Romanian-born violinist Cristian Neacsu currently maintains a private studio in the eastern suburbs of Seattle and serves as an examiner with the Royal Conservatory of Music. He previously served as Associate Professor and Chair of the Music Department at Walla Walla University, where he combined his passion for performance and pedagogy through leadership and mentorship. With over twenty years of teaching experience, including a decade in post-secondary education in North America, Cristian has worked with students of all ages and levels, nurturing both technical excellence and artistic expression.

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His students have received accolades at numerous national and international competitions and festivals, including From the Top (NPR), the Singapore International Violin Competition, ENKOR International Music Competition, San Francisco International Innovative Music Competition, King's Peak International Competition, Quebec Music Competition, Stanford Summer Orchestra, Music Fest Perugia (Italy), Mimas Music Festival (Italy), Bach Festival International, PAFE, American Protegé, Grand Prize Virtuoso, and Golden Classical Awards, among others.

 

Many of Cristian’s students have successfully completed the RCM Level 10 exam and have gone on to attend institutions such as the University of Washington, West Point, the University of California, New York University, Santa Clara University, the University of Calgary, Loma Linda University, Southern Adventist University, and the University of South Africa. Several younger students have been accepted into private schools including Lakeside School, The Overlake School, The Bear Creek School, BASIS Independent, St. Thomas School, and Seattle Country Day School, as well as various gifted and advanced academic programs.

 

Over the years, Cristian has prepared many students for orchestra auditions, including SYSO, BYSO, WMEA All-State, and local school ensembles. Several of his students have held or currently hold leadership positions in these orchestras.

 

Cristian’s educational background has been foundational to his teaching. Trained in both Europe and North America, he studied at the prestigious National University of Music in Bucharest, the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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His professional collaborations have further enriched his artistry, allowing him to work with distinguished musicians such as Stefan Milenkovich, Piotr Milewski, Herbert Blomstedt, Sherban Lupu, Berick Yehonatan, Carla Trenchyuk, Kurt Sassmannshaus, Guillaume Tardif, and Claudio Gonzalez, as well as with renowned ensembles including the Jupiter Quartet and the Pacifica Quartet.

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Cristian performs on a 1792 Venetian violin crafted by Pietro Valentino Novello.

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