Born in 1990 in Ploiesti, Romania, Marius Birtea embarked on his clarinet journey at the age of twelve at the „Carmen Sylva“ Music High School in his hometown. Since then, he has garnered numerous prizes and accolades at both national and international competitions, including the 1st prize at the „Martian Negrea“ competition in Ploiesti, Romania, and the „George Georgescu“ International Competition in Tulcea, Romania. Marius enriched his musical expertise through masterclasses with acclaimed clarinetists such as Karl Leister, Wenzel Fuchs, Reto Bieri, Jonathan Cohler, Andreas Schablas, and Yehuda Gilad, along with conductors Kurt Masur, Mario Venzago, Hans Graf, and Manfred Müssauer.
Making his orchestral debut at 17 with the Ploiesti Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Franz Krammer-Krommer’s clarinet concerto in Es dur op. 36 under the baton of I. Ionescu Galati, Marius has since become a regular guest performer with the same orchestra. Between 2010 and 2017, he pursued and excelled in both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in clarinet performance at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg under Prof. Alois Brandhofer, earning distinctions for both degrees.
Marius boasts a diverse repertoire, encompassing significant works by composers such as Mozart, Weber, Spohr, Nielsen, Francaix, and Copland. Actively engaged in chamber music, he has embraced the most important compositions for his instrument in the genre. Noteworthy engagements include stepping in for Dimitri Ashkenazy at the opening concert of the „Musikwelten“ festival, conducted by Manfred Müssauer.
A prominent figure in Salzburg’s classical music scene, Marius is a sought-after soloist and chamber musician, gracing venues like the Marble Hall of the Mirabell Palace and the Arenberg Palace. Additionally, he is a founding member of Trio Tempora, a dynamic ensemble including French cellist, Florian Sattler and Hungarian pianist, Emese Wilhelmy.
The trio performed at prestigious venues and participated in various recording projects, adding a vibrant dimension to Marius’s musical pursuits. Continuing his academic pursuits, Marius pursued postgraduate studies with Prof. Andreas Schablas at the University Mozarteum of Salzburg from October 2017 to June 2019.