The final concert of the 2008 / 2009 Enescu Society's concert season brings together two renowned Romanian-born musicians: violinist Remus Azoitei and pianist Eduard Stan.
They will perfom Sonata no 2 in F minor by George Enescu, alongside with famous Bach Chaconne, Beethoven Spring Sonata and Chausson's Poeme.
Hailed as "an uninhibited virtuoso, with soul and fabulous technique" by The Strad, the Romanian-born violinist Remus Azoitei has performed as a soloist in Europe, North America and Japan. He studied with Itzhak Perlman and Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School in New York, as well as Maurice Hasson at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Remus Azoitei has appeared in the Music Festivals of Yokosuka, Cambridge, London, Heidelberg, Paris, Santander, Munich and Bucharest, among others. After his London Wigmore Hall debut in 2004, the Sunday Express wrote that "he delivered a memorable programme in front of a packed Wigmore Hall, and had the crowd cheering. He is one fine musician." He has recorded for the Electrecord, Radio Bremen, and Hanssler Classics. In the 2009 Enescu Festival, Remus will be a soloist of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, conducted by Dmitri Kitaenko. In 2007, Remus Azoitei released together with pianist Eduard Stan the entire repertoire for violin and piano by George Enescu, a world premiere project. Launched by Hanssler Classics on 2 CDs, this collection has immediately attracted international acclaim. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung names it a "phenomenal recording" and The Strad states that "Azoitei has all the requirements: marked sensitivity, a sweetness of tone (but not over-succulence) and an impressive emotional and dynamic range". "Interpretational mastery!" (Fono-Forum-Germany), "Assured performance, enthralling reading, a superb disc" (International Record Review), "One can not wish for a more authentic interpretation" (Musik & Theater-Switzerland), "Grand virtuosity" (La Scena Musicale - Canada) are only a fraction of the praise received by this CDs. Remus is sharing his busy concert schedule with the one of teaching. He was appointed violin professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2001, becoming the youngest ever violin professor in the history of this institution. He is playing on a 1753 Niccolo Gagliano violin from the Academy Collection.
Together with Eduard Stan, he will also perform a tour of 25 recitals around Europe and New York, presenting works by Enescu and Brahms, a project supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute.
Pianist Eduard Stan is hailed as an "enormously sensitive pianist with an extraordinary flexible culture of touch, perfect technique as well as a great understanding of music" by the German Weser-Kurier. After Karl-Heinz Kammerling noticed his talent, it was Arie Vardi who became Eduard's main mentor at the Academy of Music and Drama in Hanover, where he obtained his Master's Degree. Praised by Vardi as "a successful combination of a Romanian soul with musical sensitivity grown on German spiritual ground", he also benefited from the advice of Herbert Blomstedt, Matthias Goerne, Karl Engel, Boris Berman and Paul Badura-Skoda. A top prize-winner at international competitions in Cologne, Hamburg and Brunswick, Eduard Stan has appeared at festivals including Massenet (France), Mid-Europe (The Czech Republic), Bourglinster (Luxemburg), Brunswick Classix (Germany) and the Festival of Romanian Music (Romania). He has performed across Europe and the US, including major concerts at the Berlin Philharmonie, Musikhalle Hamburg, Salt Lake City Temple Square and PUC California. Eduard Stan has been a teacher at the Lubeck Academy of Music between 2000-2007. As the founder and artistic director of the Enescu-Festival Heidelberg/Mannheim, he was awarded in 2005 the Enescu Medal from the Romanian Cultural Institute for his merits as a promoter of Enescu's music. His projects include his debut at Flagey Hall in Bruxelles, the Philharmonie in Luxemburg, as well as a tour Australia and New Zealand in 2009. Together with violinist Remus Azoitei, he recorded the entire repertoire for violin and piano by George Enescu, a world premiere project coming in two CD volumes, released by Hanssler in 2007.
The Enescu Society was established by the Romanian Cultural Institute in 2007 under the Royal Patronage of HRH Princess Margarita of Romania.
The Institute runs the Enescu Society Concerts Season from October to June, on the first Thursday of each month. The concert stage of the Institute hosts outstanding musicians performing George Enescu's music alongside an international repertoire.
From September 2009 the Romanian Cultural Institute awards the Enescu Society sholarship to a student at the Royal Academy of Music.
When: Thursday, 4 June 2009, 7-9 pm;
Where: Romanian Cultural Institute, London
Admission is free but places are limited. Early booking is well recommended.
Please reserve your seats at T: 020 7752 0134, E: office@icr-london.co.uk.
Latecomers will be able to go to their seats in the interval.
