Mendelssohn D minor Violin Concerto

This past July I have performed Mendelssohn's D minor Violin Concerto with the Endless Mountain Music Festival Orchestra in Mansfield University's Steadmann Theatre under the baton of Stephen Gunzenhauser.
As a funny story, the concert was almost canceled... In the first rehearsal after the first couple of measures, it became clear that the orchestra had the wrong parts. They were from a different Mendelssohn Concerto, also in D minor but for Violin, Piano and Orchestra...
Late in the night after we realized there wasn't enough time to have the proper parts shipped from the rental company in Philadelphia, my wife Victoria managed to find a general score on a russian website. Than the librarians did a wonderful job overnight, cutting and pasting from the general score and creating parts. In the end the audience was very enthusiastic and this opening gala concert for the festival was a success.

Gil Shaham Master Class

This past June I was one of the few fortunate to be nominated to play in a Master Class organized by the Kansas City Symphony for the great Gil Shaham.
It was a wonderful experience starting with the fabulous venue which is the newly built Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the five star service before the event which included a warm up cabin with my name on the door, a very warm crowd of about 500 and of course the treat and privilege to interact and learn from one of the musicians I admire the most.
One of the things that impressed me was to discover humbleness and sincerity in all he spoke.
The video that we posted on YouTube gathered 60,000 in the first week. That I did not expect!!! I hope you'll enjoy this music making session.
Many thanks to my great pianist and wife Victoria for her support and beautiful playing and to our good friend Dadja for doing such a terrific job with the video recording.
Cheers.

The Sibiu Hermannstadt International Music Festival

Recently I've been invited to participate as concertmaster in the first edition of the Sibiu Hermannstadt International Music Festival which took place in Romania. It was a pleasure to be there and play under the baton of Maestro Christian Badea as well as seeing my family after two years of absence. Here is a nice article in english about this Festival and couple of photos:

Radio Romania Muzical - A new Festival in Sibiu

Rehearsing with Maestro Badea 

The beautiful Catholic Cathedral from Sibiu, our concert venue 

Maestro Badea together with my mother Iuliea Nicolae and me 

Photos from the concert 

Live performance @ Kansas Public Radio

Here is the link from a live performance and interview done at the Kansas Public Radio Live Studio:

KPR Live Studio

Artist Diploma Graduate Recital

Upcoming Engagements 2013

Benefit Chamber Music Concert for the Korean Community in Kansas City

Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Program: Mendelssohn Trio and Scott Joplin Rags

Date: February 16, 24

Solo Performance at the Economic Development Summit Marshall-Saline

Location: Marshall, Missouri

Program: Sarasate - Carmen Fantasy, Dinicu - Hora Staccato, Sousa - Stars and Stripes
Date: February 20

Violin Recital in the Music at Maryville Concert Series, Maryville University

Location: Saint-Louis, Missouri

Program: Prokofiev - Sonata no.2, Sousa - Stars and Stripes, Sarasate - Carmen Fantasy, 

Williams - Scent of a Woman

Date: April 7

Artist Diploma Graduation Recital at Park University

Location: Parkville, MO

Program: Prokofiev - Sonata no.2, Enescu - Sonata no.3, Sarasate - Carmen Fantasy, 

Williams - Scent of a Woman, Chopin - Nocturne in C Sharp Minor

Date: April 21

Concert with the EMMF Orchestra

Location: Wellsboro, Pennsylvania

Program:  Mendelssohn Violin Concerto

Date: July 28