Mihaela Ursuleasa, award-winning Romanian pianist, found dead in Vienna aged 33

Romanian pianist Mihaela Ursuleasa was found dead in her apartment in Vienna, Austria.

The 33-year-old international musician was found dead in her apartment in Vienna, where she had lived since studying in the city.

A statement on Mihaela Ursuleasa’s website said: “We have not only lost a wonderful person but one of the greatest artists our musical world has known.”

The artist is survived by a five-year-old daughter, according to Arts Journal.

The arts website said several reports blamed her death on a brain haemorrhage.

The message on Mihaela Ursuleasa’s own website continued: “We are in deep sorrow because of her sudden unexpected death. Our thoughts are with her daughter and her mother.”

Mihaela Ursuleasa had been due to play with the National Youth Orchestra on Wednesday in Bucharest and on Saturday in Berlin.

She was born in Brasov, Romania and began her career at the early age of five, before making the decision to withdraw from the stage in 1990 to concentrate on studying in Vienna.

Her “rare combination of vivacity and technical mastery” meant she went on to win the highly acclaimed Clara Haskil Competition in 1995.

Her online biography from EAS Music Management said she was “one of the most remarkable pianists of her generation”.

Mihaela Ursuleasa performed at world renowned venues such as Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, the Philharmonie Cologne, Konzerthaus Vienna, Tonhalle Zurich and in the renowned Carnegie Hall in New York.

She had also been welcomed as a guest soloist by orchestras such as the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Berlin, Mozarteum Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

In 2010, her debut solo album, Piano & Forte won the ECHO Klassik award for Solo Recording of the Year.

Mihaela Ursuleasa’ second solo album Romanian Rhapsody was released in March 2011.