Home“Eduard Stan’s playing is a celebration of the expressive and coloristic range
of the piano and the result of his deep study of each composer’s ideas and intentions.”
Pamela Hickman – reviewer of the JERUSALEM POST, 2011
News
April 2022
Brussel's BOZAR welcomes Duo AZOITEI-STAN in front of a pan-European audience
On the occasion of the "Francophonie 2022", the Romanian Embassy to the Kingdom of Belgium has invited our Duo AZOITEI-STAN for a performance at Brussel's Bozar on the 11th of April 2022. We performed in front of a fully packed 450-seat "Salle M", in front of an audience of mostly European diplomats and high-ranking personalities.
At the heart of our programme was Enescu's Violin Sonata No. 2 op. 6, an early and highly virtuoso genius work by the 17-year-old Romanian living in Paris.
March 2020
Successful recitals in Northern Germany
During our 3-recital tour in Northern Germany, we have performed fot the first time with great success all 3 Brahms violin Sonatas under the title "Do you love Brahms?" in Winsen/Luhe.
We played other recitals early March in the stunning Neumünster theatre as well as the stylish manor house in Borstel, with a programme of Enescu, Brahms and Beethoven's imposing 7th Sonata in C Minor op. 30/2. The motto of these concerts was "Echoes from Home", and we were delighted to have a great attendance despite the threat of the Corona virus.
Read here the review of our Borstel recital in the Segeberger Zeitung (in German):
Review Segeberger Zeitung 07.03.2020
December 2019
US-Tour: Crowning Highlight of the "20 Years on Stage of the Duo AZOITEI-STAN"
Carnegie Hall New York (WRH), Cosmos Club Washington DC and Trianon Hall at the Beverly Wilshere Hotel in Los Angeles:
Our early December duo recitals in the USA on the occasion of Romania's National Day (photo: with the Ambassador of Romania in Washington) turned out to be the pinnacle of a special year, reminding us of our first duo tour across Germany and France twenty years ago, in the summer of 1999.
May 2019
CARNEGIE HALL
Delighted to return to New York's Carnegie Hall with my Duo in December:
Carnegie Hall – U.S.A.
April 2019
Cooperation with Swedish Composer Kurt WIKLANDER
On the occasion of my Berlin piano recital, I was much delighted to have the Swedish composer Kurt Wiklander in my audience. Similarly to Grieg, Wiklander's heart touching sound universe is strongly inspired by the nature and folklore of his native country.
Our future cooperation will be culminating in two new solo recital programmes with a fine nordic accent. I will be performing them from summer 2020 onwards:
BALLADES and LEGENDS (English)
BALLADER och LEGENDER (Svensk)
SUITES across EUROPE (English)
EUROPA i SVITER (Svensk)
January 2019
Romania celebrates the start of its EU Council Presidency with a concert in Nicosia
On 15th January 2019, coinciding with the National Day of Culture in Romania, the Azoitei / Stan Duo marked with a recital at the Kasteliotissa Hall the start of the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council in Nicosia, Cyprus.
The audience, including a large contingent of diplomats, highly enjoyed the performance of these musical ambassadors of Romania.
November 2018
Sold out recital of the Azoitei / Stan Duo in Kehl, Germany
"Homeland" was the evening's motto of the duo's sold out concert in the Cedars Hall of the Stadthalle in Kehl.
The "sophisticated programme" (press quote), such as the "Regenlied"-Sonata by Brahms, Ravel's Tzigane and Enescu's Sonata No. 3 "in Romanian folk character", was given by the Azoitei / Stan Duo with "soulful play and breathtaking temperament". The press titled the performance of those "showcase artists" with "Bravos for two virtuosos".
Read here the full review of the Mittelbadische Presse (in German):
Review Kehler Zeitung 27.11.2018
August 2018
Fine Success of the Azoitei / Stan Duo in Switzerland
August 2018 has seen the Azoitei / Stan duo in a highly acclaimed recital at the Hirzenberg Festival in Zofingen, Switzerland (stage photo by Daniel Meyer). The audience responded to their performance with standing ovations, followed by an exquisite après-concert!
