Firmly established as one of the most important musicians of his generation, Eugene Sarbu has been hailed as “destined for greatness” (Daily Telegraph, London), and even compared to “Paganini himself” (Goteborg Musik). His hold on public imagination stems from a unique combination of talent and charm.

Few violinists have made a more sudden and dramatic impact on the world’s music scene than Eugene Sarbu. His international career was launched by a series of gold medals in practically every major competition in Europe and North America. These culminated with the Rockefeller Prize for Music in the United States, the First Prize in the Paganini International Competition in Genoa, Italy, only two months after having been awarded the First Prize and the Audience Prize in the Carl Flesh International Competition in London.

His career takes him across five continents, appearing with many of the world’s finest orchestras, including all the major British orchestras and those of New York, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Dallas, Vienna, Hamburg, Munich, Bamberg, Milan, Naples, Geneva, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Gothenburg, Brussels, Barcelona, Sidney, Melbourne, New Zealand, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Santiago de Chile. The celebrated violinist also performs extensively in recital with his sister, the distinguished pianist Carmina Sarbu, in the most prestigious concert halls in the world and at the great international festivals.

Mr Sarbu is heard on radio and television in most countries, has recorded extensively for the BBC and on disc for EMI and Auvidis.

Following the breathtaking events towards freedom and democracy in Romania in 1989, Eugene Sarbu initiated a world campaign to help his beloved country by giving countless benefit concerts around the world. In December 1994, Eugene Sarbu gave an historic performance at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, on the violin of Paganini (“Il Cannone” – Guarneri del Gesù). In 1997, he was invited by HRH Prince Charles to perform together with his sister at St. James’ Palace. That same year he became the Honorary Director of the Romanian National Radio Orchestra in Bucharest. In September 1999, Mr Sarbu opened the 1999-2000 season at Carnegie Hall in New York, performing the Brahms Violin Concerto with the American Symphony Orchestra to a standing ovation.

Born in Romania, Eugene Sarbu began to study the violin at the age of five with his father. He made his first solo appearance when he was six and subsequently captured every conceivable musical award of his country. Following studies at the Music School in his home town of Galati (with Prof. Nachmanovici), in Bucharest (Prof. G. Avakian and Prof. I. Geanta) and Paris (Robert Soëtens), at the recommendation of Yehudi Menuhin, he received a scholarship from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia to study with the legendary professor Ivan Galamian. Upon graduation, Mr Sarbu continued with Galamian at the Julliard School in New York, where he received his Master of Music Degree, and with Nathan Milstein in London and Zurich.

Eugene Sarbu, acclaimed by audiences and critics everywhere as one of the foremost violinists of our time, lives in London and performs on a Stradivarius violin made in Cremona in 1729.