Matus, Ileana

Matus, Ileana

people

1973

iain

Romanian

Organisation

333

x x

current,47.8355,24.0132;

Scotland

Matus, Ileana

https://www.morosanca.ro/fundatia_Morosanca.html

TEXT

She was born in Rona de Jos commune, in an area where Romanian, Hungarian and Ukrainian ethnic minorities lived as a community. Singing in her family was a usual activity, she was naturally gifted. Her grandmother was the “godmother” of her village and she was invited to all cultural events in the area as a singer, even to funerals as she was the only one entitled to undergo all customs and specific traditions and local practices. In 1987 she makes her debut in folk music when she is accepted in the School of Folk Art from Baia Mare, and she keeps enrolling into schools as to contribute to her future as artist. She moves to Bucharest where she lives for more than 15 years, meanwhile she publishes several albums that explore the native folklore of Maramures, including religious songs called “pricesne”. She is currently running a Foundation called ‘’’Morosanca” where she teaches young talents the secrets of singing, of respecting the statute of an ‘’authentic artist’’ starting with basic knowledge related to historical background, respect towards traditions, clothing, folk culture. She currently teaches over 30 children the elementary skills of canto, her previous generation of students have been accepted in prestigious music schools, in Cluj or Oradea, some of them are also teachers themselves. She restored a traditional house in which she now hosts a museum dedicated to the Maramures traditional costume, as a pledge for the future generations to appreciate of cultural patrimony.

CJMM_PR_01

505

facebook,https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100047167362671&locale=ro_RO;

0040724237105

other (specify)

She grew up in an environment and in a family where singing was part of their daily life and and music wasn’t a hobby or a distraction but part of their DNA.

Yes, she has a foundation where she simultaneously teaches over 30 children/adults canto

Noemi Ganea

female

native

Singing and particularly singing carols is part of the oral folklore of the region, and in Maramures the carols predict and welcome the birth of Jesus. But, their significance dates even further back in time, when caroling was done as to announce the winter solstice and to celebrate the god of sun. The practitioner believes that in caroling one singer must keep its authenticity. These days singers take canto lessons, concentrate on developing their ambitus, but they lose sight of their particularity and authenticity and soon traditional singing will be universal, not particular.

part-time paid job

Yes, she simultaneously works at her foundation that is located in Nănești, where her small folk costume museum hase been set up and also works in the second municipality of Maramureș, in Sighetu Marmației at the children's club in close cooperation with the local authorities.

songs, albums

to create a compilation of her work, to make it available for the larger public

records house, online, etc

the large public

Not directly. Her songs can be part of a tourism experience when visiting Maramures

Maramures is about hospitality, people in this area are still good at their hearth and welcome you in their family, athis makes Maramures suc a distinct destinationa amoung other destinations in the world.

Yes, she is coordinating also a local Children's Club where herself and other local artisans teach children, adults local cultural practices, and make sure the conservation and transmission of the these practices is ensured.

Ileana Matus considers that singing carols, a specific type of artistic act that must reflect the authenticity and specificity of each ethnographic area is threatened by kitsch, by artists that are emerging and that prefer to alter authenticity in order to become commercial. It should be compulsory for children to learn caroling, as to make sure that this practice is not lost. It is like our ancestral memory is being erased and we blame the younger generation that they don’t keep traditions, but in fact it is our fault that we do not make efforts to ensure they learn and preserve these traditions.

Singing for me is not a means to ensure a decent living, for me is a form of living itself. I was born singing and I shall die and pass on to the other word listening to my songs. My talent is a gift from Our Good Lord and my meaning is to share it to all those that are willing to listen to it .