December 2017
"Perfect, excellent pianism" in memoriam Dinu Lipatti
At the end of the Lipatti year (centenary of the birthday of Romania's great pianist and composer), Eduard Stan performed a highly acclaimed solo recital in Trier / Germany, including works by Brahms, Lipatti, Chopin, Schubert and Enescu.
Read here the competent feedback of the concert promoter (in German):
Empfehlung Wolfgang Manz
June 2017
„With an impressive concert, Eduard Stan pays homage to his compatriot Dinu Lipatti on the occasion of his Birthday Centenary“ (Press Headline)
Eduard Stan is dedicating all his piano recitals in 2017 to the memory of the great Dinu Lipatti (1917-1950), the legendary Romanian pianist and composer. This heart-touching person died much too early at the age of only 33.
After Eduard’s recital at the Preussen Museum in Minden / Germany, the press highlighted his “brillant performance” (title) and “subtle culture of touch paired with great virtuosity”.
Read here the full review of the Mindener Tageblatt (in German):
Review by Hans Christoph Schröter
November 2016
Recital Debut with Cellist Andrei Ionita,
Winner of the 2015 Tchaikovsky Competition St. Petersburg
What a great pleasure to have collaborated for the 1st time with the phenomenal cellist
Andrei Ionita, my young compatriot and winner of the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Cello Competition in St. Petersburg, at the age of just 21! On the occasion of our debut recital in Salzgitter / Germany on 13th of November, the reviewer stated:
“Cello and piano in perfect harmony – Andrei Ionita and Eduard Stan inspire each other in the Fürstensaal of Salder Castle.” The audience was presented “two most sensitive musicians” performing Fauré’s Ēlégie, Schubert’s Sonata “Arpeggione” and Schumann’s Adagio and Allegro op. 70, rendered “with intense dedication and playful refinement”. After the intermission, César Franck’s Sonata in A appeared “in a brilliant interpretation for cello and piano” earning “enthusiastic applause and standing ovations”.
Read here the full review of the Salzgitter-Zeitung (in German):
Review by Martin Winrich Becker
October 2016
The Azoitei / Stan Duo performs in London, Paris, Budapest and Istanbul
My Duo with violinist Remus Azoitei was enriched in October 2016 with highlights of performances in four major European capital cities:
There were two highly acclaimed recitals in London and Paris (photo: Byzantine Hall of Béhague Palace, the place of our performance in the French capital), followed by two concerts celebrating the 135th birthdays of both Enescu and Bartók in Sissi’s beloved Castle Gödöllö close to Budapest as well as Istanbul’s Fulya Sanat Hall.
Here are two fine reviews of our recital in London, opening the 2016-17 concert season at the Enescu Society. Richard Whitehouse states that “This new series of the Enescu Concerts could scarcely have been launched in more impressive fashion.”, whilst Andreea Scridon, the other reviewer observes: “The evening’s performance was acclaimed. More, it was marked by that feeling of grace that a truly momentous performance induces: an aesthetic satisfaction so deep it seemed as though the roof of Belgrave Square 1 was about to open up in the finest moments of the melody and allow it to flow upwards, to the stars above”:
September 2016
„Fine Art at the Keyboard“ – Outstanding Solo-Review in Southern Germany
In September I performed two Lied recitals alongside my baritone partner Peter Schöne in Sigmaringen and Hagen / Germany, celebrating a centenary since the death of Romanian Queen and Poetess Carmen Sylva. We presented songs by Clara Schumann as well as arrangements of Carmen Sylva’s poems by Enescu, Bungert, Furtwängler, among others.
In addition, I have been performing two challenging solo programmes in Bad Überkingen (photo of the hall) and Hamelin / Germany. There is an outstanding review in the Neue Württembergische Zeitung commenting on my interpretation of Beethoven’s op. 110, Enescu’s 2nd suite op. 10 and Schubert’s last sonata, that could be read in German on the following link. “And – to anticipate it, the interpreter’s performances were technically immaculate and appropriate to the idea of the works.”
March 2016
Schumann Piano Concerto under Maestro Cristian Mandeal
On 31 March 2016, Eduard Stan performed Schumann’s piano concerto in a gala concert with the Targu Mures Philharmonic in Romania, celebrating the 70th birthday of Cristian Mandeal, Romania’s most prolific conductor. It was the first collaboration with Maestro Mandeal, who started his artistic career with this orchestra in 1977.
