site.btaRomanian Scientists, Musicians Highlight Antarctic Research, Performances

Corina Itcus from the Romanian Academy’s Institute of Biology spoke about the first Romanian musicians to perform in Antarctica during a Romanian–Bulgarian polar science symposium in Constanta on Wednesday.

She said the goal is to encourage not only researchers but also artists and other professionals to visit Antarctica and better understand it from a human perspective.

The project featured violinist Diana Jipa and pianist Stefan Doniga, who performed on all six continents, entered the Guinness World Records, and later completed a rapid double circumnavigation of the globe. The initiative aimed to promote culture and raise awareness about environmental protection in Antarctica.

"One of our main goals is to study water quality, as well as the viability of microorganisms, microbial abundance, microbial communities and their distribution," Itcus commented, adding that in addition to Antarctica, she has already been on expeditions to Patagonia, Norway, and the Galapagos.