Mihai Răzvan Mugescu is a cultural event organizer and live music project manager involved in developing platforms and initiatives that promote Romania’s contemporary music scene. He is the Event Manager at ABY STAGE BAR in Râmnicu Vâlcea, a venue dedicated to concerts and music events held throughout the year.

He is the initiator and coordinator of the cultural phenomenon #BrezoiulLumii, as well as the Open Air Blues Festival Brezoi and the Live Music Summer Camp Brezoi project, the platform that brings together the major open-air live music festivals organized in Brezoi and that has transformed the town into a landmark destination for live music in Romania and Europe.

He is also the president of Asociația Constelații Rock, through which he coordinates, together with his team, the Constelații Rock festival-competition in Râmnicu Vâlcea, dedicated to discovering and supporting young bands, and the president of Asociația Mentor Rock, involved in cultural and educational music projects. Through these initiatives, Mihai Răzvan Mugescu contributes to the development of an active community around live music and to the creation of projects with cultural, artistic, and tourism impact.

C&B: If we were to look at the narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments that defined you?

Mihai: If I had to choose a few milestones, the first would be that I started building around live music even before there was “a plan.” I began with the simple idea that audiences deserve well-organized concerts and that there is a community looking for exactly this kind of experience — human, civilized, warm, without aggression, without “empty noise.”

A key moment was the transition from isolated concerts to recurring projects with a clear identity. Then came the emergence and growth of the events in Brezoi: from a challenge to a summer calendar that placed the town on the live music map. Another important moment was strengthening relationships with international artists and agencies — over time, through professionalism, consistency, and the way you respect your partners. And the most important common thread remains building a community: audiences that return, artists who want to come back, and a team that grows alongside the projects.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?

Mihai: Without a doubt, the hardest period was when the pandemic put not only events into question, but also people’s health, safety, and psychological balance. In moments like that, the dilemma is no longer “how do we make a bigger festival,” but rather “does it make sense to continue? how do we remain responsible and fair?”

We overcame it through adaptation and through a very pragmatic decision: not to remain stuck in complaints, but to find legal and safe ways for live music to continue. It was a period in which I learned a great deal about planning under uncertainty, communicating with audiences, protecting your team, and respecting your partners. And I realized how much community matters — people’s messages and support became real fuel.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?

Mihai: Yes, to build a place and a context where live music is experienced as something complete — not just “a concert,” but a space for connection, respect, joy, and implicit cultural education. I would like Romania to have more “islands” of normality built around music: educated audiences, civilized organization, artists treated fairly, and a community that feels safe.

My ambition is not only to bring big names, but to build a model that works, grows organically, and proves that it can be done — even in a small town — if you bring passion, discipline, and a lot of hard work.

C&B: What were you like at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you have transformed over time?

Mihai: At the beginning, I was much more “reactive”: solving problems, running around, improvising, handling things as they came. Over time, I understood that cultural projects only grow in a healthy way if you have structure: calendars, budgets, negotiations, contracts, risk scenarios, backup plans, and coherent communication.

I transformed in the sense that I became more attentive to the mechanisms: how trust is built, how quality is maintained, how an event brand is protected, and how a team stays united during difficult times. And perhaps most importantly, I learned to be patient: good things are built over years, not through “viral moments.”

C&B: If we met your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Mihai: I think they would say that I am a committed person who puts both heart and order into things. That I care about details, atmosphere, and the quality of the experience for both audiences and artists. And that when problems arise — because they always do — I look for solutions, not for people to blame.

I would also like them to say that I am a connector: that I know how to bring different people together around the same idea, make them feel part of the project, and keep the direction clear even under pressure.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made, the one that changed your trajectory?

Mihai: The most important decision was accepting that Brezoi could become a true cultural destination and investing time, energy, and risk into that direction. At some point, it was no longer about “let’s create something beautiful,” but about building a project responsibly: planning a year in advance, managing large budgets, depending on dozens of external factors, and handling logistical and financial pressure.

It was the decision to move from enthusiasm to management and from an “event” to a “phenomenon.”

C&B: How did your involvement in Live Music Summer Camp Brezoi begin, and what attracted you to this project?

Mihai: Live Music Summer Camp Brezoi emerged as an umbrella framework for a series of events that grew over time. What attracted me was the rare combination of nature, community, and live music: mountains, river, freedom, and people coming together for the same passion.

For me, Brezoi became “a second home.” That is where I feel things make sense: you build an entire summer of experiences and watch the town change, people return, artists want to come back, and audiences mature.

C&B: What is the role of a Project Coordinator in an event that combines music education with the festival experience?

Mihai: My role is to make everything function like a living organism: people, time, budgets, logistics, stage, schedule, accommodation, transport, communication, partners, authorities, volunteers. In a project that also has an educational component, you are not coordinating just a “show,” but an entire journey: workshops, meetings, and contexts in which participants genuinely learn, not just “check a box.”

And there’s another thing: you have to protect the event’s energy. You cannot let it become stressful, overcrowded, or chaotic. A successful festival is one where people feel that everything flows naturally, even though behind it there are months of work.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and which moments of the day bring you the greatest satisfaction?

Mihai: My day looks different depending on the season. During preparation periods, there is a lot of organization: phone calls, emails, negotiations, contracts, budgets, technical plans, and solving dozens of micro-problems. During events, there is a lot of on-site coordination and quick reaction.

The greatest satisfaction comes when I see that the artist leaves happy, the audience is happy, and the team feels they created something meaningful. And honestly, there are moments that cannot really be described: the exchange of energy between artist and audience, the applause that “lifts” the stage, the feeling that you created a place where people are kinder to each other.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them every day?

Mihai: Professionalism and respect. Respect for artists (conditions, communication, fairness), for audiences (safety, comfort, quality), and for the team (clarity, predictability, support). Consistency: not lowering standards just because “it works anyway.” And the idea of being a host: to be good hosts — people feel that, and it makes the difference.

Applying these principles is simple, but difficult: you plan ahead, you double-check, you do not promise what you cannot deliver, you fix things when you make mistakes, you learn, and then you start again, better than before.

C&B: How does Live Music Summer Camp Brezoi contribute to the development of young musicians in Romania?

Mihai: First of all, it offers them a real context. Not just a stage and applause, but direct contact with professionals, with standards, with the discipline of a major event: sound, scheduling, backstage, communication, responsibility.

Secondly, it gives them a community: they meet people who live for music, make friends, and gain confidence. And perhaps most importantly, it shows them that something beautiful can be built in Romania, without cynicism and without toxic compromises.

C&B: If you were to send a message to people who follow your example, what would it be?

Mihai: Not to wait for the “perfect moment” or the “ideal support.” If you feel you can build something good, start with what you have, where you are, with the people who believe in you. In live culture, things are built over time: step by step, through work, patience, and a healthy stubbornness to do things properly.

And one more thing: respect your audience and your artists. Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose, but it is the foundation of any project that wants to last.

Through the projects developed in Brezoi and Râmnicu Vâlcea, Mihai Răzvan Mugescu contributes to strengthening a community built around live music and transforming cultural events into experiences with artistic, social, and tourism impact.

The post Mihai Răzvan Mugescu – on #BrezoiulLumii, live music festivals and building a cultural community appeared first on careers-business.com.