Pianist Matei Varga is the 2021 recipient of the Romanian - American Fine Arts Award, conferred by the Romanian government. His artistry has garnered superlative reviews from critics around the world, who have found his performances “magical” (Süddeutsche Zeitung), “colorful, vivacious [and] engaging” (Le Diapason).
Mr. Varga is a top prizewinner at several international piano competitions such as “Maria Canals”, “Premio Mozart” and “George Enescu”. He is a recipient of the Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant in New York and the Virtuoso prize at the 2003 Vendome Prize in Lisbon. In 1994, he was awarded a “High Commendation” by Diana, Princess of Wales.
Matei Varga has appeared as a soloist and recitalist in many of the world’s leading concert halls, among them Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York, Konzerthaus Berlin, Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, the Romanian Atheneum in Bucharest, Victoria Hall in Geneva, Rebecca Crown Auditorium in Jerusalem, National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, and the Auditorium du Louvre, Salle Cortot and Salle Gaveau in Paris.
Mr. Varga is a graduate of the National University of Music in Bucharest, Romania (BM) and of Mannes College in New York (MM, PSD). Until 2025, he served as Artistic Director of the Vendome Prize Piano Competition. He has also been a faculty member of the International Keyboard Institute and Festival (NYC) and the Music Department at Drew University (NJ). He writes music reviews for New York Concert Review.
