Hi all, I am trying to locate any information on Vasilica Stingaciu a violinist who busk around Florence. He has played with a group Romdraculas Fierenze. He is so great and I believe that he is classically trained and probably played in a Symphony or perhaps the orchestra maestro for many years. I would like to interview him and have his story printed in several publications. This is a link for some of his YouTube videos.
Thanks for anything that you may have. I have been searching the internet for quite a while.
Seeking info on Violinist
- Thread starter Fiddler
- Start date
Ciao Fiddler,
Sorry, I've been doing some research too ;-)
The Romdraculas are awesome! And Vasilica is spectacular! I've seen them myself in Piazza Santa Croce but that was some time ago, definitely before pandemic. With less tourism in town because of Covid, it's possible they aren't playing around Florence. Also buskers are not as common in winter, but who knows?! I've been looking at all their videos and some do show people walking around them with coats and heavy jackets so that means it was cold. I'll see if I can go out one evening soon and scope out if they've been seen recently.
As far as getting into contact with Vasilica himself, he doesn't seem to have much of a direct online persona either on social media or other websites. There are a LOT of videos of him and the Romdraculas on YouTube... but the majority are from like 6 or 7 years ago, the most recent seem to be from 2016 of the group. The most recent ones are those of just Vasilica by himself in Piazzale Michelangelo, from 2019.
As far as aiding your search, these are the pages I was able to find that have photos of them, so were at one point created by them. Maybe if you try contact through all of them, you'll find something. Maybe you had already found these pages and have been unsuccessful...?
www.facebook.com
Vasilica Stingaciu - violin -
www.facebook.com
Sandu Gruia Sandokan (Alexandru Gruia) - contrabasso -
I found his channel on Youtube, the older ones are of the group, the most recent ones are of just himself playing the violin - https://www.youtube.com/user/romdraculas/videos - I just hope this doesn't mean that they've gone their separate ways!
George - guitar - nothing online for him, doesn't mean he isn't but I was unable to find his full name.
Last but NOT least, I found an image for their CD on this page
www.discogs.com
and the image itself has this info:
phone: 339-3071746
email: romdraculas@gmail.com
You should also know, from this interview -
- that the group in 2009 did not have the violinist, and they took time to go back to Romania. I've found comments that say the group started in Rome, they've also been seen in Genova before Florence... I think it's likely it's been different musicians at each place. In any case, you're interested in Vasilica (I also found his name as "Vasile" and in Italian as Vassilica) and it's very possible for one reason or another the group is no longer as it once was.
I say this because I also found news that in October 2019, he played with another guitarist at the opening ceremony of the Mercato delle Pulci after its renovation and move to another piazza: https://www.nove.firenze.it/nuovo-mercato-delle-pulci-sabato-26-ottobre-linaugurazione.htm
This article confirms what you think, it says he was professionally trained at the State Conservatory “Dinu Lipatti” in Bucharest.
That event was organized by an non-profit association called Arte e Mercati. You could also contact them and see if they can provide more recent contact info. This is the page for that event in late 2019 https://www.facebook.com/MercatiInMusica/
Considering its the most "recent" info I found about him, they might provide useful info so you can get in touch with him.
Please let me know how it goes, whether you're successful in getting in touch somehow!! Good luck!
Sorry, I've been doing some research too ;-)
The Romdraculas are awesome! And Vasilica is spectacular! I've seen them myself in Piazza Santa Croce but that was some time ago, definitely before pandemic. With less tourism in town because of Covid, it's possible they aren't playing around Florence. Also buskers are not as common in winter, but who knows?! I've been looking at all their videos and some do show people walking around them with coats and heavy jackets so that means it was cold. I'll see if I can go out one evening soon and scope out if they've been seen recently.
As far as getting into contact with Vasilica himself, he doesn't seem to have much of a direct online persona either on social media or other websites. There are a LOT of videos of him and the Romdraculas on YouTube... but the majority are from like 6 or 7 years ago, the most recent seem to be from 2016 of the group. The most recent ones are those of just Vasilica by himself in Piazzale Michelangelo, from 2019.
