Welcome to the official website of Florin Totan, Principal Conductor and Music Director of “SINFONIA BUCUREŞTI”, Principal Conductor Valcea Philharmonic “Ion Dumitrescu”, Guest Conductor of “Bucharest Symphony Orchestra”.
Welcome
Press
“Under the baton of the Romanian guest conductor Florin Totan, the entire programme had a vitality and elegance rarely matched. Maestro Totan demanded and secured playing which ranged from the quietest possible pianissimo and delicate tenderness to full blooded forte of great majesty and intensity, and all was achieved by real personal commitment to the music. The performance of Gershwins Cuban ouverture was stunning Totans reading of the 2nd symphony of Sibelius was wholly convincing In the finale maestro Totan really achieved a true consummation to the entire symphony a truly memorable performance! Bravo!”
“SOUTHAMPTON EVENING ECHO”, Southampton – (3.02.1995)
“A triumph of the most hottest ones apotheosis of the tournament was during the concert in Avignon, the Romanian conductor was extraordinary (all this magic world) with the baton, hands, mouth, eyes, head or the body, in short, all his being was screaming music (tout son être criait la musique). Orchestra has achieved such success that he was obliged to give several encores, and its conductor, young and tall, beautiful and charming,. .. was a magnificent concert tour in Provence”
“LE PROVENCAL”, Avignon – (23.07.1992)
“He conducted an exuberant the 2nd concert of the festival. Totan transforms and transfigures with his contagious verve.”
“L’ECO DI BERGAMO”, Bergamo – (20.02.2001)
“The final Concert (after the In Memoriam Celibidache classes at the Conservatory of Braga / Portugal) was conducted with mastery by Maestro Florin Totan, a great figure of Romanian music, that gives conducting lectures and concerts in Bucharest and all over the world to work with the Romanian Maestro is a privilege for young Portuguese musicians, and his exigency and working methods have transformed the young Portuguese musicians in true professionals.”
“A VOZ DE MINHO”, Braga-Portugal – (13.07.2005)
“Two world premieres and two Romanian premieres within the symphonic concerts of the Romanian Music Festival in London. The concert was conceived and directed by Florin Totan with strength and conviction, while highlighting special contribution of strings and blowers. The Song of Voivod Lupu was played with great wealth of sounds, and “The Wallachian Dance was a real qualitative leap, culmination of the whole program.”
Mr. Evan Dickerson – chronic on the site of the British critics – (12.12.2005)
Under the heading Maestro Totan – a special guest Doina Meiseles further notes: “The audience was charmed by the charismatic and talented Romanian conductor Florin Totan, and applauded for minutes on end at the conclusion of the concert. Mastering the orchestra with certainty and prestige, Florin Totan impressed by his art mastery. The vitality and the authenticity of leading the orchestra, the nobless and elegance of his gestures, the absolute professionalism of this excellent conductor enter his name without doubt among the masters of modern times”.
“ORIENT EXPRESS” , Tel Aviv – (21.02.2000)
”Totan enjoys all the qualities requested by a good conductor. Endowed with an incontestable talent and remarcable musical sensibility. I`m sure that soon, he reach the perfection as a conductor.”
Ion Dumitrescu, President of Romanian Composers,
member of Belle Arte French Academy – Paris,
member of Tiberina Academy – Roma (1987)
”Soiree musicale reussie… un enchantement.”
”Le Dauphone”, Arles – (20.08.1992)
”A soulevee l`enthousiasme des spectateurs… a dirige egalement avec beaucoup de doigte et d`emotion,… charmeur et charismatique, Totan a conquis l`assistance…”
”Le Meridional”, Avignon – (15.08.1992)
”…des moments inoubliables,… splendide succes,… le chef roumain fut extraordinare:… Totan, grand, superbe et charmant…”
”Le Provencal”, Avignon – (23.07.1992)
”brillantissimo concerto,… Con gesto estremamente elegante…”
”La Gazeta di Voghera”, Voghera – (02.01.1993)
”Un formidable concert,… l`excelent Florin Totan…”
”Le Dauphine”, Arles – (20.08.1992)
”Maestria,… esempio della nobilta artistica e gesto aristocratico…”
”Il Giornale di Bergamo”, Bergamo – (14.04.1995)
”Conducting a transformation,… beautifully moulded phrases from the strings, a sense of anticipation,… all was perfection,… mervellous punch and precision…”
”Loughborough Echo”, Derby – (29.03.1996)
”…Un Ceaikovski davvero fenomenale… sotto la guida di Florin Totan, l`orchestra ha riposto con grande entusiasmo…”
”Corriere Mercantile”, Genova – (31.05.1996)
”…belle doti direttoriali di Totan, gesto chiaro e preciso, bon temperamente musicale, autentico trascinatore d`orchestra,… Franchezza e brillantezza di Totan, calorosamente festegito dagli stressi orchestrali.”