December 2015
Well-earned Standing Ovations at the Brussels MIM
On 6 December 2015, Eduard Stan performed a solo recital at the concert hall of the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) in Brussels with works by Schubert, Chopin and Enescu.
The concert has been organised on the occasion of Romania’s National Day and earned standing ovations from an audience of more than 150 people.
October 2015
The Azoitei / Stan Duo in Edinburgh and Milan
October 2015 has seen the long-standing Azoitei / Stan Duo in two concert highlights at important venues:
On 12 October, violinist Remus Azoitei and Eduard Stan performed the opening concert of the Romanian Cultural Days in Edinburgh. The concert took place at the Playfair Library Hall (photo) with its famous neoclassical barrel-vaulted ceiling.
To finish the cultural programme of Romania at the Milan World Expo 2015, the duo performed on 30 October at the Auditorium San Fedele in the capital of Lombardy.
July 2015
Solo Recital at the Swedish Julita Festival:
“A virtuoso full of musical depth and artistic integrity”
Highly praised performance of Eduard Stan on 26 July 2015 at the Julitafestivalen in Sweden:
“He performed with an energy and fire which brought the piano to the dimension of singing…
Grand music, offered in a musically suggestive, poetic, scenic and melodiously cheerfully manner.
The piano purred like a cat. This was magic.”
Read here the full review in Swedish, with its English translation:
JULITA Review Engl. Solo Recital STAN 27.07.2015
November 2014
Brilliant review after a memorable solo recital in Umeå,
Sweden’s “European Capital of Culture 2014”
Eduard Stan’s piano recital on 20 November in Umeå earned standing ovations and extended applauds from an enthusiastic audience in Northern Sweden. The event was included within the programme of the European Capital of Culture 2014 and presented three heavyweights of the international repertoire: Beethoven’s op. 110, Enescu’s 2nd piano suite and Schubert’s last sonata.
The concert received a praising review from Bengt Hultman, who enthused about the “impressive force, determination and conviction” of Eduard Stan’s pianism.
Read here the English or Swedish review:
Review Umeå 26.11.2014
July 2014
Lied Recital at the Ceresio Estate Festival in Ticino
As a tribute to Hermann Hesse, baritone Peter Schöne performed together with Eduard Stan a Lied recital at the Ceresio Estate Festival in Ticino, on 9 July. The concert took place in the enchanting parish church of Gentilino, high above Lugano, at the invitation of the Hesse Society in Montagnola. Besides songs by Wetzel, Schoeck and von Einem on verses by Hesse, the audience has enjoyed songs by Pfitzner and Richard Strauss.
June 2014
The Azoitei / Stan Duo returns to Copenhagen’s “Black Diamond”
On 18 June, the Azoitei/Stan Duo returned to the Black Diamond Hall in Copenhagen at the invitation of the Romanian Embassy in Denmark. The concert featured works by Enescu and Fauré, and it was a natural follow up to the great success the Duo had received at Iceland’s Harpa Centre in October before. Copenhagen’s Black Diamond had already been visited by the artists in 2009, as part of their world tour under the motto “Enescu – Brahms / European Encounters”.
October 2013
Opening Concert of the Romanian Cultural Days at Reykjavik’s HARPA
On 9 October, the Remus Azoitei and Eduard Stan Duo was honoured to open the Romanian Cultural Days at Reykjavik’s famous HARPA, Iceland’s new national landmark. The audience, consisting also of a considerable number of international diplomats, responded to works by Gabriel Fauré and George Enescu with standing ovations.
February 2013
The Azoitei/Stan Duo impressed the audience at the Schlosskonzerte Ahaus series, performing in an “inimitable manner”
As part of the traditional series of “Schlosskonzerte Ahaus”, the duo Remus Azoitei (violin) and Eduard Stan confirmed on 10 February once again its outstanding rank. Describing the Schubert Fantasie in C Major and Brahms’ D Minor Sonata as “wonderfully suitable masterworks to light up the duo’s particular qualities”, the Münsterländer Zeitung concludes its review with comments on Enescu’s 3rd Sonata:
“The musicians celebrated every little ornament in an inimitable and utterly inspired manner, while lifting the portamenti to a matter of heart and becharming the audience with out-of-this-world effects. Enescu couldn’t wish for better ambassadors of his music”.
