Gheorghe Zamfir is a Romanian composer, interpreter, and poet. He was born … Read Full Bio ↴Gheorghe Zamfir is a Romanian composer, interpreter, and poet. He was born in Gaiesti on the 6th of April in 1941. Attracted to music, he entered the Gaiesti Music School, hoping to study the accordion. Instead, he was assigned to a pan flute class where he promptly demonstrated an extraordinary ability with the instrument. In 1955 Gheorghe entered the Music School in Bucharest (the Musical High School "Dinu Lipatti today) in the class of Fanica Luca. In 1959 Gheorghe received the First Prize in a national contest. The same year, he recorded his first songs, personal compositions in a popular style with the Folkloric Orchestra of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation. Another important prize is the one from Levadia, Greece. After high school graduation in 1961, Gheorghe entered the Ciprian Porumbescu Conservatory in Bucharest. He graduated the Pedagogy section in 1966, and choir conducting with Professor D.D. Botez, as well as orchestra conducting with Iosif Conta, in 1968

In 1966 he was hired as a director of the ensemble Ciocarlia, having under his baton 300 artists , including the symphonic orchestra, the ballet ensemble, the folkloric orchestra and the soloists. In 1966 Zamfir released his first Electrecord disc, deemed his most popular authentic compositions. The famous songs Doina de Jale and "Doina ca de la Visina were included. In 1968 Gheorghe released his second disc. Between 1968 and 1970 he went on his first tour in the Federal Germany, Switzerland, URSS, China; bringing him acclaim from critics and public alike.
Gheorghe left the Ciocarlia ensemble in 1969. In 1970 he forms the traditional concert group Taraf, obtaining amazing success in Paris at Vieux Colombier in 45 recitals, playing for the first time the 4 pan flutes soprano, alto, tenor, and bass that he invented in 1968. Introducing the pan flute in all the musical styles, beginning a world sound revolution, he got spectacular comments from the greatest musicians of that time, including Sergiu Celibidache, Hanz Hollinger, Maurice Bourg, Henri Dutilleux, Pierre Boulez and others.

In 1972 creates the Pan flute-organ style, introducing new repertoires and ways of interpreting. In 1974 composes the first "Mass for the Peace" for pan flute, choir, organ and orchestra, recorded in Bucharest with the Radio Orchestra and the Madrigal choir -lead by Marin Constantin, under the baton of Paul Popescu.
In 1976, his single "Ete d'amour" becomes one of the hits of the year. In one of the tours he meets the German composer and conductor James Last, with whom Zamfir collaborated for the " Lonely Shepherd ", his second European hit. He has tours in USA at Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center, Australia, New Zeeland, Japan, Canada, South Africa, Scandinavia, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria. He gets over 90 gold and platinum disks , 4 golden discs in South Africa, 4 platinum discs in New Zeeland, 4 golden discs in Australia.
In 1981 his discs are released on the American market. Until 1985 they were sold in millions of copies in USA and Canada. In USA he gets 2 golden discs, unique event for an European artist, and in Canada, through all 5 millions of sold discs he beats all the records.

In France, Germany, Austria and Belgium, Zamfir receives titles and medals, gold and platinum discs, the Order for Cultural Merit of France, the title of officer and cavalier of France, Belgium and Luxembourg.
In 1982 he creates the first rhapsody and the first concert for pan flute that he records for Philips with the Monte Carlo Philharmonic, under the baton of Lawrence Foster. In 1984 he creates the first quintet for pan flute and string quartet called "The Poplars Quintet", that he sang with the "Oxford Quartet" in Toronto in a live radio broadcasting; he composes several chamber works that he performed with the famous quartet "Enescu" in France and Germany.
In 1986 he records his first disc with baroque repertoire, among which the Double Concert in B minor for violin and oboe by J.S.Bach with British Chamber Orchestra.
Between 1988-1990 he is received for three times at the Vatican, being the first musician that sang during the private mass of the pope John Paul the second, receiving the Vatican Medal and twice the diploma of "Don Bosco" University in Rome. He receives twice the gold medal of the French Academy Association "Art-Science and Letters" of France, twice the Prize of "Charles Cros"Academy, "The Golden Sagittarius" in Italy, gold discs in Switzerland and Germany. He goes on tours in Latin America (in Columbia receives the Commander's order from the President ) in Ecuador and Venezuela he is invited for a great advertising campaign for a film using one of his own musical themes. He collaborated at the recording of the music of "Picnic at Hainging Rock", "Once upon a time in America" and "Karate Kid", in Australia, in Italy and Hollywood by the Paramount Company.

