GRAMMY® Award winner and Interlochen alumnus Cristian Măcelaru to present 2022 Interlochen Arts Academy commencement address
A conductor of international renown, Măcelaru will further build on his long and meaningful history with Interlochen as he delivers the 60th Interlochen Arts Academy commencement address on May 28.
Photo credit: rr jones
Interlochen Center for the Arts is excited to announce Cristian Măcelaru as the Interlochen Arts Academy Class of 2022 commencement speaker. The graduation ceremony will take place at Interlochen’s Kresge Auditorium on Saturday, May 28, at 10 a.m., and will be livestreamed on the Interlochen website.
Currently Music Director of the Orchestre National de France in Paris, one of Europe’s leading orchestras, the GRAMMY® Award winning conductor is Chief Conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Interlochen’s World Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Music Director and Conductor of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music.
He first came to Interlochen from his native Romania as a young violin student at Interlochen Arts Academy, which he attended from 1997 to 1999. He also attended Interlochen Arts Camp, where he served as concertmaster of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) during the summer of 1998. In subsequent years, he led WYSO students for three summers as a guest conductor. Summer 2022 will mark Măcelaru’s third season as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra.
“Cristian is dedicated to helping other young artists define their dreams and fulfill their potential. His commitment to Interlochen and to the success of our students has been instrumental,” said Interlochen Center for the Arts Provost Camille Colatosti. “I could think of no one more inspirational or better suited than Cristian to give the commencement address at our first fully open graduation since 2019.”
Joining Măcelaru on stage is senior speaker Eloise Hartings (music). Senior performers include Kimmy Nelson, Elias Rashmawi, Parker Pernyak, and John Calma as the group Fourtissimo, a trombone quartet. They will perform “No More Blues” by Antônio Carlos Jobim, arranged by Kim Scharnberg.
