Biography
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Haydn- Sonata in C:'...admirably crisp, rhythmic...a well judged Allegro but also the requisite buoyancy and clarity...the playing had a splendid combination of technical bravura and musical imagination...A fresh take at this well known music and a witty ending...'
'Ancuta plunged into the seething mood of Rachmaninoff's Presto and brought it off with great convinction...'
Ravel-Jeux D'Eau: '...a delightful final choice-watery and translucent with skilful use of rubato over long distances, ebb and flow beautifully judged...polished and musically alive...' (Clara Taylor, ABRSM Chief Executive, 2008)
Ancuta Nite is a Romanian-British pianist and educator, born in Piatra Neamț, North East Romania. She has been based in Scotland since 2000, following the award of a Silvestri Scholarship which enabled her to continue her studies at Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools in Edinburgh.
Ancuta later returned to Scotland to study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where she was awarded both a Stevenson Scholarship and an ABRSM International Scholarship. Ancuta also received very generous sponsorship for the duration of her studies, made possible by the kindness of many donors and the invaluable assistance of Helen Mitchell, the Director of Music at Mary Erskine School.
Under the guidance of distinguished pianists Fali Pavri and Aaron Shorr, she graduated in 2009 with First Class Honours in Piano Performance, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma and Master’s Degree. During her time at the Conservatoire, she won numerous prizes including the Mozart Concerto Competition, performing K271 “Jeunehomme,” and gave a memorable performance of Saint-Saëns’ Second Piano Concerto with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra as part of her final exam.
Her performance career has taken her across Europe and the UK, with appearances in prestigious venues such as Edinburgh’s Usher Hall, London’s Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre, and the New Auditorium at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. She has participated in masterclasses with renowned pianists including John Lill, Steven Osborne, Katia Veekmans, Roy Howat, Hyoong Jung Chang, Alexander Korsantia, and Pascal Rogé.
Recent concerto engagements include Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto with Glasgow Sinfonia, Beethoven’s Third with the New Edinburgh Orchestra, and Addinsell’s Warsaw Concerto with Helensburgh Orchestral Society, alongside solo recitals in Italy and Germany.
In 2021, Ancuta released her debut solo CD Post tenebras lux (“Light after darkness”), featuring works by Chopin and Liszt.
She is a sought-after adjudicator, having judged piano competitions in Germany (Einbecker Klavierfrühling), Sweden (Twelfth Stockholm International Music Competition), China (Yi Yue Classic Piano Competition), Greece (Colibri International Piano Competition) and various UK festivals. She recently completed a year-long educational project in China, delivering 30 lessons for beginner pianists.
A passionate educator, Ancuta is the founder of the Nite Piano School in Glasgow’s City Centre and West End (www.nitepianoschool.co.uk). She teaches at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and serves as Piano Coordinator at the University of St Andrews.
Together with her husband, Quintin Doyle, Ancuta has been an ambassador for Hospices of Hope since 2008, supporting palliative care in South Eastern Europe. Their fundraising efforts—including chamber music concerts, private recitals, and performances at venues such as London’s Globe Theatre—have raised over £33,275 for the charity.
Ancuta is also Artistic Director of the Ardtornish Piano Retreat and Concert Series, held annually at Ardtornish Estate, Lochaline, and of the MoltoPiano International Summer School in St Andrews (www.moltopiano.co.uk).