Zoli Tóth and the Young Percussionists of Cantus Mundi Begin National Tour

The National Cantus Mundi Program invites the public to a series of extraordinary percussion concerts held by the Young Beats ensemble, coordinated by musician Zoli Tóth, along with 8 remarkable percussion ensembles, as part of the largest percussion music tour in Romania.

The third edition of the Percussion Ensemble Tour, initiated by musician Alexandru Veleșcu, will take place from March 28 to May 29, 2025, and includes concerts in six cities in Romania: Brașov, Bucharest, Bacău, Iași, Piatra Neamț, and Suceava.

Public access to the events is free.

“It’s pleasant to observe that the phenomenon of percussion music is gaining ground in Romania. The fact that musicians from the academic world play alongside young amateur musicians illustrates the values and ambitions of this project. Year after year, more and more ensembles are forming in more and more cities. The repertoires are significantly improving, and everything related to percussion music is being better understood. Percussion means more than just drumming—it’s sensitivity, emotion, coordination, joy, and often, perfection.” – Prof. Zoli Tóth, Founder and Musical Director of the Young Beats Percussion Ensemble, Cantus Mundi

Over 50 percussionists will perform on stage, members of the following ensembles: The “Young Beats” Percussion Ensemble from Bucharest, part of the National Cantus Mundi Program, led by Prof. Zoli Tóth; The Percussion Ensemble of the “Gheorghe Dima” National Music Academy Cluj-Napoca, Piatra Neamț Extension, led by Asoc. Prof. Dr. Alexandru Veleșcu; The “Versus” Percussion Ensemble of the “Tudor Ciortea” Music High School Brașov, led by Prof. Adriana Cristina Puia; The “Alternances” Percussion Ensemble of the “George Enescu” National University of Arts Iași, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Constantin Stavrat; The Percussion Ensemble of the “Victor Brauner” Art High School Piatra Neamț, led by Prof. Marcel Baltag; The “Fireworks Magazine” Percussion Ensemble of the “Ciprian Porumbescu” Art College Suceava, led by Prof. Lucian-Georgel Rusu; The “Spirit” Percussion Ensemble of the “George Apostu” National Art College Bacău, led by Prof. Mihai Bălan; The “Pulsar(t)” Percussion Ensemble of the National University of Music Bucharest, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sorin Rotaru; The “Juvenartis” Percussion Ensemble of the “Octav Băncilă” National Art College Iași, led by Prof. Iustin Rusu.

The concert repertoire includes works covering all music genres, from Bach’s music to contemporary compositions.

CONCERT SCHEDULE

• March 28, 18:00 | BRAȘOV
  Sala Coloanelor at the Brașov Military Circle
• March 29, 18:00 | BUCHAREST
  George Enescu Hall, National University of Music Bucharest
• March 31, 18:30 | Bacău
  Bacovia Municipal Theatre, Bacău
• April 1, 18:00 | IAȘI
  Festivities Hall, “Octav Băncilă” National Art College, Iași
• April 2, 18:00 | PIATRA NEAMȚ
  Cinema Mon Amour, Piatra Neamț
• May 29 | SUCEAVA
  Trade Union Culture House, Suceava

The concerts are part of the 2025 Percussion Ensemble Tour, taking place from March 28 to May 29, 2025, in Brașov, Bucharest, Bacău, Iași, Piatra Neamț, and Suceava. The tour is part of the cultural and educational project “Percussion Concert,” initiated by Asoc. Prof. Dr. Alexandru Veleșcu, aimed at promoting students and pupils from vocational education institutions and exploring percussion music genres that have yet to be sufficiently explored by the general public.