Aura Urziceanu

Aura Urziceanu is my favourite singer.

She was born in a family of musicians in Romania. She started studying the violin with her father when she was 5 and singing with professor Florica Orascu when she was 16 years old. In 1969, after being awarded the Second prize at the National Festival in Mamaia, she left for a long tour in Canada and USA, where she appeared in the stage together with Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. Back in the old Continent for a short time, she represented Romania at the International Festival at Knokke '71, Belgium. She won the "European Cup'' with the Romanian team and, together with the European team, the long wished- for ''World Cup'', in a strong contest with the USA team. She was also awarded the Press prize for the best interpreter of the Festival and, as unprecedented event in the 13 years of existence of this competition, she received mark 10 from all the members of the jury. 

In 1972 she made her first appearance at the famous New York (Newport) Festival, together with Duke Ellington; the critics and the press bursted out in words which have not yet been uttered for any other European singer.

Monica Dima
"D. Zamfirescu" School, Focsani, Romania
Teacher: Petru Dumitru <petrudumitru@netscape.net>