Anca Parghel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anca Parghel
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Anca Parghel c. 1999
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Anca Simion |
| Born | September 16, 1957 Câmpulung Moldovenesc, Suceava County, Romania |
| Died | December 5, 2008 (aged 51) Timișoara, Timiș County, Romania |
| Genres | Jazz, vocal jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano |
| Years active | 1984–2008 |
| Labels | Electrecord, Blue Flame, Amadeo, Polydor, Koala, Nabel, Prima Club, Intercont, Miramar, Acoustic, Nrg!a/Roton |
Anca Parghel (born September 16, 1957 – died December 5, 2008) was a talented Romanian jazz singer, composer, and music teacher. She was known for her amazing voice, which could reach four octaves! This made many people compare her to the famous singer Yma Sumac. Anca was also great at scat singing (using her voice to make instrumental sounds) and improvising music on the spot. She could sing beautifully in many languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Contents
Anca Parghel's Life Story
Early Years and Music Journey
Anca Parghel was born in Câmpulung Moldovenesc, Romania. She came from a family that didn't have much money. Anca started singing when she was just three years old. She was a child prodigy, meaning she was incredibly talented at a very young age. She even sang in her local church choir.
When she was 14, Anca left home to attend the Music High School in Iaşi. Later, she went to the Iaşi Music Conservatory and graduated in 1981. Her main instrument was the piano, and she also studied bel canto (a beautiful style of singing).
At that time, jazz music was not very popular or encouraged in Romania. This was because Romania was behind the Iron Curtain, a political barrier that separated Eastern and Western Europe. So, Anca taught herself jazz by listening to tapes and vinyl albums. These were very hard to find back then!
When she was 18, she married Virgiliu Parghel. They had two sons, Ciprian and Tudor. Both of her sons grew up to become jazz musicians, just like their mom!
Teaching and Inspiring Others
Before becoming a professional singer, Anca Parghel taught music. She worked at an arts high school in Suceava, a city in northern Romania. In the early 1990s, she lived in Bucharest. Then, in 1997, she moved to Brussels, Belgium.
In Brussels, Anca became a professor of vocal jazz. She taught at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and the Lemmensinstituut in Leuven from 1997 to 2002. She lived in Brussels for eight years before returning to Romania around 2005.
Anca was a dedicated teacher. Her college paper was even about the improvisation of the famous jazz musician Charlie Parker. She taught many students who wanted to become singers and professional musicians. She also led many music workshops across Europe, helping young artists learn and grow.
Performing and Collaborating
Anca Parghel was a very talented jazz pianist. She often performed "one-woman shows," where she played the piano and sang at the same time. She also wrote her own jazz songs, including the lyrics. She frequently arranged music for Big Band orchestras. She often performed with the Romanian Big Band in Bucharest.
Anca toured a lot in Europe, playing in jazz clubs in countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland. She also performed in Canada, including the Rimouski Jazz Festival in 2003. She even made some appearances in the United States.
She performed and recorded with many well-known jazz artists. Some of these famous musicians include Aldo Romano, Archie Shepp, Billy Hart, Larry Coryell, and Tomasz Stanko. She even made surprise late-night appearances at jazz clubs in New York City, playing with local bands.
In 2007, Anca Parghel recorded an electro-pop album. She submitted a song called "Brasil" for the Eurovision contest in 2008. The song wasn't chosen for Eurovision, but "Brasil" became very popular in Romania and other parts of Europe.
Anca Parghel passed away in Timișoara on December 5, 2008, after a serious illness. She had performed on stage just one month before she died. She was buried in the "Artists' Alley" at Bellu Cemetery in Bucharest, near other famous Romanian artists.
Discography
- Tinerii dansează (Electrecord, 1986)
- Soul, My Secret Place (Blue Flame, 1987)
- Magic Bird (with Mircea Tiberian) (Electrecord, 1990)
- Indian Princess (Blue Flame, 1990)
- Octet Ost (Amadeo, 1990)
- Ron und Tania ([[Polydor Records|Polyd91)
- Is That So? (Koala, 1992)
- Airballoon (Nabel, 1992)
- Beautiful Colours (Nabel, 1993)
- Carpathian Colours (Nabel, 1994)
- Jazz, My Secret Soul (Intercont, 1994)
- Noapte albă de crăciun/White Christmas Night (Prima Club, 1994)
- Indian Princess (Jazz Specials Edition) (Miramar 1995)
- Midnight Prayer (Intercont, 1996)
- Primal Sound (Acoustic Music, 1999)
- Zamorena (feat. Tom Boxer; Roton, 2008)
- Brasil (Re-release of Zamorena feat. Tom Boxer and Fly Project; Roton, 2009)
