The Gainesville Orchestra Concertmaster
Liviu Onofrei, born and raised in Romania of musical parents, started to play the violin at age four. He was educated at the Music High School in Iasi, Romania, and graduated from the Music University in Bucharest, Romania. He was Concert Master for more than 25 years for the Bacau Romania Symphony Orchestra, and has received numerous awards including The Presidential Award for an Extraordinary Person of The Arts from the President of Romania. He has enjoyed extensive travel on solo and concert tours throughout Europe, the USA and Canada. In 2008 Liviu emigrated to the US and Orlando, Florida where he lives with his wife Mary. In 2019, Liviu became a very proud US citizen.
He enjoys being Concertmaster with The Gainesville Orchestra, and The Villages Symphony, Assistant Concertmaster with The Punta Gorda Symphony and plays with The Orlando Philharmonic, Walt Disney World, The Brevard Symphony, The Charleston Symphony, The Alabama Symphony, and The Lake Placid Chamber Orchestra. In 2016, Liviu was invited to play Brahms Violin Concert for his 65th Anniversary with his former Romanian Symphony Orchestra. That Christmas, Liviu was honored to be the Concertmaster for the 30-day Italian Philharmonic 2017 Chinese New Year Tour throughout China. Recently, Liviu was Guest Concertmaster with The Ocala Symphony playing Rimsky Korsakov Scheherazade, he has also recently appeared playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto the Bach, Double Violin Concerto, The Schubert Trout Quintet and the Brahms Piano Quintet.
In regard to his style, Liviu combines strength with delicacy and expression, and a mature technique fueled by his knowledge and passion for music and the violin.
He enjoys being Concertmaster with The Gainesville Orchestra, and The Villages Symphony, Assistant Concertmaster with The Punta Gorda Symphony and plays with The Orlando Philharmonic, Walt Disney World, The Brevard Symphony, The Charleston Symphony, The Alabama Symphony, and The Lake Placid Chamber Orchestra. In 2016, Liviu was invited to play Brahms Violin Concert for his 65th Anniversary with his former Romanian Symphony Orchestra. That Christmas, Liviu was honored to be the Concertmaster for the 30-day Italian Philharmonic 2017 Chinese New Year Tour throughout China. Recently, Liviu was Guest Concertmaster with The Ocala Symphony playing Rimsky Korsakov Scheherazade, he has also recently appeared playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto the Bach, Double Violin Concerto, The Schubert Trout Quintet and the Brahms Piano Quintet.
In regard to his style, Liviu combines strength with delicacy and expression, and a mature technique fueled by his knowledge and passion for music and the violin.