Violin Artist
About Lelie
Lelie Cristea, who comes from a lineage of musicians and was born in Gelsenkirchen (Germany), began playing the violin at the age of three. She was first instructed by her father Ion-Henry Cristea, himself an excellent violinist and teacher – and also the former concertmaster of the Vienna Chamber Opera. The constant and concentrated collaboration with him has shaped Lelie’s technical and musical skills and her expressiveness to this day. Numerous recording projects, in which she dedicates herself not only to classical works but also to film music, provide an insight into her artistic work.
"Music and passion are connected in an endless cycle for me".
Artistic career
Lelie began her university studies with Liviu Casleanu at the Rostock University of Music and Theatre, followed by studies under professor Mintcho Mintchev at the Folkwang University of the Arts.
Chamber music lessons with professor Andreas Reiner and master classes with other artistic greats such as professor Stefan Gheorgiu, Vadim Gluzman, and professor Ingolf Turban gave her additional valuable impulses.
A musical family history
Lelie is particularly inspired by the musical heritage of her ancestors who worked with some of the most influential violin pedagogues of the 20th century. It began with her grandfather Ionel Cristea, who studied with Carl Flesch’s graduate Cecilia Nițulescu-Lupu and then completed his training in Vienna. Her grandfather’s uncle, Constantin Deocheteanu, was a student of the masterful violin teacher Leopold Auer.
Through her father Ion-Henry Cristea, who after studying with Garabet Avachian completed his pedagogical studies with David Oistrakh in Moscow and Ivan Galamian at the Juilliard School, Lelie was immersed into the most innovative forms of practice in violin technique from the very start of her training. This laid the foundation for her holistic understanding of violin playing and made it her main concern to preserve and pass on this wealth of knowledge. In addition to the realisation of artistic projects, Lelie Cristea’s passion lies entirely in the constant artistic-pedagogical development that has since grown into her own teaching system.
With Carpathian Tales and further planned concept albums, Lelie fulfils her wish to record and capture special works from classical, film, and salon music in exclusive arrangements.
