Biography
Cristian Grajner de Sa is establishing a reputation as a young artist true to the great tradition of violin playing, with his performances praised for their deep musical sensitivity and artistic expression. At the age of 24, he was invited to perform his European debut recital at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam and was subsequently engaged to perform his European concerto debut with the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon under the baton of Lina González-Granados, and introduced to their audience as "... one of the great violin stars of the future...".
Cristian's performances have taken him to many prestigious venues of Europe; the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Grande Auditório of Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, Atheneum in Bucharest, the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, the Wigmore Hall, the Pittville Pump Room in Cheltenham, Corn Exchange in Bedford and Salle Paderewski in Lausanne to name only a few. He has been broadcast on BBC Television and BBC Radio 3, The Strad Magazine, RTP Portugal, TVR Romanian National Television, The Violin Channel and featured as Charlotte Hawkins’ 'Young Classical Star' on Classic FM and as a 'Young Artist' on Scala Radio.
Recent and upcoming season's highlights include performances at The Stoller Hall in Manchester, Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford, Champs Hill Concert Series, Absolute Classics in Dumfries, Festival l'Orangerie de Sceaux in France, Vinehall International Concert Series, North York Moors Festival, Amigos de Música in Portugal, concerto appearances with the Worthing & Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra da Cámara da Galega and re- engagements with the celebrated British conductor, Hilary Davan Wetton. He was also most recently invited by the French violinsit, Renaud Capuçon to join him and other young artists for chamber music performances as part of Capuçon's initiative, ‘la nouvelle génération’.
Cristian previously received the First Prize at the inaugural ‘Groba’ International Violin Competition in Spain and a Gold medal with High Distinction at the Vienna International Music Competition. He was the only British semi-finalist at the George Enescu International Competition 2018, and earlier in his musical life he was a televised string finalist at BBC Young Musician.
A citizen of the United Kingdom and Portugal, Cristian de Sa was born of Italian and Portuguese heritage. At 13, he was awarded the Leverhulme Scholarship from the Royal Academy of Music and entered the class of the great French violinist, Maurice Hasson. Cristian also had the unique opportunity to work with Tasmin Little as her only selected pupil and was the only student to receive personal guidance from Maxim Vengerov as the Academy's 'Menuhin Professor’. He was subsequently invited for chamber music performances with Vengerov, and grauated with First Class Honours and the 'J & A Beare Prize', the Academy's most prestigious award gifted to the outstanding violinist graduate. He completed his studies at the Mozarteum University, Salzburg in the class of Mr. Pierre Amoyal.
Cristian has had the fortune to know and receive advice from many of today’s great musicians; James Ehnes, Steven Isserlis, David Stern, Philippe Graffin, Jean-Frédéric Neuburger and the late Menahem Pressler. He is most grateful for the support of the Nicholas Boas Charitable Trust & Bedford School Trust. He plays a Joseph Guadagnini, 1800.
*Updated March 2023, please do not use previous versions*