”La Stampa”, Genova – (01.06.1996)
”Ottimo Schubert,… di estreme interesse Totan, un podio vigile e meticuloso,… vivacita coloristiche e nerbo…”
”Il Secolo XIX”, Genova – (01.06.1996)
”Es var ein ungewhnlicher Musikgenuss,… starke Wechsel… selten hay jemand Mozart so gut dirigiert…”
”Uckermark Kurier”, Prezlau – (19.11.1996)
”Orchestra played their hearts out for romanian guest conductor Florin Totan!… Rachmaninoff was such a remendous expecience,… Copelia was delicate and springly, with tremendous energy in the final…”
”Derby Evening Telegraph”, Derby – (10.03.1998)
Bio
Background
Born in 1955 / Bucharest in a musicians family, his father was an important Romanian composer, conductor and professor. At the begining Florin studied the double bass, winning several national competitions and further, he graduated the National Music University in Bucharest. During 1980-1984, he studied conducting with the most eminent conducting professor in Romania: Constating Bugeanu. The most important moment in his musical career was the meeting with the legendary Celibidache, studying with him between 1982-1990 in Munich and Mainz. He also studied in the summer of 1983 at Chigiana Musical Academy in Siena/Italy with the renowned Franco Ferarra, attending also in Berlin and Paris (1990-1991) conducting classess with Richard Schumacher.
Competitions
Florin Totan won two international conducting copmetitions: in Murzzuschlag/Austria(in 1990) and in Berlin/Germany(1991).
Tours
Maestro Totan successfully conducted orchestra tours worldwide: Austria, Croatia, England, France, Finland, Italy, Israel, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Serbia, Turkey, Egypt, USA, Mexico, El Salvador, Brasil and Switzerland Crans Montana Forum in 1999 and 2000 in front of the most important politicians and business men of the world, like Bill Clinton ,the Prince Albert de Monaco and the Prince of Lichtenstein, the Russian Prim Minister V. Tchernomirdyn and others presidents.
Guest Conducting
During his career as conductor, was invited as guest conductor to important orchestras like: Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Prusian Chamber Orchestra and Ruhr Chamber Philharmonic (Germany), London Schubert Players, Derby Symphony Orchestra, Charnwood Orchestra, Southampton Youth Orchestra and Hampshire Sinfonietta (England), Porto National Orchestra, Porto Festival Orchestra, Porto Sinfonietta and Braga Chamber Orchestra (Portugal), City of Cadiz Orchestra, Alcoy Symphony Orchestra and Barcelona Chamber Orchestra (Spain), Modern Ensemble (Austria), Sofia Music University Symphony Orchestra (Bulgaria), Savaria Symphony Orchestra (Hungary), Orchestral Ensemble from Bruxelles (Belgium), Pori Sinfonietta(Finland), Amadeus Choir and Orchestra from Paris, Royal Strings of St George, Genova Philharmonic, Bergamo Chamber Orchestra, Milano Clasica Chamber Orchestra and Catanzaro Symphony Orchestra (Italy), Herzliya Chamber Orchestra (Israel), Cairo Symphony Orchestra(Egypt), Adana and Antalya Symphony Orchestra (Turkey), AIMS Symphony Orchestra of Dallas, University of Tenessee Symphony Orchestra, Kansas Chamber Orchestra, Denver University Symphony Orchestras and Vancouver Civic Symphony Orchestra (USA), Acapulco Philharmonic (Mexico), National Symphony Orchestra of El Salvador, Minas Gerais Symphony Orchestra of Belo Horizonte(Brasil).
Most beloved project
IN MEMORIAM CELIBIDACHE consisting in private lessons in Bucharest,about Celibidaches technique and philosophy of music for conductors from all over the world. He also teached this technique at Master Courses and Seminars in Portugal ,Italy, France, Spain, Brasil and USA (Denver and Kansas City). This year is the celebration of 100 years of Celibidaches birthday.
Festivals
Maestro Totan was invited as special guest: Paris-Jouvissy(1985) and Avignon(1990,1992,1994)-France,Mozart Festivalin Brescia and Bergamo Festival(1997,2008,2012)-Italy,Rovinj,Osor and Sisak-Croatia,Nis and Vrnjci Spa-Serbia,1st Romanian Music Festival in London(2005),Portuguese Orchestras Festival of Lisbon(1999)-Portugal and Enescu Festival of Bucharest(1998,2009,2011)-Romania.
He conducted in RINOWN HALLS:Schauspielhaus-Berlin,Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova,Sala Piatti e Teatro Donizetti di Bergamo-Italy,Guildhall of Southampton-England,Salle de Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles.(if you need the translation in english,tell me),I am just crazy to finish quickly cause thgis laptop kill me.I work from 2 days,and eat what I wrait,the words/letters jump all over,and again and again.
Important soloists played under his baton
World star pan flute Gheorghe Zamfir (Bucharest-Paris), the pianists Babette Hierholzer (Berlin-New York), Jean Francois Dichamp (Paris) and Hanna Jaszik (Varsaw-Bruges), the cellists Xavier Philipps (Paris) and Amit Peled (Tel Aviv-Baltimore) and the Romanian soprano Cellia Costea (Bucharerst, Athens).