Gabriel Barbalau makes his contrabass sing like a cello, the instrument with which he initially started his formal musical education at the “George Enescu” musical institute in Boekarest. In the Netherlands he finished his studies as a contrabass player at the Dutch Royal Music Academy at the Hague and at the Amsterdam Music Conservatoire.

As a member of the Romanian folk ensemble “Ciocarlia” he toured through the USA, France Germany and Italy. Together with pan-flutist Nicolae Pirvu he made several recordings and toured extensively over the major world stages. In the past he has been the lead contrabass player at the Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra . At the present moment he is a member of the Dutch International Dance Theatre and participates in several world and chamber music projects.