It is no coincidence that Miercurea Ciuc took up the task of supporting the revival of the antiquity decades ago, since in the 17th century, such a culture-forming, influential personality as Joannes Kájoni (1629-1687) lived and worked in the monastic order of Șumuleu-Ciuc, which belonged to the town.
Early music is understood by its organisers as music of bygone eras - the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Baroque - performed on period instruments or on authentic copies of period instruments in the style of period performance.
The festival was banned during the dictatorship of 1986-89, but was re-launched after the change of regime, jointly organised by the local and county councils.
In recent years, the festival has attracted performers from many European countries, including some of the most prominent European masters of early music.
The festival also provides further training for musicians: from 2008, it will include the Early Music Summer University, with instrumental master classes and lectures.
Since 2008, the Festival has been a member of the European Network of Early Music Festivals (REMA, http://www.rema-eemn.net/eng/)
András Mérey, artist, designed the image of the festivals of the 1980s. To honour his memory, the organisers have chosen a young boy playing the flute as the emblematic figure of the festival.