After 1990 he returns in Romania and continues his concerts and tours in France, Switzerland, and especially in Turkey where he is declared the most popular composer and artist of the XXth century. Author of over 300 works in the folkloric, chamber, choral, vocal, instrumental and symphonic style, Gheorghe Zamfir has a rich activity as a professor at the National University of Music in Bucharest, where it was created the first pan flute section in the world; he continues to give concerts on the most prestigious stages with symphonic and chamber orchestras, in recitals with piano and organ, achieving the status of one of the greatest musicians of the world, and for sure the most complex Romanian artist alive.

After nearly a decade-long absence, Romanian pan flute virtuoso Gheorghe Zamfir returned to Canada in January 2006 for a seven-city tour with TRAFFIC STRINGS quintet . The program included a world premiere: Vivaldi's Four Seasons for PanFlute and string quintet arranged by Lucian Moraru, jazz standards, and well-known favourites. This Master piece was soon after the subject to an album, released by SonArt Records in may 2006.

The repertoire of G.Zamfir is one of the most varied. He contains from baroque and classic composers like Bach, Corelli, Vivaldi, Telemann, Schubert, Schumann, Puccini, to contemporary known composers like Lennon, McCartney, Billy Joel and Elton John. We must also remember his own compositions, beginning with concerts for orchestra and pan flute, to simple songs reflecting the Romanian popular tradition:
- "Gloria", 1975
- "The breath of time", 1974
- "Colors of autumn"
- "Romantic Impression"(for pan flute and piano), 1988
- "Homage to J.S. Bach" (recorded for Philips with the pianist Georges Reboul, Paris, 1973)
- "Green Waltz"
- "Black Waltz"
- "Lyric Symphony"
Gheorghe Zamfir also published 3 volumes of poetry, 2 volumes of essays, an autobiographical book and had 4 painting exhibitions in the country and abroad. He is also involved in the actions of a foundation having his name, and who serves generous humanitarian and cultural purposes.

The Shadow Of Your Smile
Gheorghe Zamfir Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The shadow of your smile
When you have gone
Will color all my dreams
And light the dawn

Look into my eyes my love and see
All the lovely things you are to me

Our wistful little star
It was far, too high
A teardrop kissed your lips
And so did I

Now when I remember spring
All the joys that love can bring

I will be remembering
The shadow of your smile

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "The Shadow of Your Smile" by Gheorghe Zamfir are a beautiful expression of a person's undying love for someone who has left. The song starts with the phrase 'The shadow of your smile', indicating that the person's smile has left a lasting impact on the singer's mind. The lyrics mention that even after the person has gone, the memory of their smile will continue to color all the singer's dreams and light the dawn. It encapsulates the idea that the person's smile has become an integral part of the singer's life.

The next verse is even more emotional, with the singer asking their love to look into their eyes and see how much they mean to them. The phrase 'All the lovely things you are to me' highlights the singer's adoration for the person they love. The song then moves on to recall a previous moment where their 'wistful little star' was too high, and they both shared a teardrop kiss.

The final verse of the song speaks of the singer's memories of spring and all the joys that love can bring, with the key phrase being 'the shadow of your smile.' The song ends by alluding to the idea that even though their love has gone, the shadow of their smile stays with them, reminding the singer of their love and the beautiful moments they shared together.

Line by Line Meaning

The shadow of your smile
The memory of your smile will remain with me

When you have gone
After you have left

Will color all my dreams
Will influence my dreams and memories

And light the dawn
And bring a glimmer of hope for the future

Look into my eyes my love and see
Please see how I feel with just one look

All the lovely things you are to me
You are everything beautiful to me

Our wistful little star
Our mutual longing or regret

It was far, too high
Our dream was too far out of reach

A teardrop kissed your lips
A symbol of our shared sadness

And so did I
I also cried

Now when I remember spring
When I recall that time in the past