LocationsThe "Moldova Has a Voice" camps brought together young music enthusiasts from both banks of the Nistru river
September 20, 2023
"It was such a synergy!" That's what the 24 young people from both banks of the Nistru river, participants in the two editions of the "Moldova Has a Voice" camp, say in unison. The art camps were organized by Pasha Parfeni with the support of USAID Moldova, the European Union, and UNDP.
"The basic requirement in our art camps is that participants should be music creators, not just singers. When we say music creator, we mean a versatile person who can write lyrics, compose a melody, and perform it. We were surprised by the talents of our participants," says Pasha Parfeni.
On both "Moldova Has a Voice" camps, professional music creators shared their experiences and knowledge with young participants. Guided by three mentors – Pasha Parfeni, Dara, and Iuliana Parfeni – along with three other music producers, camp participants discovered the entire process of producing a song: how to convey a social message in a song, tips for the recording process, how to write lyrics when you miss inspiration.
"I have always believed in artistic communities and have always believed that we can create something interesting when we have a team. Only when there is an exchange of ideas, values, and visions, when energies come together, the result is worthy," says Ioana Isac, a lyricist.
"I put into practice what inspired me in discussions with Iuliana, my mentor. I came up with an idea, and then I tried to involve the people around me. Acron wrote the first part a bit, then I communicated with Anastasia and composed the bridge," says Lavinia, a participant from Chișinău.
Born in Chișinău, Vlada Neagu, another participant, has been living in Romania for seven years, and this year she graduated from the National University of Music in Bucharest: "At the artistic moment I am in now, I need to overcome some barriers and open up even more to who I am and what I want to create, and this art camp provided exactly what I needed. I was used to my slower ballad-pop songs, with a lot of introspection, sometimes painful, and here I do absolutely everything – I sing any style, without barriers, without expectations, which is wonderful."
Lavinia and a mentor
Vlada Neagu and Dara
Artiom and Maxim are two young people from Tiraspol. Although Artiom is an actor, and Maxim is studying journalism, they both came to the art camp because they share the same hobby – music.
"We came to the art camp to step out of our comfort zone and create a friendly, creative atmosphere to generate songs. We divided into groups, and with the help of a producer, we create music – either all together, separately, or in duets. As this is a creative process, you can't fit it into a template. For example, on the first evening, our group created a song in three languages – Romanian, Russian, and English," says Artiom excitedly.
Artiom
Maxim
Maxim says he studies journalism just to have more time to write and compose lyrics or music: "I was missing something. I felt like my emotions and thoughts had run out, and here I had the chance to be selected for this camp. Everyone here is talented in their own way, and someone can inspire you in a certain way. It's important not to lose all the creative energy accumulated after this camp and to continue composing music and lyrics."
Dara is a mentor at the "Moldova Has a Voice" camps: "That's how I work. I create music in teams, and I do it practically every day. Such an art camp would have helped me a lot at the beginning of my career."
Even the creative camps have ended, the mentors continue to support the participants with recommendations.
"Moldova needs a lot more music, considering how many talents it has. There are many more people who can launch into music; they just need a bit of confidence," says Dara.
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During the two "Moldova Has a Voice" art camps, approximately 30 songs were recorded. These will go through the post-production and mastering process to reach a wider audience later on.
