Florin Croitoru - George Lopez - Susan Chan
Florin Croitoru, violin
The Romanian violinist Florin Croitoru, hailed as a "phenomenal soloist" with "perfect technique" in the Austrian papers, after his debut with the Vienna Philharmonic and Christoph von Dohnanyi, has appeared in recitals and as soloist with orchestras in Europe, Japan, South Africa and recently in the US, in over 400 performances, in 20 different countries.
Mr. Croitoru has also made recordings and broadcasts for various Romanian, Italian, French, Austrian, Japanese and American radio and TV stations. The national acknowledgement of Forin Croitoru's enormous talent started back in 1985, when he performed his first concert as soloist with an orchestra, followed by success after success to the point where his name is immediately associated with the notion of highest quality, a unique "golden age" type of playing, and first class performer, both national and international.
As a recitalist, Florin Croitoru has performed at the Chatelet Theater (Paris), the Concertgebouw
(Amsterdam), on concert series in Milan, Bergamo, Brescia, Torina, etc. (Italy), Hamamatsu, Kagoshima, Chofu (Japan), California, Cape Cod, Boston, New York (USA), Budapest (Hungary), and of course Romania.
Mr. Croitoru received his degree from the prestigious Music University of Bucharest, where he studied most years with Mr. Stefan Gheorghiu, a student of David Oistrakh and George Enescu. To further his career, Florin Croitoru established himself in the US, where he worked starting 1994 for one year with Mr. Victor Danchenko, also a student of Oistrakh, after that year gaining the respect, admiration and artistic recognition of American audiences as well. Teaching Master Classes in Romania 1991-1993, Chofu, Hamamatsu (Japan) - 1994, Cape Cod - MA (USA) - 1996, Easton - MA (USA) - 1997, Brattelboro - VT (USA) - 1997, Boston Conservatory - MA (USA) - 1998, Kagoshima (Japan) - 1999.
His CD recordings, include a live recital with pianist Samuel Sanders, recorded in 1997 under the auspices of "Cape & Islands Chamber Music Festival", and a World Premiere CD, entitled "The Three Violinists" (inspired by "The 3 Tenors"), recorded in 1998 with Emil Israel Chudnovsky of Russia / USA and Andrew Haveron of Great Britain.
Presently, Mr. Croitoru spends most of his time in his native Romania, due to his Doctoral research, which will introduce into the violin world a new, improved method of teaching. He has also been offered in 1998 the position of University Lecturer at the Music University of Bucharest, an honor that Mr. Croitoru accepted. As for future projects, they consist for now recording with his two friends Vol. 2 of "The Three Violinists" CD, and also recording "The Complete Works" by Fritz Kreisler on 2 CDs.
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Susan Chan
Susan Chan holds a Doctor of Music degree in piano from Indiana University and MPhil. and B.A. degrees from the University of Hong Kong. She also pursued postgraduate studies at Yale University and holds the Fellowhsip and Licentiate Performance Diplomas from Trinity College of Music, London, U.K. She actively performs both Western music as well as music from Asia and that written by women composers. She is currently Assistant Professor of Music at Washington State University and teaches piano, piano pedagogy, and music theory.
Chan performs extensively as soloist and chamber musician. She has performed in recitals and music festivals in various parts of the United States, Canada, U.K., France, Holland, Asutralia, China, Taiwan, and her native Hong Kong. Such festivals include the French Piano Institute Festival in Paris, Dartington International Music Festival in England, Holland Music Sessions in Holland, Johanessen International School of the Arts in Canada, and the Banff Music Festival. She has been guest pianist at the University of Sydney, Australia, Hong Kong University of Science and Western Washington University, and University of Kentucky. She has been featured on Northwest Public Television as well as on Radio Television Hong Kong. Among the various prizes she ahs received in competitions include first prizes in the Hong Kong Young Musicians Award, the Mozart Piano Concerto Competition at Indiana University, and the Indianapolis Matinee Musicale. She was selected to play as a soloist in the Mozart Bicentenary at Indiana University in 1991. She has recorded on the Opus One label in New York, the Yazz label, and the Hester Park label featuring piano music by French Classical women composers Villeblanche and Bigot.
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George Lopez, piano
B.M. Hartt School of Music, First prize Diplome Superieure in Piano Performance, M.M. Sweelinck Conservatory. 1992 grant from Jacques Vonk Foundation of Holland. Performances on a world tour with the Holland Music Sessions festival, giving concerts in Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. Upcoming concerts in Spain and Los Angeles.
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Florin Croitoru
Susan Chan
George Lopez
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