Mada & Hugh Piano Duo’s Unforgettable Summer of 2025

This summer has been nothing short of extraordinary for the Mada & Hugh Piano Duo, filled with premieres, collaborations, and unforgettable performances across continents. From the grandeur of Vienna to the vibrancy of Wilmington, Delaware, each stop on our journey added a new layer of meaning to our music-making.

A World Premiere in Vienna
Mădălina-Claudia Dănilă began the summer in Vienna with a landmark event: the world premiere of a new piano concerto written especially for her by close friend and collaborator, conductor, cellist, and composer Ovidiu Marinescu. Performed with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra in the historic Konzerthaus, the work was infused with the spirit of Romanian folk music. Though conceived as a concise, three-part “mini-concerto,” Marinescu is already planning to expand it, inspired by the possibilities uncovered in this first performance. For Mădălina, it was a thrilling blend of personal heritage and artistic innovation.

“Three Omens” – A Filmic Collaboration
Hardly back from Vienna, the duo dove into another major project: the release of Three Omens, a new piano work by rising composer Christian Mechem. Commissioned in memory of George Crumb, this piece brought together Mădălina as performer and Hugh as producer, videographer, and director. Recorded on a Bösendorfer 280VC at Cunningham Piano’s Cherry Hill showroom and filmed at Millersville University, the project allowed unprecedented creative freedom. Hugh painstakingly storyboarded each camera angle, creating one of the most visually striking videos the duo has released to date. The video premiered on August 3, setting a new benchmark for future productions.

In Residence at the Summer Piano Institute
Closing out the summer, the duo served as guest artists at the 15th Annual Summer Piano Institute at the Music School of Delaware. Their opening concert introduced students and families to fresh repertoire, including Rachmaninoff’s Morceaux de Quatre Mains, Op. 11, and their own transcription of Suita din Dobrogea, a work rooted in Romanian folk traditions that quickly became a student favorite. Beyond concerts, Mada and Hugh spent the week coaching ensembles, sharing stories of their mentors, and emphasizing the importance of collaboration, mindfulness, and discipline in ensemble playing.

A Summer to Remember
From international premieres to educational residencies, the summer of 2025 was a vivid reminder of music’s power to connect cultures and generations. And with new projects and interviews already lined up for the fall—including features on Crushing Classical and The Piano Pod—the Mada & Hugh Piano Duo are carrying this momentum forward into an exciting new season.