Christian Florya
It is one of the largest classical music festivals in the world. It will take place from August 24 to September 21. The festival’s director, world-renowned conductor Cristian Machelaru, has included many premieres in the program, inviting more than 4,000 artists from 28 countries, including the best (no exaggeration) orchestras, conductors and soloists on the planet.
In Chisinau on August 21, works by G. Enescu, B. Britten, Moldovan composer C. Rusnac and others will be performed. This concert marks not only the beginning of a new season at the Organ Hall, but also the recognition of the musical importance of the National Chamber Orchestra at the international level, thanks to its participation in one of the most important cultural events in Europe, this year for the fourth time.
Cristian Florea performs on the international music scene as cellist, conductor, artistic director, teacher and impresario. Born in Sibiu (Romania), he was a student at the G. Enescu Music Lyceum in Bucharest and at the age of 15 made his debut as a soloist at the Romanian Ateneum, Bucharest’s main concert hall. He continued his studies at the C. Porumbescu Conservatory of Music and later received an honorary degree at the Freiburg im Breisgau Conservatory in Germany.
In 1986 Cristian Florea founded the Freiburg Chamber Orchestra, and a couple of years later he became director and conductor of the Sibiu State Philharmonic, contributing significantly to the development of the local musical infrastructure. In 1992 he founded the European Symphony Orchestra, with which he realized numerous projects in Spain and France, collaborating with such famous artists as José Carreras, Monserrat Caballé and Plácido Domingo. He has also worked with symphony orchestras from Spain, Romania, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, the USA and Mexico.
Cristian Florea has been the principal conductor of the National Chamber Orchestra of Moldova at the Organ Hall for more than two decades. The musician is also known for his teaching activities, master classes and mentoring for young performers. In addition, he participates in the organization of major music festivals and events, contributing to the enrichment of the European cultural landscape.
Ilian Girnets was born in St. Petersburg in 1983 into a creative family. He began his musical education in violin class at the Republican Musical Boarding Lyceum named after C. Porumbescu. C. Porumbescu with the famous teacher Galina Buinovskaya, continued at the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts with Professor Boris Dubossarsky, where he received a master’s degree. Later he studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Alexander Vinnitsky and at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels with Igor Oistrakh, and attended master classes with Yehudi Menuhin, Robert Schroeder and other maestros.
He has won numerous national and international competitions, most of which he won first prize or Grand Prix. In 2008 he won one of the most prestigious international competitions named after Tibor Varga in Switzerland (First Prize and Audience Award). And the III prize at the most colorful Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium in 2009 made him famous all over the world.
At the age of 26 Ilian Girnets becomes the youngest holder of the honorary title “People’s Artist” of Moldova. He tours extensively, performing with the best orchestras in the world. He plays on a violin made by Guadanini in 1773.
