
From the Sounds of Sight II, cello, fixed media, 2007
From the Sounds of Sight III, flute, fixed media, 2007
From the Sounds of Sight IV, violin, fixed media, 2007
From the Sounds of Sight V, double bass, 2007
From the Sounds of Sight VI, cello, 2007
From the Sounds of Sight VII, flute, 2007
From the Sounds of Sight VIII, violin, 2007
Lamento II, bassoon, fixed media, 2007
Lamento III, cello, fixed media, 2008
Through the Sounds of Sight I, cello, fixed media, 2008
Through the Sounds of Sight II, violin, fixed media, 2008
Light for the Future III, flute, 2008
Through the Sounds of Sight III, cello, 2008
Through the Sounds of Sight IV, violin, 2008
In the Light of Evocation, oboe, fixed media, 2009
Anatol Vieru, cello, fixed media, 2010
For You, soprano, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, 2011
Flowers for You, string quartet, 2012
Echoes I, violin, piano, 2012
Echoes V, violin, 2012
Echoes II, violin, cello, piano, 2013
Resonances on a Yellow Background I, violin, cello, 2014
Resonances on a Yellow Background II, violin, cello, piano, 2014
Sonorities and Anemone I, string quartet, 2014
Sonorities and Forget-Me-Not VII, percussion, 2015
Sonorities and Forget-Me-Not VIII, piano, percussion, 2015
Sonorities and Blue Bell Flowers, violin, 2015
Sonorities and Anemone IV, violin, cello, piano, 2016
Through the Light of Flowers II, 6 winds, 2017
Through the Sounds of Bluebell Flowers I, 2 violins, 2017
Through the Sounds of Flowers I, string quartet, 2017
Through the Sounds of Flowers II, string quartet, 2017
Through the Sounds of Flowers III, cello, piano, 2017
Through the Sounds of White Flowers I, string quartet, 2017
Through the Sounds of White Flowers II, string quartet, 2017
Through the Sounds of White Flowers III, string quartet, 2017
Grey and Resonances 3, harp, violin, 2020
The Cockerel I, violin, 2021
The Cockerel II, clarinet, 2021
Young Bird I, string quartet, 2021
Sonorities and Bluebell Flowers II, clarinet, 2022
Rainbow 1, flute, violin, 2023
Light of the Night Skies 1, 2023
Genesis 1, string quartet, fixed media, 2023
Genesis 2, French horn, fixed media, 2023
Genesis 4, flute, 2023
Sonorities and Multicoloured Gladioli IV, violin, piano, 2023
Rainbow 2, flute, violin, fixed media, 2023
Sonorities and Multicoloured Gladioli III, clarinet, piano, 2024
Sonorities and Anemone VI, violin, cello, piano, fixed media, 2024
Light of the Night Skies 3, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, fixed media, 2025
Shimmering Offshoots, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, 2025
CHORAL:
Lead (text by George Bacovia), 4 mixed voices, flute, clarinet, 2 trombones, tuba (any player + gong), 1970
This is the Earth (cantata, text by Eugen Frunză), mixed chorus, orchestra, 1970
The Joy of Achievement – Wedding Songs, mixed chorus, 1988
VOCAL:
The Tears (text by Lucian Blaga), soprano, English horn, piano, 1970
Mosaic (24 solo pieces, text by the composer), soprano, alto, tenor, bass, piccolo, flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, B-flat trumpet, trombone, tuba, harp, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, piano, 3 percussion, 1974–78 (also three variations: Quintet; Winter Landscape; Cumpăna luminii)
Mosaic, mezzo-soprano, clarinet, 1984
Împletirea viselor III – Interlocking Dreams III (text by the composer), soprano, small orchestra (13 players), 1999
The Poetry of Dreams (text by the composer), soprano, small orchestra (12 players), fixed media, 2003
I Caught a Glimpse of Light (text by the composer), soprano, piano, 2020
PIANO:
Resonances in the Future XI B, piano, fixed media, 2004
Echoes III, 2012
Resonances on a Yellow Background III, 2014
Sonorities and Multicoloured Gladioli I, 2017
Sonorities and Multicoloured Gladioli II, 2017
ELECTROACOUSTIC:
Resonances on a Red Background I, fixed media, 2004
DISCOGRAPHY
Winter Landscape; Cumpăna luminii. Steliana Calos, mezzo-soprano; Matei Corvin, piccolo; Virgil Frâncu, flute; Radu Chișu, oboe; Valeriu Bărbuceanu, clarinet; Mihai Tănăsilă, bassoon; Ion Rațiu, French horn; Iancu Văduva, trumpet; Marin Soare, trombone; Ion Ivan Roncea, harp; Mircea Opreanu, Octavian Rațiu, violins; Mihai Sofonea, viola; Vasile Țugui, cello; Ștefan Tomasz, double bass; Șerban Soreanu, piano; Costin Petrescu, percussion (Electrecord: ST-ECE 01980) (LP)
Vise I – Dreams I. Paul Staicu/Orchestra Camerata (Electrecord: ST-ECE 03516) (LP)
Beyond Dreams III. Partita Radicale (Edition Pro Viva: ISPV 186, 1998)
Beyond Dreams V. Partita Radicale (Edition Pro Viva: ISPV 193, 2004)
The Legend of Dreams. Pro Contemporania (Editura Muzicală/Star Media Music: 037, 2005)
Mosaic (1974–78). Valeriu Bărbuceanu, clarinet; Iancu Văduva, trumpet; Mircea Opreanu, violin; Mihai Sofonea, viola; Paul Rogojină, piano (Nova Musica: A003, 2007)
Flowers and Resonances – Trio for Saxophones, Viola and Piano. Daniel Kientzy, saxophones; Cornelia Petroiu, viola; Mihai Vârtosu, piano (Nova Musica: NMCD 5121, 2007)
Deodată, visele. Dorel Pașcu Rădulescu/Concordia, Concerto (Editura Muzicală: EM 006)
The Joy of Achievement – Wedding Songs. Constantin Marin/Madrigal (Electrecord: ST-EXE 03475)
The Joy of Achievement – Wedding Songs. Dorel Pașcu Rădulescu/Madrigal (Uniunea Compozitorilor și Muzicologilor din România: ROSAF125012655)