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Remus Azoitei ~ Violin
Alex Galmeanu
Described in The Strad as "an uninhibited virtuoso, with soul and fabulous technique", the Romanian-born violinist Remus Azoitei graduated from the Juilliard School in New York in 2001. He gave his concerto debut at the age of 8, and has since performed as a soloist with prestigious Romanian and European ensembles including the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra, London Musical Arts Orchestra and Deutsche Kammer Orchester, appearing under conductors such as Lawrence Foster, Dimitri Kitaenko, Michael Sanderling and Gabriel Chmura. Remus Azoitei has performed in venues such as Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center and CAMI Hall (New York), St-Martin-in-the-Fields and Wigmore Hall (London), also appearing in the Music Festivals of Yokosuka, Cambridge, London, Heidelberg, Paris, Santander, Munich and Bucharest, among others. Remus has been broadcast on the BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, Classic FM, Romanian Cultural Channel, as well as on Concert FM in New Zealand. He has worked with artists such as David Geringas, Gerard Caussé, Nicola Eimer, Konstantin Lifshitz and Adrian Brendel. 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." In 2005, he performed the Bach Double concerto with Nigel Kennedy, concert broadcast on 19 TV and Radio stations across Europe and North America, including Arte and Mezzo. He has recorded for the Electrecord, Radio Bremen, and Hanssler Classics. In 2005 he received "The Cultural Order", a decoration offered to him for his achievements by the Romanian President. Over the years, Remus Azoitei has developed a successful artistic partnership with pianist Eduard Stan. Apart from a very large number of performances they have given as a duo, the two artists recorded together the first ever entire repertoire for violin and piano by George Enescu. Launched by Hanssler Classics on 2 CDs in 2007, this collection has immediately attracted international acclaim, such as: "Azoitei has all the requirements: marked sensitivity, a sweetness of tone (but not over-succulence) and an impressive emotional and dynamic range..." (The Strad), or "...the refined but vibrant performing style of Remus Azoitei... a distinctive player who combines temperament, mastery of idiom and executive elegance in a very special way" (The Gramophone). Remus Azoitei studied with Dorothy DeLay, Masao Kawasaki and Itzhak Perlman at the Juilliard School in New York, obtaining his Masters Degree under full scholarship. His teachers also included Daniel Podlovsky at the Bucharest Conservatoire and Maurice Hasson at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He is a winner of international violin competitions in Bucharest, Milan, Weimar and Wellington, NZ. In 2001, Remus Azoitei was appointed violin professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London, becoming the youngest ever violin professor in the history of this institution. He is the Artistic Director of the Enescu Society in London, also being one of its founding members. Future projects in 2009 include his debut as a soloist of the Orchestre National de Belgique in Brussels under Julian Reynolds, as well as a tour of 15 recitals around Europe, Washington DC and New York (Carnegie Hall WRH), presenting works by Enescu and Brahms together with pianist Eduard Stan, a project supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute. Remus Azoitei lives in London, and he performs on a violin made by Niccolo Gagliano in 1735, from the RAM collection. |