Biography

Ioana Maria Lupascu

| |

Biography

Photo:Daniel Lare

Concert soloist of Ploiesti " Paul Constantinescu" Philharmonic Orchestra , she was born in Romania in September 1977 . She started playing piano by the age of 4 and her first recital took place by the age of 6 .

She graduated the Conservatory of Bucharest ( the same institute that is called now The National Music University of Romania ; but she took her diplomma at the National Music University "G.Enescu" Iasi with maximum votes ) .

She continued her studies by starting the Master at Conservatoire du Lausanne ( Switzerland ) - Virtuosity Level with Prof. J.F.Antonioli . And in January 2001 she became student of Maestro Lazar Berman at Accademia Europea di Musica ( Italy ) .

In 2004 she graduated the Master in Piano Soloistic with Maestro Lazar Berman at Accademia Europea di Musica , but she continued working with the Maestro until his death , in February 2005 .

She has also worked and was influenced by Valentina Berman and Lucia Teodorescu .

With Maestro Lazar Berman , after a recital in Lithuania , 2003

Maestro Lazar Berman defines her " beyond question , a pianist with huge professional and artistic possibilities . "

She participated first time in a competition by the age of 7 and she was awarded with the Second Prize( " The Golden Lyre " National Piano Competition , Romania ) . She was winner in a large number of competitions , from which we can say "M.Jora" Piano International Competition ( Romania ) , San Sebastian International Piano Competition ( Spain ) , " Konzerteum " International Piano Competition ( Greece ) , "Ferdi&Lili Statzer" International Piano Competition ( Turkey ) .

She played in recitals and concerts all over Europe - Romania , Croatia , Italy , Switzerland , Spain , Greece , Turkey , Slovakia , Lithuania , Belgium , Germany , Maldives ecc . In Romania she played with almost all philharmonic orchestras : Bucharest , Craiova , Cluj , Sibiu , Ploiesti , Botosani , Timisoara , Bacau , Tg Mures , Arad , Iasi , Targoviste , Constanta , Galati . Since 2007 she is concert soloist of "Paul Constantinescu" Philharmonic Orchestra Ploiesti .

She played with great violonists such as : Ladislau-Pietro Horvath & Florin Paul and with conductors such as : JF Antonioli , Ovidiu Balan , Iurie Florea , Ladislau-Pietro Horvath , Marius Hristescu , I.Ionescu-Galati , Alexandru Iosub , Radu Postavaru , Petre Sbarcea , Tiberiu Soare , Florin Totan , Takiro Ueno etc .

She was invited to play at PROMS Eastern Gala ( Bucharest- Atheneum Hall) , Palanga Music Festival ( Lithuania ) , Theatre Summer Festival - Sibiu , European Capital of Culture ( 2007 ) and she recorded for Radio Romania with National Radio Orchestra and released Cd "Live Piano Solo " ( Libris , 2007 ) and " Piano Recital" ( Ed Casa Radio , 2009) .

In 2005 , performing at the Festival :" Romania - Tradizioni e valori artistici europei " in Milan she received the title " Member of Honour" of the Associazione Rumeni in Italia .

In 2008 she released her first book , the non-fiction " Printul Baghetei" ( ed Meteor Press) that was sold out in less then three month .The main character is great violonist and conductor , Ilarion Ionescu-Galati .