Andrei Kivu (Jul. 26, 1970)
Romanian cellist (+ poli-instrumentalist, improviser and composer)
Studies
– Graduated of the George Enescu Music Highschool in 1989 with prof. Anca Vartolomei
– Graduated of the National Music Academy of Bucharest in 1995.
– Cello master-classes with Marc Coppey (France)
– Improvisation and electronic music master-classes with George Lewis (professor at the “Columbia University”, New York, USA)
– Master-classes in “Advanced Composition and Musical Analysys” by Aurel Stroe (1992-1998)
– Harmonic singing master-classes/workshops/retreats with David Hykes in New York, Paris, Bucharest, Sibiu, (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011).
– “Artist in Residence” fellowship in Mons, Belgium (2000).
Experience as an orchestra musician
– Romanian National Radio Chamber Orchestra, (1993-1998)
– Romanian National Radio Symphony Orchestra (2001-2004)
– Romanian National Opera House (1997-2001)
– 2000-2008: 1st cellist and soloist of the “Philharmonia” Orchestra (Bucharest)
– since 2007: member of the international orchestra “I Sedici”
– 2009: 1st cellist and soloist of the orchestra “Traditions Musicales Francaises” (Paris, France)
– 2010: 1st cellist of “New European Philharmonic Orchestra” (Paris, France)
– since 2010: 1st cellist and soloist of “Sumac Taki” ensemble (Paris, France)
– since 2010: 1st cellist and soloist of the ensemble “Baracca Barocca” (Paris, France)
Experience as a soloist
Andrei Kivu performed as a soloist accompanied by:
– Orchestre Royal de Wallonie (Mons, Belgium)
– the NYU Orchestra (at the Merkin Hall, New York, USA)
– Katowice New Music Orchestra (Warsaw, Poland)
– the Romanian National Radio Chamber Orchestra
– the Romanian National Radio Symphony Orchestra
– the “Philharmonia” Orchestra,
– Bucharest Music Academy Orchestra
– the “Traditions Musicales Francaises” Orchestra.
– the “Sumac Taki” ensemble
Concerts and solo recitals in major European and American cities
His music and performances have been live broadcasted on: Radio France, Radio Suisse Romande – Lausanne, S.D.R.S. – Bern (Switzerland), ORF 1 (Austria), Polish Radio, Romanian Radio, Romanian Television, Finnish Television and many others.
Collaborations with main Romanian Theaters (Including dozens of live broadcast performances for the National Romanian Radio–Theater-Show).
Teaching experience
Andrei Kivu has a teaching experience of more than 20 years, the most important being the collaboration with the New York University (where he was a guest professor in 2003, 2005, 2007) with the “Givat Ram” Music Academy (Jerusalem, Israel, 2002, 2004, 2006) and with the University of Minessota (2008, 2010).
Since 2010 he moved to France, where he continues his solo career + gives master-classes and leads workshops.
Prizes / distinctions
– the “2003 award by the I.N.M.C. (International Consortium of New Music) for “Outstanding Activities as Performer, Teacher and New Music Researcher (NYU, New York, U.S.A.)
– the 2004 “Excellency Prize” by the “Musical Actuality” magazine
– the “2006 UNITER Prize”
– the “2002 Uchimura Prize” (from “UNESCO”) and many others.
Ensembles and professional memberships
– founder and member of the “Pro Contemporania” ensemble (1989)
– founder and member of the “Free Sound International Ensemble” (2002)
– member of “Hyperion” ensemble (since 1997)
– member of “Inter-Art” ensemble (since 1999)
– founder et member of “Temple Strings” quartet (2008)
– founder (2005) and representative for Romania of l’ “I.C.I.A.A.” (International Composers and Interactive Artists Association – based in New York)
– co-Founder (2004) and PR Manager of “MultiSonicFest” (the only festival in Romania devoted to improvisation, fusion/cross-over and experimental music).
– since 2001: member of the “International School of Ki”
– since 2007: member of “Harmonic Presence Foundation”.
Andrei Kivu appears in the 2011 edition of “Who’s Who”.
Recordings
A.K. appears as a soloist and/or guest star on more than 25 CDs and DVDs, with a world-wide international distribution, the most important being the collaboration with the prestigious label “Mode Records” (New York, USA).
He recorded hundreds of hours as a soloist and / or with his ensembles, for the Romanian Radio and many other radio-stations world-wide.
Current repertoire: from the 6 Suites for solo cello by J.S. Bach, to most up-to-date/contemporary/experimental music.
Tours
A.K. has been touring all over the world:
France (Paris, Lyon, Nancy, Rouen, Grenoble, Nice, Cannes, Reims, Rennes, Quimper), U.S.A. (New York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New Jersey), Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Iwakuni), Australia (Sydney), Great Britain (London), Germany (Berlin, Stuttgart, Dresde, Hanovra, Wuppertal), Canada (Montreal), Switzerland (Bern, Lausanne), Italy (Rome, Venice), Israel (Tel Aviv, Jerusalem), Spain (Madrid, Barcelona), Austria (Vienna), Poland (Warsaw), Ex-Yougoslavia (Belgrade), Pakistan (Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi), Czech Republic (Prague, Ostrava), Albania (Tirana), Greece (Athens, Thessaloniki), Finlande (Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Kuopio, Oulu) etc.
He had the privilege to play / study / record / work with great artists, such as:
David Hykes, George Lewis (U.S.A.), Marc Coppey , Daniel Kientzy, Martine Joste, Stephane Gallet , Richard Clayderman (France), Alejandro Iglesias Rossi (Argentina), Evan Parker, Tim Hodgkinson, Byron Wallen, Sarah Brightman (England), Sigfried Palm (Germany), Juerg Solothurnmann, Franziska Baumann (Switzerland), Agnes Baltsa (Spain)…
A.K. is the only Romanian cellist ever to be invited to play at the “Royal Festival Hall” (London) and to great festivals such as:
– “Wien Modern” (2002, Vienna, Austria)
– “Warsaw Autumn” (2003, 2007 – Poland)
– the” ISCM (International Society for Contemporary Music) – World Music Days” (1999, 2003, 2006)
– “SPARK” (2008, 2010, Minneapolis, U.S.A.)
– “Parramasala” (2011, Sydney, Australia)
Andrei Kivu was the press-attachee for the Romanian Radio (the Musical Channel) in Paris in 2010.
E-mail: kivua21@yahoo.com Landline: +33-01-40-84-05-64 Cell: +40-722.842.892. Address: 28# rue du colonel Gillon, 92120 Montrouge, France.
Andrei Kivu 