Michael Cretu

Michael Cretu is an internationally recognised musician and composer, whose family has a long musical tradition dating back to the 17th Century. Born in Bucharest, Romania Michael has been playing the double bass since he was 12. At the age of 19, he joined the Romanian National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Michael regularly works as a classical and jazz double bassist, composer and musical director. He has performed as a solo, chamber, orchestral and jazz musician across Europe and South America, touring Holland, Spain, Brazil and Great Britain with violinist Cristina Anghelescu. Since 2014 Michael is the musical director for the Manchester International Roots Orchestra, formed by RNCM and North West Community Arts. In 2013 Michael composed the music for a Romanian National Radio show, for this work he was a finalist and nominated for a prize in the European Broadcasting Competition and Festival! A live performance of Michael playing his solo work has been broadcast on BBC Radio. RoMan Michael regularly performs in Manchester and elsewhere in the UK with his successful Jazz trio. Michael is an artist in residence at Salford University Music Department. “Michael Cretu’s unique combination of skills and experience as a double bass player result in a fascinating and unclassifiable musical blend. Always approachable, his music sits between contemporary classical, jazz, and Balkan folk music, and is played with an emotional immediacy which communicates with audiences in a direct and unforgettable way” Prof. Alan E. Williams, composer, Professsor of Collaborative Composition, University of Salford, UK. “The music impact was heightened by the composer use of space,particularly underlining the power of an explosive violin passage that brought to mind Shostakovich” – Manchester Evening News.