Can play a sustained tone lasting for 2 1/2 minutes.
Over 120 million records sold, winning 120 gold and platinum disc awards.
Resides and teaches panpipe in Bucharest, Romania. (2006)
Expanded the traditional Romanian-style 20-piped pan flute to 22, 25,
28 and 30 pipes to increase its range.
By loosening and tightening his embouchure, he can obtain as many as nine tones from each pipe.
Performed at Carnegie Hall, New York in 1981.
He became famous in the United States through a record that was sold on TV and contained a selection of his music. He was simply called "Zamfir" and "The King of the Pan Flute".
He only plays pan flutes 'right handed'.
Began playing pan flute when he was 14 years old.
Was the conductor of "Ciocarlia" (Skylark) Folk Ensemble in Bucharest in 1969.
Wrote an instructional book for the pan flute: "Traité Du Naï Roumain: Méthode de flûte de pan". Paris: Chappell S.A., 1975. ISBN
88-8291-286-8.
His first name Gheorghe is pronounced "Geor-ge".
Wrote an autobiography: "Binecuvantare Si Blestem" [Blessing & Curses]. Arad: Mirador, 2000. ISBN 973-9284-9256-6.
Originally wanted to become an accordionist.
Studied under Fanica Luca at the Bucharest Academy of Music.
He graduated in Conducting from the Conservatory of Bucharest in 1968.