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Sherban Lupu, Violinist (1952 – 2023)
Violin performer, teacher and music editor Sherban Lupu has died, aged 71. He was considered one of the leading Romanian violinists of the last century and a champion of George Enescu’s compositions. Born in Brasov, Romania in 1952, Lupu studied in Bucharest with George Manoliu and in London with Yfrah Neaman. He took master classes with Yehudi Menuhin, Sandor Vegh and Norbert Brainin of the Amadeus Quartet. Lupu held the positions of violin professor emeritus at the University of Illinois, artistic director of the Gubbio Festival in Italy and associate concertmaster of the San Francisco Opera. He performed worldwide as a soloist. In collaboration with the composer Cornel Taranu, Lupu finished and reconstructed the Caprice Roumain for violin and orchestra by George Enescu. Together with the Romanian Cultural Institute, Lupu published six volumes of previously unknown works for violin by Enescu, which he had discovered, edited and arranged. He held the post of president of the George Enescu Society of the United States from December 2011. In 2000, Lupu received a lifetime achievement award from the Romanian Cultural Foundation for promoting Romanian culture and music internationally. Two years later, he received an honorary doctorate from from Cluj Academy of Music (Romania). In 2004 he received the title of Commander of the National Order of Merit and Service from the president of Romania. 2007 saw Sherban Lupu receive an honorary doctorate from the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Romania. He received a Fulbright Grant for the 2009-2010 academic year. He was the artistic director of the ’The Musical Citadel of Brasov’ International Festival, Romania from 2002. Pianist Alexandra Dariescu announces a busy season
Radu Lupu, Pianist 
Radu Lupu, Pianist (1945-2002) The great Romanian pianist Radu Lapu has died at the age of 76. Born in the Moldavian port city Galati to Jewish parents, Lupu won three of the world's most prestigious piano competitions: the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (1966), the George Enescu International Piano Competition in his native Romania (1967), and the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition (1969). These victories launched Lupu's international career, and he appeared with all of the major orchestras and at all of the major festivals and music capitals of the world. He was widely recognized as one of the greatest pianists of his time.
Graduating from the Popular School for the Arts in Bra?ov, Lupu continued his piano studies at the Bucharest Conservatory (1959–1961) with Florica Musicescu (who also taught Dinu Lipatti). Aged 16, in 1961, he was awarded a scholarship to the Moscow Conservatory, where he studied for seven years.
Lupu won a Grammy Award in 1996 for an album of Schubert piano sonatas. In 1995 he won an Edison Award for a disc of piano works by Schumann. Other awards included the Franco Abbiati Prize in 1989 and 2006, and the 2006 Premio Internazionale Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli award.
In 2016 Radu Lupu was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2016 UK New Year Honours for services to music.
Lupu retired from the concert stage in 2019. He died in Lausanne after a long illness.
Links to two renowned performances by Radu Lupu:
A rare video recording of a Lupu performance,
Mozart: Piano Concerto no 19 in F, K459, with David Zinman and the Deutsche Kammerphiharmonie Generally acknowledged to be one of the greatest piano-duet recordings of all time, with Lupu partnered in 1984 by his fellow Leeds prize winner Perahia.
Schubert: Fantasia in F minor, with Murray Perahia
Alexandra Dariescu triumphs, even during the pandemic 
Alexandra Dariescu Despite the limitations on performances caused by Covid 19, Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu, who has received support from the Foundation, has had a busy diary this season. Among other highlights Alexandra has played Clara Schumann’s rarely performed Piano Concerto in festivals and concert halls around Europe. Alexandra discovered she has played the concerto more times in one season than Clara Schumann did in her entire life. Alexandra has been made an Associate Fellow of the Royal Northern College of Music.
Link here to Alexandra’s site:
Alexandra Dariescu World Tour 
Alexandra Dariescu The celebrated Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu visited 13 venues worldwide in late 2018 and early 2019 with her The Nutcracker and I World Tour, working with the ballerina Désirée Ballantyne. The performance, based on Tchaikovsky’s great ballet, is an arrangement for piano, ballerina and digital animation. During the tour Dariescu was also Playing repertoire including works by Enescu, Beethoven, Chopin, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich. Venues included eight European concert halls, and cities in The UAE, China and Australia. Foundation Awards Grant to Pianist Greta Gasser 
Greta Gasser The Foundation is giving a grant towards the purchase of a piano to the prize-winning Romanian pianist and piano teacher Greta Gasser. Greta studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, after her initial training in Romania, and is based in Manchester. She has given many UK recitals, playing at venues including Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall and St. Martin’s in the Fields London. Greta played the piano in the 2016 ITV Series Victoria as a hand double for the actress Jenna Coleman who portrayed the young queen. Madalina Rusu Competition Finalist
Madalina Rusu Recitals
Madalina Rusu
 22/09/2008 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/09/22/bagergiev122.xml   Adolfo Barabino receiving applause after his recital
The Foundation sponsored a recital by the talented Italian pianist Adolfo Barabino on Sunday 20th April at Hever Castle in Kent. The programme included Dinu Lipatti’s Second Nocturne and his transcription of Bach’s ‘Sheep May Safely Graze’, both being First British Performances of these pieces. Details of the recital may be downloaded here. Adolfo Barabino recital (Jpeg file, 235KB) Stefano Greco
www.steinway.com/steinway/artist_roster/roster.php
Below is the front cover of the programme from the Stefano Greco recital that took place in November 2005. Click on the image to see a bigger version of the programme plus the programme lineup in PDF format.
Concerning the Fugue by Stefano Greco (PDF - 0.2MB) The Philosophy of the Fugue by Robert Temple (PDF - 0.5MB)
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Dear Friends, 