Romanian violinist Maria Gîlicel is an emerging performer recognized for her versatility and passion on stage.

Maria started performing at an early age, approaching every performance opportunity with immeasurable enthusiasm. She made her debut at the National Auditorium (Madrid) performing Sarasate’s ‘Carmen Fantasy’ and has since then performed at many venues, including Wigmore Hall, Buckingham Palace, Royal Festival Hall, St. John’s Smith Square, Casa Tartini (Slovenia) and the Romanian Cultural Institute of London. 

Recently, she had the pleasure of playing the 2nd Mov. of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto under the baton of Maxim Vengerov for his masterclass at the Royal College of Music. She has also had the chance to work with acclaimed musicians Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Nicola Benedetti, Alina Ibragimova, Leonid Kerbel, Oleksandr Semchuk, Vera Rodríguez Mehner, Mari Tampere-Bezrodny and Mariana Sîrbu.

In 2018 she performed with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe as part of their Academy during their tour in Italy. She also took part in the BBC Symphony Orchestra Pathway Scheme, rehearsing and performing with Sakari Oramo, Daniele Rustioni and Dalia Stasevska. 

She is an avid chamber musician and co-founder of the Chloé Piano Trio with whom she won the 3rd prize at the Birmingham Intercollegiate Piano Trio Competition. The Chloé Piano Trio was also invited to take part in the summer residency at the ‘Music at Brel’  programme in France.

Maria has recently graduated from her Bachelors in Music with First Class (Honours) and her Masters in Performance with Distinction at the Royal College of Music where she is currently studying for her Artist Diploma degree with Professor Maciej Rakowski and where she previously worked with Professor Ani Schnarch.

She is currently a Dasha Shenkman Scholar supported by the Albert Cooper Music Trust. Recently, she won the Tillett Trust Young Artists Platform and she was also awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society Emily Anderson Prize for outstanding young soloists as part of their RPS Young Musicians Programme. She has also been shortlisted by the Park Lane Group Music Trust to take part in their future concert series.

She plays on a Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin (Paris, 1850) and a James Tubbs bow kindly loaned from the Royal College of Music.

In her free time, Maria loves painting, reading and spending as much time as possible in nature!