Testimonials about Maestro Florin Totan and The Celibidache Conducting Method
"I teach conducting technique and composition in Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). In October 2005, after more than a decade of conducting practice and several courses on conducting technique I made the important decision to travel to Bucharest, to take lessons with a very well recommended fellow of Celibidache, Maestro Florin Totan. On internet contacts he offered me to prove his concentrated and individual course of the Celibidache Technique, with 3 days of theory and exercises, 12 hours of class rehearsals on his private orchestra and a concert in an important hall of Bucharest. This course represents a turning point in my career and my vision about music and how to deal really professionally with an orchestra. In three days of preparation, I could really felt my arms and muscles, my body and the integration of my movements with my conciousness, very different from my former and mechanical patterns of arm movement. In the class rehearsals and concert, I could prove how refined is the Celi technique, taught by a perfect master, Florin Totan. Very few times in my career have I had such control of phrases, dynamics, tempo and the feeling of musical tension in my hands and my ear. The details of style, the secrets of bowings, structure, and phrasing had a great impact, opening my ears, eyes and the perception of my body, showing me the really treasure of the Celi´s technique and philosophy about music. I liked it a lot! I felt a suddenly jump in my technique, in my inner ear and in my musical conciousness. In my return to Brazil, the next concert after this course I could see great improvement in my technique. The musicians of my orchestra and my colleagues were very emphatic about the remarkable changes in my conducting performance. I was very happy."
Maestro Eduardo Ribeiro
Composer and Conductor of Symphonic Orchestra of UFMG - Brazil
"Maestro Florin Totan is a wonderful musician who conducted a superb concert with my University of Tennessee Symphony Orchestra. He had excellent command of the orchestra and the music, including expert guidance in accompanying the Schumann Piano Concerto. He is passionate and enthusiastic about music, and it shows during his rehearsals. He always had insightful comments to the student musicians, offering imaginative ideas to inspire their best playing…the results were convincing, dynamic, and extremely musical. The audience response to the concert was fantastic."
James Fellenbaum
Director of Orchestras
University of Tennessee
"What draws my very attention to Florin Totan is his strength, vivacity and ability to control the group. His powerful presence commands the attention of the orchestra with great energy but, at same time, in an affectionate way."
Silvio Viegas, conductor
Professor of conducting in EMUFMG
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
"To Whom It May Concern:
This is a letter recommending all who read this to consider the excellence of maestro Florin Totan's wonderful conducting course concentrating on the techniques of his teacher Sergiu Celibidache. I invited Maestro Totan to present his course in a series of lectures to my graduate conducting students at the Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri-Kansas City in February of 2005. He was most effective in his presentation, was well received by my students and his endless energy is contagious almost to a fault!
I should also say that Totan conducted my chamber orchestra in an excellent performance of Prokofieff's First Symphony, Bartok's Romanian Dances, and other works from his homeland composers. He brought an unbelievable excitement to the works in rehearsal and performance.
In addition, I found Maestro Totan to be a person of integrity and warmth, and now count him as a friend … something rather rare in our conducting field!
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you wish additional information.
Sincerely,
Robert Olson
Director of Orchestras/Opera, Conservatory of Music, UMKC
Artistic Director, Colorado MahlerFest
Music Director, Longmont Symphony ( Colorado )
Conductor, Kansas City Ballet"