Liviu Borlan was born on July 7th, 1936 in the village called Sanislau, Satu Mare County, in an intellectual family. His father was an acclaimed lawyer and his mother a piano teacher. She instilled his love for music and with her he began studying piano at age of 4.
After graduating high school in 1954, at the urging of his family, he attended Law classes at the University “Babes-Bolyai ” in Cluj Napoca and obtained Graduation Diploma. He then returned to his first love – music – and attended Conservatory classes in Cluj Napoca (today the Academy of Music “Gheorghe Dima”) at the Faculty of Composition, Conducting and Teaching. He had the privilege of studying with renowned teachers like Toduţă Sigismund, Ţăranu Cornel, Dorin Pop, Tudor Jarda, and many other personalities of the art of composition. In 1965 he obtained the degree in Conducting and Teaching and after that the degree in Composition at the Conservatory of Bucharest, Department of Choral Music – teacher Mrs. Irina Odăgescu-Ţuţuianu.
In September 1966, he settled in Baia Mare, where he carried on his entire activity, along which he had various positions like: inspector in the Department of Culture at the Regional People’s Hall, conductor of “Songs and Dances Ensemble Maramures” harmony, counterpoint, musical forms and aesthetics professor at School of Art in Baia Mare, methodist in County Board Unions, instructor at the County Guidance Center of Popular Creation Maramures.
He performed a series of radio and television recordings and was the conductor of “Transylvania” Ensemble in Baia Mare. Together with them he went in several highly successful tours in Hungary (1990), Greece (1991), Moldova and Spain (1992). He also performed with amateur bands in tours in Yugoslavia and Poland (1970), USSR (1975), Switzerland (1976), France and the USA (1978). He made many tours with Folk Ensemble “Mara” in Sighet, too.
Thanks to its composition and creation, in 1970, he became a member of the Composers’ Union of Romania.
Liviu Borlan, the most representative composer of Maramures of the second half of the 20th century, illustrious conductor and teacher, died on October 5th 1994.
Being a prestigious personality in music, Liviu Borlan marked and influenced many budding artists.
The Folk School of Arts where he professed was named after him in sign of gratitude and remembrance.
Bibliography:
Cosma, Viorel – Musicians from Romania, Thesaurus bio-bibliographic, vol 1. – Editura Muzicală, București, 1989
Vaida, Simion – Graiul Maramureșului ,In memoriam, Liviu Borlan or song about the song, 6 December 2004
Sabău, Valeriu – Liviu Borlan – Neighbor with laughter and crying
Portase, Alec – Composer Liviu Borlan was honored by his former colleagues
Antoniu, Paul – Graiul Maramuresului, About the man and the artist Liviu Borlan, 7 iunie 2009
