Arizona State University

• State: Arizona
• State School (public)
• School Website
• map link

Catalin Rotaru, bass faculty

• • Email Catalin
  • Catalin’s Website

General Statistics

• • US News Best Colleges: #1 in the U.S. for Innovation
  • US News Ranking: #129 (tie) in National Universities
  • US News Overall Score (out of 100): 42
  • In-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $10,158
  • Out-of-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $25,458
  • Room & Board 2016-17: $11,061
  • Total Enrollment: 51,984
  • Acceptance Rate (from 2015): 83%
  • Student – Faculty Ratio: 23:1
  • 4 year graduation rate: 45%
  • % of undergrads receiving Financial aid: 55%
  • Average Financial Aid: $10,296

Double Bass Statistics

• Average number of undergraduate bass students: 8
• Average number of graduate bass students: 4
• Studio Class, Orchestral Repertoire Class, Bass Ensembles

What Alumni Are Doing

• Eric Sabo (President’s Own Marine Band, 2000)
• Principal Bassist with National Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador, Full time positions with major philharmonic orchestras in Germany, Brazil

Perspectives from the Bass Faculty

Q: What are some of your favorite experiences teaching at your school?

A: Watching the students grow as open-minded musicians and bassists.

From Catalin: My teaching philosophy is focused on helping students to master all the secrets of negotiating the double bass as an instrument! This will ensure they will posses the skills and abilities to express themselves in any musical genre they would like to pursue, as fully developed artists!

About The Bass Faculty

Catalin Rotaru, double bass, joined the School of Music at Arizona State University, in 2005. Mr. Rotaru is in demand as a performer and clinician throughout the world. He is a graduate of the National University of Music from Bucharest, Romania and holds a Master’s degree in music performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Previously he was Associate Professor of Double Bass and Jazz Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, taught at Millikin University and at the University of Illinois at Urbana –Champaign. He served as associate principal bass in the Romanian National Radio Orchestra, principal bass in the Sibiu Philharmonic Orchestra, Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra of Bucharest, associate principal and principal bass in Sinfonia Da Camera, and principal bass of the Orchestra Sinfonica Europea.

He received the second prize at the 1997 International Society of Bassists Solo Division Competition and the Jury’s Special Award for the best performance of the required piece at that competition. He was the winner of the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts Debut Recital Award in 1997, the Central Illinois Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters Award in 1996 and in 2013, was honored with the “Recognition award for Solo Performance” by the International Society of Bassists.

Mr. Rotaru’s debut solo CD, entitled “Bass*ic Cello Notes” was released by Summit Records in March 2007 and in 2010 released his second CD entitled “Juliana D’Agostini + Catalin Rotaru” which was recorded in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 2012 Mr. Rotaru recorded his third CD, in collaboration with the National Symphony Orchestra of Paraguay, which includes the world premiere of a double bass performance of the famous violin concerto no. 5 by W.A. Mozart and in 2014 he released a special CD/DVD package with works by Frank Proto which includes the world premiere recording of Proto’s Sonata no. 2 dedicated to him. For the last several years, Professor Rotaru has been a frequent solo performer as recitalist or guest soloist with numerous symphony orchestras and gave master classes at many prestigious institutions and festivals in United States, Asia, Europe and South America. Mr. Rotaru performs on a modern instrument made in Italy by Luciano Golia and a bow made by Marco Pasquino, and is a Pirastro Strings endorsing artist.