Phenomenal National Symphony Orchestra of Romania on First US Tour

The most famous Romanian symphonic ensemble begins an American mega tour, which will take this unique group, led by cello player MARIN CAZACU, from Florida to New York and from Michigan to New Jersey in what is expected to be one of the biggest Romanian cultural presences in the US for decades. Acclaimed all over the world for its assured sound and youthful passion, the orchestra will be conducted by Romanian-American musical rising star CRISTIAN MĂCELARU. The two-week tour, endorsed by the famous composer and trumpet player WYNTON MARSALIS, is organized by Primo Artists with the support of the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, The Ministry of Culture of Romania and several partners in Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Michigan.

Concerts Schedule:

January 6, Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Miami, Florida

January 7, Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers, Florida

January 8, Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Gainesville, Florida

January 11&12, Rose Theater, Lincoln Center, New York City

January 13, Wharton Center for the Arts, Detroit, Michigan

January 16, State Theater, New Brunswick, New Jersey

Created by renowned cellist and Professor Marin Cazacu in 2008, the ROMANIAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA, of which the National Symphony Orchestra of Romania is the latest avatar, quickly established itself as the most admired Romanian symphonic ensemble as well as one of the world’s most amazing orchestras. Under the artistic leadership of conductor Cristian Mandeal, RYO has attracted the best and brightest of Romanian musical schools. Technical brilliance and pure joy of performing have made an event from every new concert, catapulting RYO to a notoriety unmatched by any other Romanian symphonic ensemble. Throughout the years, the orchestra has performed under the baton of notable conductors and alongside sought-after soloists like Bogdan Băcanu, Sarah Chang, Amanda Forsyth, David Garrett, Stefan Geiger, Andrei Ioniță, Kristjan Järvi, Roman Kim, Elizabeth Leonskaja, Ivan Ludlow, Plamena Mangova, Valentina Naforniță, Olga Pasichnyk, Wave Quartet, Peter Sadlo, Olga Scheps, Emmanuel Séjourné, Aleksey Semenenko, and Pinchas Zukerman. RYO, who comprises more than 80 young artists, has offered sold-out concerts in first-rate events such as George Enescu International Festival and Ravello Festival and on prestigious musical stages such as L’Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, the Konzerthaus Berlin, and the Berlin Philharmonic.

Born in 1956, Marin Cazacu studied cello at the Bucharest Conservatoire with Professors Serafim Antropov and Aurel Niculescu. He later improved his musical skills in Weimar with Professor Mező László. Since 1983, he has been a soloist of the George Enescu Philharmonic and has also performed in different chamber music ensembles together with prestigious artists like Vladimir Orlov, Valentin Gheorghiu, Radu Aldulescu, Mihaela Martin, Mirel Iancovici, Ilia Grubert, Jeremy Menuhin. Cazacu is the founder of Cellissimo Quartet, a member of the Pro Arte Trio and a collaborator of the Voces Quartet. From 1992, he has been a Professor at the Bucharest National University of Music. In 2004, he was granted the Cultural Merit Order of Romania in the rank of Knight. In 2008, he founded the Romanian Youth Orchestra. Cazacu is a laureate of international competitions held in Geneva, Markneukirchen, Leipzig, Bologna, and Belgrade.

Newly appointed Chief Conductor Designate of the WDR Sinfonieorchester, Cristian Măcelaru is one of the fast-rising stars of the conducting world. He is Music Director and Conductor of the internationally renowned Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music as well as Conductor-in-Residence of the legendary Philadelphia Orchestra. He was born in Timișoara, where he started his musical education. Later, his studies took him to Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, University of Miami in Florida and Rice University in Houston, where he studied conducting with Larry Rachleff. He then deepened his knowledge at Tanglewood Music Center and Aspen Music Festival in masterclasses with David Zinman, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Oliver Knussen and Stefan Asbury. Măcelaru attracted international attention for the first time in 2012, when he stepped into the breach with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, deputizing for Pierre Boulez. In the same year, he received the “Solti Emerging Conductor Award” for young conductors, a prestigious honor only awarded once before in the Foundation’s history, followed in 2014 by the “Solti Conducting Award”. Since then, he has performed regularly on the podium of the best American orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, and National Symphony Orchestra.