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Mihai Craioveanu Returns to Carnegie Hall;
Concert at Hope Will Offer Preview

Posted February 25, 2003

HOLLAND -- Mihai Craioveanu, violinist, and professor of music at Hope College, has been invited for a return concert at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, on Sunday, March 23. He will be accompanied by pianist Irina Kats.

Craioveanu will present West Michigan with a preview of the concert on Sunday, March 9, at 2 p.m. through the college's Faculty Recital Series in Dimnent Memorial Chapel, located on College Avenue at 12th Street.

The public is invited to the Hope concert. Admission is free.

Hailed as "stunning...brilliant", Mihai Craioveanu has concertized to great acclaim throughout Europe and North America. Renowned musicians Radu Lupu, pianist, and Jamie Laredo, violinist, describe him as "very impressive" and a "superb violinist." Critics described his Carnegie Recital Hall debut in January of 2002 as "fresh and distinguished with a keen appreciation of proper style."

Craioveanu has performed sold-out concerts in legendary concert halls, such as Carnegie Recital Hall in New York, Palau de la Musica in Barcelona and Atheneum in Bucharest. He has performed on the internationally televised "Hour of Power" program at the renowned Crystal Cathedral in California, and on the television program "Joy of Music" hosted by the famed organist Diane Bish, broadcast nationally in the United States and worldwide.

He has appeared at renowned international music festivals such as Edinburgh (Scotland), Banff (Canada), and Bodensee (Germany). His performances have been broadcast on major American television networks, as well as on European and Australian television. He has been featured on the international radio stations Free Europe and Voice of America.

Craioveanu's interest in contemporary music lead to world-premiere performances of several works written for him by American composers. His first compact disc recording of violin masterpieces titled "Introducing Violinist Mihai Craioveanu," was presented to the public during his highly acclaimed concert tour of Spain. The disc is featured on various radio stations around the globe, and is currently distributed worldwide by Amazon.com.

Craioveanu is also active as a guest conductor. He recently conducted to great reviews the Brasov State Philharmonic in Romania, as well as the National Moldavian Chamber Orchestra. Craioveanu was music director and conductor of the Holland (Mich.) Symphony Orchestra.

Born in the Transylvanian city of Sibiu, Romania, Craioveanu is an active promoter of his native land's musical heritage. At the invitation of the Romanian Ambassador to the United States, Mihai Craioveanu performed highly praised concerts for world dignitaries in Washington, D.C. He was also invited to perform at the official opening of the Romanian Cultural Center in New York City, as well as at the historic International Congress of the American- Romanian Academy of Arts and Sciences in the former Soviet republic of Moldova. Craioveanu has returned to Romania many times to be an active part of its musical scene, performing as soloist with well known orchestras such as the Bucharest National Radio Orchestra in a national live television and radio broadcast, Transylvania Philharmonic Orchestra, and Moldavia Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.

Much in demand as an artist teacher, Craioveanu has given guest concerts and master classes at major music schools including Northwestern University, Interlochen Arts Academy, University of Illinois, University of Nevada, University of Iowa, the Ohio State University, Bucharest National University of Music and the International Summer Master Classes at the University of Transylvania in Romania.

Craioveanu was educated at the Conservatory of Music in Bucharest, and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, where he studied on a British Council scholarship and was the winner of the coveted international Concert Recital Diploma. In addition, Craioveanu was awarded scholarships to study at the International Summer Music Institute at the Franz Liszt Conservatory in Weimar, Germany, and the International Summer Music Festival in Brussels, Belgium.

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