Mihai Vatca
Mihai Vatca, DM
Adjunct Professor of Piano
School of Music, 329 | 936.294.1372 | mxv029@shsu.edu
Division | Piano/Keyboard
Born in Deva, Romania, Mihai, started playing the piano at the age of 6. From 2006-2012 he studied at the “Gheorghe Dima” Music Academy in Cluj Napoca, with Dr. Monica Noveanu and later with Dr. Daniel Goiti. In 2010, he received his Bachelor’s Degree followed by his first Master’s Degree in 2012, both in Piano Performance. In 2002, Mihai performed in a Master class with Léa-Jeanne Litzler Adam – Académie des Artistes Musiciens Paris, France. Mihai also performed in a Master class with the legendary pianist Jerome Lowenthal - member of the piano faculty at the Juilliard School of Music in New York.
Mihai has participated in more than 50 national and international competitions. Some of the most important awards that he has received are: First prize at National Piano Competition Deva, Romania 2000, 2001; “Troisieme Medaille”- International Piano Competition “Maryse Cheilan” Ville d’Hyeres, France, 2000,2002; First Prize National Competition Oradea, Romania, 2001; Grand Prize and Special Prize winner- National Piano Competition, Sighetu Marmatiei, Romania, 2001; finalist for “Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart”-Chamber Music Festival-Competition, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 2003; First Prize at the Art Song Competition, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, 2014; First Prize at the Concerto Competition, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, 2015. Mihai has performed in numerous Solo Recitals and Chamber Music recitals. He played as a soloist with the “Sigismund Toduta” Youth Orchestra, Sam Houston Symphonic Orchestra, and The Woodlands Concert Band as a soloist.
Mihai earned in 2015 his second Master Degree, in Piano Collaborative and Chamber Music at Sam Houston State University, Huntsville. He continued his musical studies at University of Houston where he earned a Doctoral Degree in Piano Performance with an emphasis in Piano Collaborative and Chamber Music. After graduating his Doctoral Degree in 2019, Dr. Vatca was awarded as the University of Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts Fellowship to continue his studies with a Professional Certificate in Piano Collaborative which he finished in 2021.
Along with his continuing professional development, Mihai started to teach piano lessons in 2005. He served at as Piano Professor for the "Augustin Bena" School of Music, Cluj-Napoca, Romania between 2010-2013. Mihai worked as a Teacher Assistant at Sam Houston State University, School of Music in Huntsville, TX between 2013-2015 and he also served as a Teacher Assistant at University of Houston, Moores School of Music in Houston, TX between 2015-2019. Since 2019 Dr. Mihai Vatca joined the piano department at Sam Houston State University where he serves as Adjunct Professor of Piano. Dr. Vatca also leads his Private Piano Studio where he taught more than 300 students during the years. Dr. Vatca’s students won numerous awards at piano competitions. Dr. Vatca was involved during the years in several professional educators’ organizations such as MTNA, TMTA, CMTA, NFMC, TFMC, and CJMC.
Since 2014 Dr. Vatca holds the Pianist position at Christ Church United Methodist in the Woodlands. TX.
In the recent years, Dr. Vatca had collaborations with Houston Symphony Chorus, Houston Chamber Choir, The Woodlands Concert Band, and The Woodlands Symphony. Furthermore, he served as judge for multiple piano competitions around the United States.