Radu Ratio - Winner of the 2024 ATG world cup

[breezybellows]

While at the festival, we got to witness Radu's performance. I don't have words to express the command he had on the song. The clarity, expression and his demeanor in the performance made it exhilarating to watch.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to rank players after they surpass a certain level of musicality. But this was the best solo musical performance I've witnessed (in person or in video). It was scary good. In the middle of his performance someone in the audience sneezed. He didn't get startled. He gracefully stopped the song, smiles at them and signalled "shhh". Then he continued from exactly where he left off.

I should also mention that he was the only contestant with a piano accordion and all the other entries were CBA.

I didn't have a video of this performance from the festival. I found an older video.

 

[Walker]

I've listened to Ratoi's recordings many times and have often felt it hard to comprehend the technical level, dedication and magnitude of the gift he has for music. This great "warrior" of the international accordion competition scene, seems at times to be so in contrast to regular accordionists, because he can play music so complex that most of us cannot dream of. He plays music that shatters the boundaries of what is expected of the piano accordion. No doubt he will continue to do this.

And yet what matters more to me, and the thing that I find so impressive - Ratoi also knows how to embrace musical simplicity too. He can make the accordion sound beautiful and almost ancient. All of a sudden he isn't just this guy with the supersonic fingers, no, he is a man of music.​

 

[breezybellows]

I've listened to Ratoi's recordings many times and have often felt it hard to comprehend the technical level, dedication and magnitude of the gift he has for music. This great "warrior" of the international accordion competition scene, seems at times to be so in contrast to regular accordionists, because he can play music so complex that most of us cannot dream of. He plays music that shatters the boundaries of what is expected of the piano accordion. No doubt he will continue to do this.

And yet what matters more to me, and the thing that I find so impressive - Ratoi also knows how to embrace musical simplicity too. He can make the accordion sound beautiful and almost ancient. All of a sudden he isn't just this guy with the supersonic fingers, no, he is a man of music.​

Even in the complex pieces he played, it was not just virtuosity that was in display. everything was very musical. Such a pleasure to listen to.