A Benefit for One of Their Own

The musicians of The Phoenix Symphony are banding together to help one of their own. Ioana Dumitriu, a Rumanian violinist who has played with the orchestra for almost

three decades has silently been battling breast cancer for the past four years. She did not reveal her latest struggle until two weeks ago (find out more details about her battle at www.mustcuretheincurable.com).

Ioana was raised in Rumania during the Soviet occupation. After earning advanced degrees from the Ciprian Porumbescu Conservatory in Bucharest, she won a position in Rumania’s top orchestra and toured throughout Europe on both sides of the Iron Curtain. It was on a concert tour to Italy that her husband Dan, a violist, defected. Within a year he had found a sponsor to bring him to the U.S. and was able to send for his family. The following year, 1981, both Dan and Ioana won positions in The Phoenix Symphony.

Their dreams had come true: they were living in freedom and were playing in a major American orchestra. They mastered English, became citizens in 1986 and have raised three children, all of whom are pursuing medical careers. Their middle son has just reenlisted for his second tour of duty as a paramedic with the US Army.

The musicians of The Phoenix Symphony urgently ask the public to join them in supporting her by attending a benefit concert to defray her medical expenses. The concert is at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 16 at Symphony Hall. The concert, called Rumanian Rhapsody, will be conducted by Assistant Conductor Kayoko Dan and features works by Beethoven, Mahler, Khachaturian and George Enescu, one of Rumania’s most famous composers. Soloists will include Mezzo-soprano Rita Litchfield singing arias from Bizet’s Carmen, Associate Concertmaster Magdalena Martinic-Jercic performing the violin solo from Schindler’s List and Dimitri Lazarescu performing Ciprian Porumbescu’s Balada with Pianist Larry Loeber.

The audience is invited to meet the musicians in the lobby following the concert. Background music will be provided by symphony flutist Joe Corral and his jazz trio.

Tickets will be available at the door, and the suggested minimum donation is $10. Donations may be made by cash or checks (sorry, credit cards cannot be accepted) payable to the “Ioana Dumitriu Benefit Donation Fund”. Donations may also be made at any Wells Fargo Bank to: