Catalin Rotaru, Professor of Music at Arizona State University since 2005, is a graduate of the National University of Music from Bucharest, Romania, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has served as the principal and associate principal bass in several orchestras, including the Romanian National Radio Orchestra, the Sibiu Philharmonic Orchestra, the Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra of Bucharest, the Orchestra Sinfonica Europea, and others. In 1997 he received Second Prize in the International Society of Bassists Solo Division Competition, as well as the “Jury’s Special Award” for the best performance of the required piece. Later that year, he won the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts “Debut Recital Award” and, in 2013 was honored with “Recognition for Solo Performance” by the International Society of Bassists. He released his debut solo CD album, Bass*ic Cello Notes, through Summit Records in 2007, and his second CD, Juliana D’Agostini + Catalin Rotaru, in 2010, which was recorded in São Paulo, Brazil. Mr. Rotaru performs throughout the world as a recitalist and as guest soloist with prestigious symphony orchestras, and is in demand as a clinician at important schools and music festivals. He endorses Pirastro Strings and performs on a modern double bass made in Italy by Luciano Golia, with a bow made by Marco Pasquino.

Between 2007 and 2017 Mr. Rotaru has released 6 CDs:

Bass*ic Cello Notes - 2007
Juliana D’Agostini + Catalin Rotaru - 2010
Sonic Bridges - 2013
Catalin Rotaru plays double bass works by Frank Proto - 2014
Sonic Bridges Volume 2 - 2017
The Lord of the Basses, Bottesini’s Testore - 2017

Juliana D'Agostini began studying piano at the tender age of five. Now, at 23, she is concluding her Bachelor's degree in piano at the University of São Paulo (USP), under the tutelage of none other than Eduardo Monteiro.

Her career is characterized by discipline and dedication. Juliana studies eight hours a day, and has often been heard saying she rarely finds time to "enjoy the nightlife". But like any other girl her age, she makes an effort to enjoy the occasional party with friends. Juliana also never turns down a gafieira (a Brazilian samba-based partner dance), a good forró (northeastern Brazilian country-style partner dance), or that essential Raul Seixas CD she keeps in the glove compartment of her car.

Her daily routine at the grand piano that takes up a large part of her mother's living room has earned her important professional recognition: Maestro Julio Medaglia, for instance, and classical music critic Irineu Franco Perpétuo are not sparing with their praise of her work. The result is her bustling performance agenda. Despite her young age, Juliana has already taken part in important classical-music festivals in Brazil and abroad, like the Académies Internationales d'été du Grand Nancy 2009 (France) and the Festival Internacional Ex Toto Corde 2008 (Brazil).

Being the perfectionist that she is, Juliana has studied abroad on several occasions. On a parallel with her studies at USP, she took advanced piano classes at the New England Conservatory of Music, in Boston, under conductor Wha Kyung Byun, in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, she attended the Académies Internationales d'éte du Grand Nancy, in France, where she was guided by Amy Lin of the National Conservatory of Strasbourg. In 2010, Juliana studied during a brief period at Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, under the guidance of Caio Pagano, with a scholarship from the ASU Foundation.

In addition, she had the honor of taking part in master classes with such renowned international pianists as: Laurent Durupt (Conservatoire de Paris 14th, France), Richard Raymond (McGill University, Montreal, Canada), Marylin Frascone (France), Sergei Dukachev (Academy of Arts in Ufa, Russia), Petr Jirikowsky (Prague Conservatory, Czech Republic), Cristina Ortiz, Gilberto Tinetti (University of São Paulo, Brazil), Jyeon Kang (Korea), Geoffrey Haydon (Georgia State University, USA), and many others.

However, studying classical music abroad is expensive, particularly with such sought-after names as those listed above. To finance these endeavors, the pianist worked as a model, posing for magazines and fashion editorials in Brazil and the United States.

Her pretty face and sculptural figure helped pay for her studies, but also generated significant bias against her. On the path she chose for herself, being blond and blue eyed is not necessarily a passport to success. On the contrary: many believed she couldn't possibly be a qualified pianist because of her modeling activities. As a result, she had to strive much harder. The response to those who doubted her ability came with the release of her first CD "Chopin/Liszt". As the name signals, she performs pieces by Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt and Polish composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin, both of the romantic period. The "performance of such pieces requires technique and sensitivity, qualities of which Juliana has no lack", according to Veja magazine. This and an abundance of good reviews in the media have established Juliana D'Agostini as one of the most surprising revelations of the Brazilian classical music scene.

In addition to giving recitals and concerts, the musician also studies the history and works of her classical idols in great depth. With her scholarship, Juliana conducts research in an undergraduate research internship with the assistance of pianist and PhD Eduardo Monteiro. As a musicologist, Juliana has already worked on sonatas by Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) and manuscripts by Brazilian composer Henrique Oswald (1852-1931) - a project that has led her to give lectures at conferences.

It is no accident that Juliana has gained considerable respect in classical music circles. Her career has earned her awards in important piano competitions, such as:

- 2010 Seattle International Piano Competition - Collegiate Semi-finalists;

- I OCAM - soloist - 2nd place (2009);

- Bauru Atlanta Competition - 3rd place (2008);

- XIV Arnaldo Estrella National Piano Competition - 1st place (2006);

- XIX Artlivre Piano Competition - 1st place (2006);

- XV Souza Lima Piano Competition - 2nd place (2006);

- XVIII Artlivre Piano Competition - 3rd place (2005);

- IV OSBA young soloist competition - 1st place (2005);

- XIII Arnaldo Estrella Piano Competition - honorable mention (2004).

Catalin Rotaru, double bass, joined the School of Music at Arizona State University, in 2005. Mr. Rotaru is in demand as a performer and clinician throughout the world. He is a licentiate of the National University of Music from Bucharest, Romania and holds a Master's degree in music performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Previously he was Associate Professor of Double Bass and Jazz Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, taught at Millikin University, and at the University of Illinois. He has performed both solo classical and jazz bass throughout Europe, the United States, South America and Japan. He served as associate principal bass in the Romanian National Radio Orchestra, principal bass in the Sibiu Philharmonic Orchestra, Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra of Bucharest, Danville Symphony Orchestra, Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, associate principal and principal bass in Sinfonia Da Camera, and principal bass of the Orchestra Sinfonica Europea.

Mr. Rotaru collaborates frequently with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra and Arizona Opera and performs extensively as soloist in recitals or with symphony orchestras throughout the United States and abroad, giving numerous clinics and master classes. He received the second prize at the 1997 International Society of Bassists Solo Division Competition and the Jury's Special Award for the best performance of the required piece at that competition. He was the winner of the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts Debut Recital Award in 1997, and received the Central Illinois Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters Award in 1996. Mr. Rotaru recently completed recording his debut solo CD, entitled Bass*ic Cello Notes released by Summit Records. For the last several years, Professor Rotaru has been a frequent solo performer at the "Virtuosi" International Chamber Music Festival of Pernambuco in Brazil. Mr. Rotaru performs on a double bass made in Italy by Luciano Golia and a bow made by Marco Pasquino.

A tour de force recording of music for piano and double bass