- Gheorghe Zamfir
Infobox Musical artist
Name = Gheorghe Zamfir
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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Gheorghe Zamfir
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1941|4|6Găeşti ,Romania
Died =
Origin =
Instrument =pan flute
Voice_type =
Genre = Romanian folk musicInstrumental music
Pop music standards
Classical music standards
Occupation = Musician, Songwriter, Music teacher
Years_active =
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URL = [http://www.gheorghe-zamfir.com www.gheorghe-zamfir.com]Gheorghe Zamfir (pronounced|ˈge̯orge zamˈfir in Romanian; born
April 6 1941 ) is a Romanianpan flute musician who has received 120 golden and platinum disc awards and sold over 40 million albums [ [http://www.gheorghe-zamfir.com/English/biographie-e.htm Gheorghe Zamfir - Master of the Pan Pipe - Booking & Management Michow Concerts Hamburg ] ] . He is widely known as "Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute".Zamfir is known for playing an expanded version of the traditional Romanian-style pan flute ("
nai ") of 20 pipes to 22, 25, 28 and 30 pipes to increase its range, and obtaining as many as nine tones from each pipe by changing theembouchure .Career
Zamfir came to the public eye when he was "discovered" by Swiss
ethnomusicologist Marcel Cellier who extensively researched Romanianfolk music in the 1960s. Largely throughtelevision commercial s where he was billed as "Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute", he introduced the folk instrument to a modern audience and revived it from obscurity. In the United States his commercials were widely seen on CNN in the 1980s.oundtracks
One of his most notable contributions was to the soundtrack for the classic Australian film "Picnic at Hanging Rock". His music has also been heard on the soundtracks of many
Hollywood movies. He was asked byEnnio Morricone to perform the pieces "Childhood Memories" and "Cockeye's Song" for the soundtrack ofSergio Leone 's classic 1984 gangster film "Once Upon A Time In America ", his music is heard throughout the 1984 film "The Karate Kid ", and his song "The Lonely Shepherd", penned byJames Last and recorded with theJames Last Orchestra , is featured inQuentin Tarantino 's film "Kill Bill Vol. 1 ".Bibliography
Zamfir has written an instructional book, "Traitė Du Naï Roumain: méthode de flûte de pan", Paris: Chappell S.A., 1975, ISBN 88-8291-286-8, and an autobiography "Binecuvântare şi blestem" ("Blessing & Curses"), Arad: Mirador, 2000, ISBN 973-9284-56-6.
Personal life
Zamfir was born
April 6 1941 , inGăeşti ,Romania . Although initially interested in becoming an accordionist, at the age of 14 he began his pan flute studies. He continued his education at theBucharest Academy of Music where he was a student ofFanica Luca at theConservatory of Bucharest ,Romania in (1968). He currently resides and teaches pan flute inBucharest .He has a 22 year old son who currently resides in Montreal, Canada, also a musician.
The artist in Poland (Cracow) in 2008
References
External links
*allmusicguide|id=11:hxfexq9gldde|label=Zamfir
*imdb name|0952621
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