Romanian Pianist Daniel Ciobanu To Make American Debut At Weill Recital Hall At Carnegie Hall

The young Romanian pianist Daniel Ciobanu will be presented in solo recital by the American Friends of the Arthur Rubinstein International Music Society, Thursday evening, October 18, 2018, 7 pm at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall (154 W 57th St, New York, NY 10019). Mr. Ciobanu was awarded the Second Prize and Audience Favorite Prize at the 2017 Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel-Aviv, Israel; his program will include works by Enescu, Mussorgsky, Scriabin, and Stravinsky.

This recital is part of a larger initiative produced by the American Friends, which gives first, second, and third prize winners the opportunity to debut in recital in New York. Founded in 1973 in honor of the late pianist Arthur Rubinstein, the competition is com­mitted to attaining standards of the highest order and is an interna­tional forum for presenting talented, aspiring young pianists and fostering their artistic careers.

The complete program follows:

G. Enescu "Carillon Nocturne" from Suite No. 3 Op. 19, Pièces Impromptues

M. Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition

A. Scriabin Prelude in E Major, Op. 11 No. 9
Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 11 No. 10
Prelude in B Major, Op. 11 No. 11

I. Stravinsky The Firebird Suite selections (arr. G. Agosti)

Tickets from $35 to $50 are available for purchase at: https://www.carnegiehall.org/calendar/2018/10/18/daniel-ciobanu-piano-0700pm | CarnegieCharge 212-247-7800 | Box Office at 57th St and 7th Ave.

The noted young Romanian pianist Daniel Ciobanu has been lauded for his exquisite tonal control, persuasive interpretative skills, and passionate approach to the keyboard. The recipient of numerous prizes, he most recently won Second Prize and Audience Favorite Prize at the 2017 Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel Aviv, Israel; First Prize and Special Prize for best Classical Sonata at the UNISA International Piano Competition in Pretoria, South Africa; First Grand Prix, Audience Favorite, and Orchestra Favorite at the Morocco Philharmonic International Piano Concerto Competition, and First Prize at the 2016 BDNES International Piano Competition held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Mr. Ciobanu has appeared as soloist with international orchestras, including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Israel Camerata Jerusalem, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Romania's Mihail Jora Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre Cergy Pontoise, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Symphony Orchestra, Moroccan Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of Pretoria, Orquestra Sinfonica do Brazil, and the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra, South Africa.

As recitalist, Mr. Ciobanu has concertized at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria; the Aldwell Center in Jerusalem; the Bronfman Auditorium in Tel-Aviv, Israel; the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town, South Africa; the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Tsinghua University in Beijing, China; the Kasbah of Maison Arabe in Marrakech, Morocco; Théâtre 95 and Salle Cortot in Paris, France; the Chapelle Musicale de Tournai in Brussels; and London's Royal Festival Hall. Scottish appearances include performances in Inverness, Isle of Man, Lanark, Musselbrough, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.

During his studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as the recipient of an ABRSM Postgraduate Scholarship, Mr. Ciobanu won First Prize at the Moray National Piano Competition and was selected by Lang Lang to perform along in his famous "100 Pianos" show at the Royal Festival Hall in London.

Mr. Ciobanu began studying piano at the age of nine in his native Romania studying under Cosma Magdolna, Aaron Shorr, and Steven Osborne, and has participated over the years in masterclasses with Idil Biret, Ian Fountain, Petras Geniušas, Richard Goode, Steven Osborne, and Pascal Rogé.

Founded in 1980, the Arthur Rubinstein International Music Society seeks to promote the art of the piano and the legacy of Maestro Arthur Rubinstein through its Piano Master Competition, held in Tel-Aviv, Israel every three years since 1974. Conceived by Jan Jacob Bistritzky in the spirit of this legend­ary pianist, the Competition is com­mitted to attaining standards of the highest order and is a valid interna­tional forum for presenting talented, aspiring young pianists and fostering their artistic careers.

Notable winners of the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition include renowned pianists Emanuel Ax, Gerhard Oppitz, Angela Cheng, Alexander Korsantia, Kirill Gerstein, Alexander Gavrylyuk; Igor Levit, Khatia Buniatishvili, Boris Giltburg, Daniil Trifonov, among others.

Israeli Pianist Idith Zvi has served as Artistic Director of the competition since 2003. These contests have been recognized as significant additions to the development of Israeli cultural life and received international praise for musical excellence and the promotion of the careers of young artists.