As far as aiding your search, these are the pages I was able to find that have photos of them, so were at one point created by them. Maybe if you try contact through all of them, you'll find something. Maybe you had already found these pages and have been unsuccessful...?
Romdraculas Firenze
Romdraculas Firenze is on Facebook. Join Facebook to connect with Romdraculas Firenze and others you may know. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected.
www.facebook.com
Vasilica Stingaciu - violin -
Rom Draculas Firenze
Rom Draculas Firenze is on Facebook. Join Facebook to connect with Rom Draculas Firenze and others you may know. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected.
www.facebook.com
George - guitar - nothing online for him, doesn't mean he isn't but I was unable to find his full name.
Last but NOT least, I found an image for their CD on this page
Romdraculas - Firenze - Italia
View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the CD release of "Firenze - Italia " on Discogs.
www.discogs.com
phone: 339-3071746
email: romdraculas@gmail.com
You should also know, from this interview -
I say this because I also found news that in October 2019, he played with another guitarist at the opening ceremony of the Mercato delle Pulci after its renovation and move to another piazza: https://www.nove.firenze.it/nuovo-mercato-delle-pulci-sabato-26-ottobre-linaugurazione.htm
This article confirms what you think, it says he was professionally trained at the State Conservatory “Dinu Lipatti” in Bucharest.
That event was organized by an non-profit association called Arte e Mercati. You could also contact them and see if they can provide more recent contact info. This is the page for that event in late 2019 https://www.facebook.com/MercatiInMusica/
Considering its the most "recent" info I found about him, they might provide useful info so you can get in touch with him.
Please let me know how it goes, whether you're successful in getting in touch somehow!! Good luck!
Very good research! Thank you. I will continue to try to make contact. Like you, I just find a lot of dead ends. I did contact Romdraculas through Facebook and the bassist told me Sil don’t have Facebook. This was just a few months ago. I already figured that out and he didn’t offer any other way that I might use. I did locate a video from 2019( I think), that could be when it was posted, and not when it was recorded of just “Sil” playing solo with backing tracks. I also am handicapped a bit in that i only speak English! Thanks again, I think I need to check with some of the local violin/fiddle shops in your area. He may have visited them. My search continues…BTW, this is me if anyone is looking for an old man looking like Santa Clause dressed in caroler costume!
Awesome that you're also a "fiddler" and got to play for such a crowd during these last holidays 
Maybe the Mercati in Musica association will have more recent contact info considering it was just a little over 3 years ago. The last articles I found mention that he's playing with other musicians in concerts across Italy, so it might be the reason why he hasn't popped up in more recent YouTube videos... aside from the pandemic also limiting people from visiting Florence and thus also not providing a public for anyone performing on the streets, of course. I will keep your post in mind when I am downtown - rest assured if I were to see him, I'll ask him for his contact info!
Maybe the Mercati in Musica association will have more recent contact info considering it was just a little over 3 years ago. The last articles I found mention that he's playing with other musicians in concerts across Italy, so it might be the reason why he hasn't popped up in more recent YouTube videos... aside from the pandemic also limiting people from visiting Florence and thus also not providing a public for anyone performing on the streets, of course. I will keep your post in mind when I am downtown - rest assured if I were to see him, I'll ask him for his contact info!
Jacobiani
New member
Nothing is known about this band, but I think Romdraculas Fierenze was disbanded long before this man became popular. Back at the peak of his musical career he was studying at the Italian Conservatory, I remember listening to him in concert. Then something went wrong and he started giving concerts in the streets. But he's great.
Last edited:
jeffnye
New member
Today is April 14 2024. I was in Florence on April 5th and saw him playing at sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo:
He seemed to be playing and selling pop covers, not as interesting for me as the RomDraculas stuff I've seen on YouTube. WIthin a day or so before I saw the guitarist in this video at a couple of places too:
.
He seemed to be playing and selling pop covers, not as interesting for me as the RomDraculas stuff I've seen on YouTube. WIthin a day or so before I saw the guitarist in this video at a couple of places too:
Wishing you the best of luck that you locate him!
This is very promising news! Can someone in the area touch base with the management of the Plaza area to see if they have contact information for him? Thank you