Born in Romania, Paul Cartianu began learning piano at an early age. He pursued musical studies and went on to graduate from the George Enescu Music High School in Bucharest, while additionally studying piano privately in America. His mentors were Andrei Podlacha, Olga Szel, Stela Dragulin and Maria Demina.
Cartianu participated successfully in national and international piano competitions, obtaining first prizes in the National Piano Olympics, the Brahmhall Concerto Piano Competition, the Cypress College Piano Competition, and the George Georgescu International Piano Competition. He played in important venues such as the Romanian Athenaeum, the Arcus Festival, on national Radio, and at Carnegie Hall in the laureates’ gala of the World Piano Competition Cincinnati. Paul started his university studies at the USC Thornton School of Music with John Perry and continued at the University Mozarteum Salzburg with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling and Andreas Weber. Masterclasses with Aquiles Delle Vigne, Fabio Bidini, Sergey Maltsev and Dina Yoffe helped shape his musical approach.
He further participated in competitions, obtaining the first Prize in the 'Searching for Enescu' Piano Competition, the Yamaha Scholarship, and the third Prize in the Malta International Piano Competition. Paul performed with the Mozarteum University Symphony Orchestra, the Torrance Symphony Orchestra, Ploiesti and Arad Philharmonic, among others. Paul has a rich experience performing solo and chamber music, as well as composing and teaching.