To whom it may concern,

    It was with great dismay that I heard that there might be some question about the continued funding of The Dumitrescu/Avram Acousmania festival.

In the few years of its existence this festival has become one of the most important workshops and showcases for new music in Europe.

    Of particular value is the involvement of two of Romania’s leading contemporary composers in its programming and organisation; the importance of such leadership can not be over estimated.
 
    Furthermore, as a recently ratified member of the European Union I would have thought that such a powerful international advertisement for Romania’s place in the forefront of musical innovation would head your list for support and promotion.
    On the timescale of comparable historic artist led initiatives, Acousmania has already attracted, year on year, an impressive expansion of visibility for Romanian contemporary music, securing for it a heavyweight international reputation, and it is precisely at this critical stage of its development that an extension of the moderate support it has until now received would be most efficacious.
    Perhaps it is not easy to see from the inside how influential and regarded the work of Acousmania is.
    But from the outside, withdrawal of support will be seen as a greater negative for the international music community than the small amount of subvention saved by not supporting the dedication and work of your leading composers may appear in the short term to be beneficial to you.

Best regards

Chris Cutler
Composer/Author/CEO Gallery and Academic.
ReR Megacorp
London

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