Horia Vacarescu
 

Born in Bucharest, Romania, to a family with a good musical tradition - the most notable was his aunt, conductor Eugenia Vacarescu Necula, who led the Romanian Broadcast Society Childrens’ Choir for over two decades, Horia had his first violin lesson when he was three from a colleague of his father who worked in the State Opera House Orchestra. The young Horia progressed quickly, and when he was only six he made his first public appearance. A few years later he started lessons with Paul Ratz, a prominent violinist and concertmaster with the same orchestra, and when he was fifteen he performed for the first time in the company of a symphony orchestra. He attended the George Enescu Music College and the National Music University of Bucharest where he had several teachers, however Ratz remained his mentor. Subsequently,  he moves to London where he works for a while with Romanian violinist Eugene Sarbu, and later receives a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music with Levon Chilingirian.

Presently, Horia is enjoying an international career as a soloist, recitalist and a chamber musician. He has established a good reputation in his adoptive UK as well as in his native Romania, where he plays regularly at some of the most important venues. Concert engagements have taken him to three continents, from Europe to the USA and the Far East. He has performed with numerous orchestras and his repertoire extends from the classics to contemporary composers. His concert appearances are always received with enthusiasm and have been hailed by audiences and critics.

Horia has been the guest at music festivals in England, France, Greece, Romania, Switzerland and Wales; among these, The Brighton Festival, The City of London Festival, Chilingirian ChamberFest, The Newbury Spring Festival, The Tenby Arts Festival, The Fimu Festival and The Verbier Festival. He has performed for Their Royal Majesties King Mihai I of Romania and Queen Ana, and at the White House in the USA.

As a chamber musician, Horia appeared in the company of some esteemed colleagues like Alexander Chaushian, Richard Harwood, Julian Jacobson, Andrei Licaret, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Anton Niculescu, Razvan Popovici, Constantin Sandu, Alexander Sitkovetsky, Stacey Watton, the Chilingirian Quartet, as well as his regular duo partner, pianist Chiho Tsunakawa.