October 2012
“A fine lyric poet at the keyboard: Eduard Stan’s recital for the
Gesellschaft der Musik- und Kunstfreunde Heidelberg”
In his review for the Rhein-Necker-Zeitung entitled “A pure matter of the heart”, critic Klaus Roß enthused about Stan’s Schubert:
“One could witness Eduard Stan’s tremendously lyrical pianism in Schubert’s late B Flat Sonata (D 960), whose enigmatic simplicity was perfectly met by his wonderfully lucid and singing-like interpretation. Even though this was both a classical and clear rendition in the very best sense, it was also capable of the most subtle shadows of emotions, attributes that balanced this work perfectly. In this context, one should also remember that this work is often heard in a pathetically overstretched and bloated manner.
His account not only did justice to the excitingly condensed first movement and the wistfully intimate Andante, but also to the “Allegro vivace con delicatezza” truly played as such, as well as to the arresting and effortlessly (but not in a lightweight manner) served final Rondo movement, with its virtuoso charms.
The encore by Brahms (op. 118/2) yet again proved the particular lyric class of the Romanian pianist.”
July 2012
“Excellent pianist” at the German Festival Hohenloher Kultursommer
In perfect harmony with the 2012 music feast’s motto “Music and Nature” at the Weikersheim Castle, Eduard Stan has performed a solo recital entitled “Water Fantasies” with piano music inspired by the element of water. He has received “huge applause” for an “excellent performance”, according to the article in the Fränkische Nachrichten.
May 2012
Successful debut with the Romanian National Radio Orchestra
Eduard Stan has made his solo orchestral debut at the Radio Hall in Romania, performing Brahms’ Piano Concerto in D minor with the Romanian National Radio Orchestra in Bucharest, under the baton of Gerd Müller-Lorenz. This concert was broadcast live on Radio Romania Cultural channel, Eduard performing on a brand new Bösendorfer Imperial piano.
Listen to this live performance here:
1. Maestoso 
2. Adagio
3. Rondo
April 2012
Sparkling lied recital with baritone Peter Schöne at the Richard-Strauss-Institute
“The audience enthused about the singer Peter Schöne and his congenial piano partner Eduard Stan” – this is the praising résumé of the Garmisch-Partenkirchner-Tagblatt on the occasion of the artist’s lied recital at the Strauss Institute in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, South Germany. Commenting further on this performance consisting of works by Schubert, Debussy, Wetzel, Fauré and Richard Strauss, the reviewer states that “Eduard Stan not only embedded the singer with his piano playing, but also breathed together with him all along his performance. The synergy between both artists offered to the audience a real treat of music.”
January 2012
“Pianist of stature” opens Master Concert Series 2012 in Bingen
On 14th January, Eduard Stan has successfully opened the Master Concerts Series in Bingen, a town famous for its location at the starting point of the German “Upper Middle Rhine Valley” (also listed as an Unesco World Heritage site). After performing a Liszt-Schubert programme under the motto “Heaven and Hell”, the Allgemeine Zeitung Bingen described Eduard Stan as a “pianist of stature” in a press review bearing the following headline: “The pianist, the works and the setting convinced altogether. Eduard Stan musically abducted the audience to a fanciful journey.”
December 2011
Performance at the Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome
On the occasion of Romania’s National Day on 1st December, Eduard Stan has joined again his violinist partner Remus Azoitei for a Schubert and Enescu recital at the Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome. They played in front of a packed Petrassi Hall within the Accademia, receiving standing ovations for their performance.
October 2011
Live broadcast at the International Royal Cracow Piano Festival
For the first time in Cracow, Eduard Stan performed an All-Liszt recital at the International Royal Cracow Piano Festival on 18th of October. The concert has been broadcast live by Radio Krakow.
September 2011
Praising review of Eduard Stan’s Jerusalem debut
Part of a solo tour with four concerts and a masterclass in Israel, Eduard Stan’s debut in Jerusalem has received a praising review from Pamela Hickman, critic of the Jerusalem Post: “His treatment of Schubert’s B flat major Sonata was profound, colored and sensitive… Standing away from the limeline, he allows the music to speak.”
Read the full review here:
Pamela Hickman's Concert Critique Blog