Cristian Măcelaru

Artistic director of the George Enescu Festival and Competition, GRAMMY Award–winning

conductor, and music director of the Orchestre National de France, since making his debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra in April 2013, Malcelaru has been on the podium with the ensemble over 150 times and has served three seasons as conductor-in-residence. He began his fourth season as chief conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester with a summer festivals tour with artist in residence violinist Augustin Hadelich. Măcelaru was born in Timisoara, Romania, and comes from a musical family. An accomplished violinist from an early age, he was the youngest concertmaster in the history of the Miami Symphony and made his Carnegie Hall debut with that orchestra at the age of 19. He also played in the first violin section of the Houston Symphony for two seasons.