"Kostproben seines [Pauls] herausragenden Könnens und einen Eindruck von seiner nicht alltäglichen Ausstrahlung als Musiker und Mensch erhielten über etwa eineinhalb Stunden hinweg die Konzertbesucher auf den Rängen, die von Anfang bis Ende gebannt lauschten und schauten." -Marita Pletter, Passauer Neue Presse
Born in 1988 in Romania, Paul Coriolan Cartianu started his piano studies at the age of seven. He attended the “George Enescu” Music School in Bucharest, Romania, while also studying with pianist Maria Demina in the United States of America. Paul pursued university level studies in California at the University of Southern California – Thornton School of Music with Professor John Perry, and at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg, with Professors Karl-Heinz Kämmerling and Andreas Weber. He obtained his Master’s Degree in 2015 and currently teaches piano and accompaniment in the Music School System of Upper Austria.
Paul received recognition at: Pro Piano International Piano Competition, 1st Prize (Romania-2000), Cypress College Piano Competition, 1st Prize (USA-2001), Bramhall Concerto Competition for Young Artists, 1st Prize (USA-2002), “George Georgescu” International Competition, 1st Prize (Romania-2003), Romanian Piano Olympics, 1st Prize (Romania 2003, 2006) “Se cauta Enescu/Searching for Enescu”, 1st Prize (Romaia-2007), MTNA California State Division, 1st Prize (USA-2007), “Yamaha Scholarship”, 2nd Prize (Austria-2011), Malta International Piano Competition, 3rd Prize (Malta-2015). In 2014, he was awarded a scholarship from the International Salzburg Association, and in 2016, he won the Mozarteum University audition and performed Beethoven’s fourth piano concerto with the Mozarteum University Orchestra. As laureate of World Piano Competition in 2004, he played at Carnegie Hall.
Paul has performed recitals in Romania, USA, France, Italy, and Germany and has appeared with orchestras in USA, Austria, Germany and Romania. Paul enjoys an active career as chamber musician, performing regularly alongside Andrea Mairhofer (Flute), Teodor Rusu (Cello) and Muhammedjan Sharipov (Violin). Paul has taken part in master classes with Dina Yoffee, Sergey Maltseev, Aquiles Delle Vigne, Fabio Bidini and Arkadi Zenziper.
Paul is the founder and artistic director of the piano festival Beflügelt Klavierfestival, which takes place every summer in Ried im Innkreis, Austria.