Brazilian of Romanian origin, Cristian Budu has been establishing himself as a new reference in the piano world. He won the renowned Clara Haskil International Competition (Grand Prize + 2 extra awards, including the Audience Award), the most significant achievement of a Brazilian pianist in the last 30 years. He has recently received awards such as Instrumentalist of the Year (2017) from APCA and Best Concert of the Year (2016) in Guia da Folha.

In the British magazine Gramophone, a major international critical reference, Cristian was included in the 2017 update of two ultra-selective lists: “Top 10 Recent Beethoven Recordings,” alongside artists like Harnoncourt, Bavouzet, Goerner, and Stefan Vladar; and “Top 10 Chopin Recordings,” which includes recordings by Martha Argerich, Arthur Rubinstein, Maria João Pires, Dinu Lipatti, and Murray Perahia. In 2019, Gramophone included his interpretation of the 24 Preludes in the historical list of “Top 50 Greatest Chopin Recordings,” representing Brazilian piano alongside Nelson Freire’s recording of the Nocturnes.

His debut solo CD received the “Editor’s Choice” in England and “5-Diapasons” in France. Cristian also performed Tchaikovsky’s 1st Concerto with OJESP and released a CD with cellist Antonio Meneses. His recent schedule includes duos with Renaud Capuçon, a duo with Antonio Meneses, chamber music with musicians from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, a concert with the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, as well as a solo recital at the Verbier Festival.

Cristian has performed with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, Orquestre de la Suisse Romande, Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, Emil Nichifor Orchestra, NEC Philharmonic Orchestra, OSESP, Montevideo Philharmonic Orchestra, Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, Mendoza Philharmonic Orchestra, Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra, among many others. He has performed as a soloist in venues like the KKL Lucerne, Ateneu Bucharest, LAC Lugano, Liederhalle Stuttgart, Jordan Hall Boston, Sala São Paulo.

He has also performed and taught at festivals and series such as “Les Grands Interprètes” in Geneva, “Klavierissimo” in Zurich, “Piano aux Jacobins” (France), Rockport Music Festival (USA), Zermatt Festival (Switzerland), Delft Chamber Music Festival (Netherlands), Frankische Musiktage – ‘Rising Stars’ series (Germany), Monterrey International Piano Festival (Mexico), Vermelhos Festival, Campos do Jordão International Piano Festival, Lugano Musica and Gstaad Mehuhin Festival.

Cristian graduated from the University of Sao Paulo, where he had as professor the pianist Eduardo Monteiro. In the United States he became Master in Pianistic Performance with Wha´Kyung Byun, being granted a special scholarship from the New England Conservatory in Boston.

While in the USA, Cristian hosted recitals and special events that inspired the creation of Groupmuse, a project that gained the partnership of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and became one of the most innovative platforms for classical music in the world.

In Brazil, Cristian is the creator of the Pianosofia project, which is supported by the Sociedade Cultura Artística, with the aim of “awakening” and reviving the pianos in people’s homes, promoting local musicians and chamber music.