RADU RATOI
INSTRUMENTALISTS - ACCORDIONIST
CLASSICAL
Photos © Efremoff Studio
General Management: Ines Velasco
Territory: Worldwide
ABOUT
Praised for his exceptional originality, versatility, and virtuosity in both classical and contemporary repertoire, Radu Rățoi is widely recognized as one of the foremost accordionists of our time. His international breakthrough was solidified in 2024 when he won the prestigious YCA "Susan Wadsworth" International Auditions in New York, a premier launchpad for the world's most elite young instrumentalists. He is also the recipient of the Léonie Sonning Music Prize - Talent Prize, Denmark's most prestigious musical accolade. Celebrated for his profound cultural impact and artistic mastery, he also holds his native country’s highest distinctions, including the National Distinction "Master in Arts" and the National Prize.
Recent and upcoming highlights include performances with SWR Symphonieorchester in Stuttgart, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony, and performances as the soloist of the National Chamber Orchestra of Moldova. He has performed in some of the world’s leading venues including Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonic, Kennedy Center, Tel Aviv Opera House, Merkin Hall, Tivoli Hall Copenhagen, and Harbin Concert Hall.
On the recital stage, Radu focuses on designing solo programs structured as definitive showcases of the accordion’s virtually unlimited acoustic and expressive possibilities.
A passionate and highly sought-after collaborator in chamber music, Radu is celebrated for his ability to naturally integrate the accordion into standard classical literature. Performing extensively alongside world-class instrumentalists in configurations featuring flute, violin, and cello, he elevates standard chamber programs with a reimagined acoustic balance, rich texture, and fresh sonic possibilities that bring a fresh perspective to masterworks from every era.
Radu began his musical journey at the age of six, quickly discovering what he describes as the "almost unlimited possibilities" of the accordion. His defining artistic mission remains to redefine the instrument's boundaries, demonstrating its immense, untapped capabilities across genres. Through his impressive catalog of more than 100 transcriptions of masterworks by J.S. Bach, D. Scarlatti, J.P. Rameau, and others, he has reinvented and elevated the classical accordion repertoire. His flagship project—a visionary transcription and recording of Franz Liszt’s complete 12 Transcendental Etudes—stands as a personal artistic milestone, alongside his recording work featuring J.S. Bach’s English Suites and the Greatest Organ Works by Bach and Liszt, casting these landmarks of keyboard literature in a new light.
A prodigiously gifted performer from an early age, Radu achieved an unprecedented international milestone at just 18 years old by winning the world's major accordion competitions—including the Coupe Mondiale, Trophy Mondiale, and Castelfidardo—simultaneously in both the Classical Music and Virtuoso categories, becoming the first musician in history to achieve both titles concurrently. He later continued his advanced studies at the prestigious Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. Between 2018 and 2020, he achieved an unmatched sweep by winning the "Big Six" global competitions, including the Klingenthal, Arrasate, and Moscow competitions, building a historic portfolio of more than 60 prominent international accolades.
Radu performs on a Pigini Nova - RR, an instrument specially custom-built and modified to fit his revolutionary performance style.