Duo Cello Jaya was founded in 2012 in Bucharest under Ph.D. Prof. Marin Cazacu’s guidance. The chamber ensemble consists of two young musicians, Ella Bokor and Mircea Marian, who are currently Ph.D. candidates at the National University of Music Bucharest.
Duo Cello Jaya has a big record of activity achieved in the international masterclasses Isa16, SoNoRo Interferențe and ICon Arts.
They had the opportunity to study and perform with prestigious musicians and professors such as: Evgenia Epshtein, Jan-Erik Gustafsson, Frans Helmerson, Bjørk Lewis, Adrian Mantu, Anita Mitterer, Răzvan Popovici, Petr Prause, Marcin Sieniawskin, Jan Talich and Vida Vujic.
Duo Cello Jaya recorded together with the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company Chamber Orchestra the Double cello concerto in G minor RV 531 by Antonio Vivaldi and the Double cello concerto in C minor by Georg Friedrich Händel. In 2016 they released their first chamber music CD Tales of Duo Cello Jaya and held the Tales National Tour in Romania and The 3 Cellists Tour in Ireland alongside cellist Adrian Mantu.
In 2016 they won the Isa Just Composed Prize within the Internationale Sommerakademie PragWien Budapest performing the piece ”Switch On – Switch Off” composed by Mariela Rodriguez.
The Duo was highly appreciated in their performances in the Romanian Athenaeum, Franz Liszt Academy Budapest, SoNoRo Festival, Isa Festival, Musica Barcensis Festival, Meridian Festival, Cimro Festival and Enescu and the world’s music Festival.
Ella Bokor is a cello graduate under Prof. Dr. Marin Cazacu’s class and currently a National University of Music in Bucharest PhD student. In 2009 she is granted the Erasmus Scholarship which offers her the opportunity and privilege of studying at “Hochschule für Music und Darstellende Kunst” in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
She is a member of Duo Cello Jaya, Ludens Piano Trio, 4 Cellos, Romanian Youth Orchestra and Violoncellissimo ensemble.
Along her musical and artistic development, she studied and performed with prestigious musicians, such as: Alexander Bouzlov, Marin Cazacu, David Grimal, Jan-Erik Gustaffson, Alexandra Guțu, Diana Ketler, Fenyo Laszlo, Bjørg Lewis, Sergey Malov, Adrian Mantu, Alissa Margulis, Marie Luise Neunecker, Răzvan Popovici, Răzvan Suma, Robin Pharo, Marcin Sieniawsk, but also other artists/actors, as: Ion Caramitru, Maia Morgenstern, Virgil Ogășanu, Alexandru Repan și Valeria Seciu.
She attended various masterclasses and festivals, such as: SoNoRo Interferențe, ISA16, Villa Musica, Cello Akademie Rutesheim, ICon Arts, SoNoRo International Chamber Music Festival, SoNoRo Conac, International Chamber Music Festival Plovdiv 2016, George Enescu International Festival, Baroque Week, Bucharest Music Film Festival, Young Euro Classic, Enescu and the world’s music Festival, SIMN and Meridian Festivals.
She won various prizes, such as: Isa Just Composed Prize with Duo Cello Jaya, Second Prize at Plovdiv International Chamber Music Competition 2015 with Ludens Piano Trio, “Ion Voicu” and “Icon Arts” Prizes – piano trio section and string quartet section – at the Drumul spre celebritate Competition, Second and Special Prize at Paul Constantinescu Competition, Best Performance Prize at ICon Arts Festival and Second Prize at the Mihail Jora Competition.
She collaborated with various institutions and orchestras, namely: George Enescu Philarmonic, Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company Chamber Orchestra, Romanian Television, “Les Dissonances” Ensemble, Camerata Regală and Richard Wagner International Orchestra.
Mircea Marian is a cello graduate of the National University of Music in Bucharest under Prof. Dr. Marin Cazacu’s class. He is currently a Phd student in the same institution, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Dan Dediu, instrumental soloist of the Radio Chamber Orchestra of the Romanian Radio Society, member of the Cello Duo Jaya, 4Cellos, Romanian Youth Orchestra, Violoncellissimo and Profil ensembles.
He won various prizes, such as: First Prize at the International Competition of Liezen-Austria, First Prize and Special Prize of Eugen Coca International Competition, First Prize at Victor Giuleanu Competition – chamber music section, Second Prize at “Drumul spre celebritate” Competition, Grand Prize at the Paul Constantinescu Competition and First Prize at the Mihail Jora Competition.
Along his musical and artistic development, he studied and performed with prestigious musicians, such as: Marin Cazacu, Jan-Erik Gustaffson, Alexandra Guțu, Frans Helmerson, Diana Ketler, Aage Kvalbein, Fenyo Laszlo, Olsi Leka, Robin Pharo, Răzvan Popovici, Marcin Sieniawski and Răzvan Suma.
Mircea Marian held concerts as a soloist alongside various orchestras: Bucharest Chamber Music Orchestra, State Philarmonic – Arad, Botoșani Philarmonic, Ion Dumitrescu State Philarmonic – Râmnicu Vâlcea, Chamber Music Orchestra – Focșani, State Philarmonic Muntenia – Târgoviște, U.N.M.B Universitaria Orchestra, University Orchestra of Graz-Austria and Oltenia Philarmonic – Craiova.
He made various recordings with the Romanian Radio Society, both as a soloist and as part of Duo Cello Jaya.
He attended numerous masterclasses and festivals, such as: George Enescu International Festival, Sergiu Celibidache International Festival, SoNoRo Festival, SoNoRo Interferențe, Nocturne Baroce, Meridian Festival, IS Postdamer Innenstadt Festival, Simn Festival, Enescu and the world’s music Festival.
Meaning and origin:
The word Jaya, pronounced JAY-ah, finds its origins in the Sanskrit language – जय. It is a neutral gender name signifying duality (jay-jaya / male-female), representing the guardians of the entrance of the Paradise. Also, the word Jaya can be translated as victory or success and is the name of the Hindu goddess.
Repertory :
- Mariela Rodriguez (1986) – Switch On – Switch Off
- Aurelian Băcan (1985) – Beauty and the Beast
- Lucian Zbarcea (1983) – Game Laser Jaya
- Giovanni Sollima (1962) – Violoncelles, vibrez!
- Frederich Zehm (1923-2007) – Langsamer Walzer, Polka, Moderne Tanze – Ragtime, Tangou, Black-Bottom
- Béla Bartók (1881-1945) – Violin duetes, arr. for two cellos
- Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) – Five pieces for two violins and piano, arr. for two cellos and piano
- Reinhold Glière (1875-1956) – Six Duets op. 53
- David Popper (1843-1913) – Suite for two cellos op. 16
- Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921) – The Swan, arr. for two cellos
- Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) – Duo no. 2, op. 53, Suite no. I in A major op. 51 & Suite no. II in D major op. 51
- Johann Benjamin Gross ( 1809-1848) – Suite for two cellos, op. 42
- Sebastian Lee (1805-1887) – Duo no. 2 in C major op. 36 & Duo in D major op. 38
- Friedrich August Kummer (1797-1879) – Duo in C major op. 22 & Duo in D major op. 33
- Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) – Duo in G major & Duo in D major for two cellos
- Jean-Baptiste Barrière (1707-1747) – Sonata in G major for two cellos
- Giacomo Cervetto (1690-1783) – Divertisment no.1 in G major op. 4 & Divertisment no.3 in D op. 4
- George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) – Concert in C major for two cellos
- Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) – Concert in G minor for two cellos and orchestra RV 531
- François Couperin (1668-1733) – Concert for two cellos