Life

Donceanu was born in Bacău

Bacau

Bacău is the main city in Bacău County, Romania. It covers a land surface of 43 km², and, as of January 1, 2009, has an estimated population of 177,087. The city is situated in the historical region of Moldavia, at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, and on the Bistriţa River...

. She originally planned to be a stage director, but became interested in music and studied composition at the Ciprian Porumbescu Conservatory in Bucharest

Bucharest

Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....

 (now the National University of Music) with Mihail Jora

Mihail Jora

Mihail Jora was a Romanian composer, pianist, and conductor.Jora studied in Leipzig with Robert Teichmüller. From 1929 to 1962 he was a professor at the conservatoire of Bucharest. He worked 1928 to 1933 as a director/conductor of the Broadcasting Orchestra in Bucharest...

. After completing her studies in 1956, she worked as an editor for ESPLA until 1958, and then for Editura Muzicala until 1966. After leaving her editorial position, she worked full-time as a composer, producing works that have been performed internationally. She married poet Alexandru Voitin.

Honors and awards

• Honorable mention, International Composition Competition in Mannheim
  Mannheim
  Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
  
  , 1961
• Romanian Union of Composers’ prize in 1984, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1996, and 1997
• Order of Cultural Merit, 1981
• Romanian Academy George Enescu prize, 1984

Works

Felicia Donceanu has composed for stage plays and instrumental ensemble, but has focused mostly on chamber works. Her music is influenced by Romanian folk music, sometimes featuring traditional folk instruments. Selected works include:

• Arie de Concert (1973) for baritone and orchestra
• Măiastra (1973) for soprano, chorus, and string orchestra
• Picolicomando (1984) for tenor, children’s chorus, organ, violin, and percussion
• Yolanda (1993) for soprano and orchestra
• Rugăciunea Domnească (1992) for voice, string orchestra, and percussion
• Rugăciunea Domnească (1998) for male chorus, string orchestra, and percussion
• Invocatio (1999) with Biblical texts and fragments of verses by Ovid, scored for soprano, piano, violin, and chamber orchestra
• Clopote la soroc (1999) a cantata for SATB chorus and orchestra
• Retro-Tango, for bassoon ensemble
• Inscription on a Mast for harp
• Odinioară, song-cycle for mezzo-soprano and piano
• Mărgele (Beads) (1962) four songs to verses by Tudor Arghezi
• Trei Cântece pentru Til (1964) to verses by George Călinescu
• Dor I for contralto
• Dor II for contralto
• Imagini pe versuri de Eminescu (Pictures on Verses of Eminescu) (1963–1965) for soprano
• Cu Penetul (With Plumage)
• Mărturisiri (Confessions), cycle of five songs for bass-baritone to poems by Alexandru Voitin, from 1975–1978 and 1986
• Cântece de fată frumoasă
• Cântând cu Ienăchiţă Văcărescu
• Sincron
• Ponti Euxini Clepsydra (1971) for soprano, clarinet, oboe, percussion, and harp
• Mai sunt încă roze (1972), to texts by Macedonski, is a five-song work for soprano and instrumental ensemble
• Two Serenades (1973) for baritone, flute, and harp, to verses by Baconski
• Cântece de fată frumoasă (1976) three-movement work for mezzo-soprano, English horn, and marimba
• Cântând cu Ienăchiţă Văcărescu (1983) for soprano, lute, viola da gamba, flute, harpsichord, and percussion, text from Ienăchiţă Văcărescu
• Abţibilder după Tristan Tzara (1996) semi-staged work for soprano, harpsichord, and two viola da gamba
• Cutia cu surprise … şi pentru oameni încrutaţi (The Box with Surprises) (1998) for soprano, two viola da gamba, harpsichord, piano, and puppets
• Tablouri vivante (Living Tableaux) (1999), for voice and instruments

Her work has been recorded and issued on CD, including:

• Polhymnia - Sacrée et Profane