Clarinetist, composer and conductor Aurelian-Octav Popa, a leading figure of Romanian musical life, has died at the age of 88, the Romanian Union of Performing Musicians (UCIMR) announced.

'The Romanian Union of Performing Musicians regrets the passing of the eminent artist Aurelian-Octav Popa, a major personality of Romanian musical life - clarinetist, composer and conductor. (...) UCIMR extends its sincere condolences to his family, colleagues, students and all who knew and admired him. May God rest him in peace!,' the organization wrote on Facebook.

Over an impressive career, Aurelian-Octav Popa was a soloist with the George Enescu Philharmonic, conductor of the Black Sea Philharmonic in Constanta, and one of Romania's most important interpreters of modern and contemporary clarinet repertoire.

He received numerous awards in Prague, Budapest, Birmingham, Utrecht and Geneva, contributing decisively to the international recognition of the Romanian school of performance. Through his talent, discipline and artistic generosity, he inspired generations of musicians and left a profound mark on Romanian culture.

TV producer and writer Marilena Rotaru also mourned the death of the acclaimed artist, describing him as 'a warm, excessively modest man, with a vast culture'.

'Clarinetist and conductor Aurelian-Octav Popa has risen to the stars. For 20 years he was a constant presence in my music and poetry programs and performances. I owe him the interview with Celibidache. He took me to the maestro, and his recommendation mattered to Celibidache. 'Do you know who brought you to me? This man is the greatest of all wind players in the world. Clarinetists, flautists... He surpasses Jean-Pierre Rampal, the flautist, who was the greatest until I heard him...' He appeared with his orchestra in the Centenary performance dedicated to Cella Delavrancea and again at 101 years, in all the shows I produced at the Romanian Athenaeum. At the turn of the millennium, in the summer of 2000, I met him in Los Angeles, where together with actors Ion Caramitru, Valeria Seciu and Ovidiu Iuliu Moldovan he offered the Romanian community an Eminescu performance. Now the poster of that show is in Heaven,' Rotaru wrote.

She added that Aurelian-Octav Popa 'could only be found in the artistic space of the elites'.

'A warm man, excessively modest, with a vast culture... He scolded me when I introduced him on stage with his full list of achievements. 'Don't say so much. If you know who I am and why we are here together, that's enough... I am Aurelian-Octav, the rest is music...' You met him only in the artistic space of the elite. 'False notes are not only in music,' he used to say. 'Tuning must be done in all areas of life.' Thank you, Maestro Aurelian-Octav, for all the moments of deep learning and great music! May God rest you in the paradise of great artists! My condolences to Mrs. Sanda Craciun-Popa and the entire family!,' Rotaru concluded.

Historian and political scientist Stejarel Olaru also expressed regret at the artist's passing.

'Clarinetist, composer and conductor Aurelian-Octav Popa has left us. He played the clarinet like no one else, with impeccable technique and such rich expressiveness that people said he transformed the clarinet into a symphonic instrument, capable of expressing every emotion, from delicate lyricism to intense drama. Among Romanian musicians, Sergiu Celibidache loved and appreciated him the most, even though the two - both stubborn and proud - sometimes clashed. (...) I met him in the summer of 2024, introduced by Paul Cozighian to the Popa family, who welcomed me warmly into their home. Maestro Popa, then around 87, was in a joking mood and never put the clarinet down. Paul was inspired to film a few minutes. May the earth rest lightly upon you, Maestro!,' Olaru wrote.

He also referred to the Securitate's surveillance of Aurelian-Octav Popa.

'The Securitate took an interest in him in March 1974, after he complained to some Greek musicians in Athens, during a tour, that 'in Romania, great artists are deprived of the possibility to fulfill themselves according to their talent'. And that's how the surveillance began, Popa being suspected of intending to defect. Even the Securitate described him in its reports as 'the most talented Romanian instrumentalist, the best clarinetist in the country and even in Europe', adding that 'since his prestige - earned among Romanian musicians and audiences as well as abroad - had not been properly recognized, there was no full guarantee he would not one day decide to settle abroad,'' the historian noted. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Popescu; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)