META•RYTHMIC: When Musical Traditions Meet Across Borders. From musical memory to shared creation

What happens when 12 composers from different countries, artistic backgrounds, and musical languages are invited to create together?

META•RYTHMIC offers one answer.

Developed within the IN.TUNE alliance, the project brings together 12 composers from Romania, France, and Spain in a shared artistic exploration of musical traditions from Romania, France, Spain, Finland, and Brazil. Rather than preserving these traditions as museum pieces, the composers have reimagined them, transforming rhythms, gestures, and cultural memories into a single collaborative work.

The result is not a collection of separate compositions, but one musical journey shaped through dialogue, exchange, and collective creation.

Supported by IN.TUNE and realised with the contribution of the National University of Music Bucharest (UNMB), the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMD Paris), and the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC Barcelona), META•RYTHMIC reflects the alliance’s commitment to artistic collaboration across borders.

Building a shared musical language

At the centre of META•RYTHMIC lies a simple but ambitious idea: to create something new from diverse musical roots. The participating composers explored traditions that span continents and histories, drawing inspiration from local rhythms, musical practices, and cultural identities. Romanian, French, Spanish, Finnish, and Brazilian influences became starting points for experimentation rather than boundaries.

Creating a single work from so many perspectives required more than compositional skill. It demanded listening, negotiation, and trust. Through collaboration, the composers developed a musical language that does not belong to one nation or tradition alone. Instead, META•RYTHMIC reflects the richness that emerges when artistic identities meet and evolve together.

From idea to performance

For such an ambitious project to move from concept to concert stage, a dedicated team was essential. Among those guiding the journey is composer and conductor Andrei Virgil Popescu, initiator and Project Manager of META•RYTHMIC and a founding member of the NOISE404 ensemble. Currently pursuing doctoral studies at the National University of Music Bucharest, Popescu has built a diverse artistic career spanning chamber, symphonic, theatre, film, and musical theatre music. His works have been presented at festivals including CHEI, SIMN, Meridian, the “Remus Georgescu” Festival, and the Romanian Music Festival. For META•RYTHMIC, his role extends beyond composition to coordination, helping shape a creative process involving artists and institutions across Europe.

But ideas on paper require performers to bring them to life. That role belongs to NOISE404, whose first international tour presents META•RYTHMIC to audiences in Paris and Barcelona.

The musicians behind NOISE404

Founded by young musicians committed to contemporary music and artistic experimentation, NOISE404 approaches performance as a collaborative process. Violinist Larisa Nicolae, a founding member of the ensemble, brings experience gained on international stages including Konzerthaus Berlin, Maison de la Radio Paris, and the Romanian Athenaeum. Alongside her work as a soloist and orchestral musician, she has collaborated with internationally recognised performers and conductors, shaping an artistic practice grounded in both precision and openness.

Pianist Sofia de la Hoz Bello, born in Toledo and currently pursuing master’s studies in chamber music at the National University of Music Bucharest, combines performance with interdisciplinary interests and an active engagement with contemporary music. Her artistic path reflects the same spirit of curiosity and exchange that defines META•RYTHMIC.

Clarinetist Alin Popa, also a founding member of NOISE404, has developed a strong connection with contemporary repertoire through performances of works by composers including Tiberiu Olah, Sabina Ulubeanu, and Maria Perianu. Alongside his studies and orchestral collaborations, he contributes to the ensemble’s distinctive artistic identity.

Together, the musicians of NOISE404 transform META•RYTHMIC from collaborative composition into a live encounter between cultures, performers, and audiences.

Two cities, one shared experience

The META•RYTHMIC project reaches the stage through NOISE404’s first international tour, offering audiences the opportunity to experience this collective work live.

Paris – 28 April
Barcelona – 1 May

More than a concert, META•RYTHMIC is an invitation to hear how musical traditions can travel, connect, and create something unexpected when shaped through collaboration. Across borders and artistic languages, the project demonstrates how shared creativity can open new spaces for dialogue and performance.

Text and photo credits: Andrei Virgil Popescu