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A Schumannesque youth
When I was a teenager, people often said to me: ‘You’re a Schumannite!’ At
that time I didn’t know what the expression really meant. I understood it
much later, as I gradually discovered the adventure onwhich I had embarked.
ButmyencounterwithSchumannmightneverhavehappenedatall,because
my parents, who aren’t musical in the least, intended me to have a career
as a swimmer. I trained at CS Dinamo București, the big sporting club in
Bucharest. The Soviet system conditioned children to become professionals
very early. We entered secondary school with a given profile, and that set us
on the rails for our whole life: there was no going back. Luckily, alongside
swimming, I was able to study the piano as best as I could at the officers’
mess – a privilege reserved for the children of military families – since my
father was a colonel. At the fateful moment when they had to choose my
future orientation, my parents, although reluctant to let me continue with
music, finally agreed to haveme tested by a composer to assess my chances.
I was nine years old. That’s what shaped the rest of my life. Once I was
committed to this career path, I started practising twelve hours a day. I had
to make up for lost time!
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DANA CIOCARLIE