Anastasia Maria Barbu - Piano 

Born in Brasov, Romania, Anastasia Barbu started studying the piano at the age of eight. She studied at the ‘Tudor Ciortea’ High School for Music, Brasov with Mihaela Itigan from 2012 until 2020. Anastasia was then admitted in the prestigious ‘Purcell School for Young Musicians’ in London, where she studied under the guidance of Professor Gabriele Baldocci. In September 2022 she began her bachelor's degree at the ‘Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’, where she is currently studying with Lithuanian pianist and pedagogue Petras Geniusas.

 

During her time in Romania, Anastasia participated in numerous national and international competitions, such as the ‘International Piano Competition “Frederic Chopin” Bacau’ in 2019, where she was awarded the second prize. She is also a laurate of the ‘Roma Piano Competition’ in 2019 and 2023, when she was awarded first prize. Over the years, her pianistic activity included numerous masterclasses with famous names such as Andrzej Jasinski, Tamas Ungar, Yulia Chaplina, Noriko Ogawa, Boris Berman, Dimitri Alexeev, Steven Osborne and William Fong. Anastasia has performed in both solo and chamber recitals, covering a wide repertoire from Mozart’s piano and violin sonatas to Franck’s piano quintet and Ravel’s ‘La Valse’ for two pianos. She has also collaborated with accordionists, dancers and actors for various projects within the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland covering more modern repertoire, such as Schnittke’s ‘Gogol Suite’ and Piazzolla’ ‘4 Seasons’.

 

As a soloist, some of Anastasia’s most significant outings were as part of the ‘Remember Enescu’ foundation in 2018-2019, when she participated in a tour across Romania. In 2021, Anastasia was invited by the ‘Piano Star’ Festival to give a recital as a guest artist. In 2023, she was part of a project organised by the Purcell School and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, commemorating 250 years since Rachmanoff’s birth. As part of this project, Anastasia participated in a series of concerts and masterclasses throughout the UK and Romania, including the Brasov Philharmonic Hall.

 

Some of her most recent performances include the International Vivace Vilnius Festival in July 2024, where she performed Liszt’s transcription of Bach’s Fantasia and Fugue BWV 542 for organ, as well as multiple performances as part of duos with singers and violinists.