Cristian BENCE-MUK (born August 31,1978, Deva) has graduated from the Composition Chair of the "Gheorghe Dima" Music Academy of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. He graduated in 2002 from the class of Professor Hans Peter TÜRK, Ph.D. In 2005, under the coordination of Professor Cornel ŢĂRANU, Ph.D., he obtained the academic title of Doctor of Music, the specialization of Musical Composition. At present, Cristian BENCE-MUK is a Lecturer, Mus.D. in the field of Musical Forms and Analysis within the "Gheorghe Dima" Music Academy of Cluj-Napoca.
   His musical composition consists of choral, vocal, chamber, symphonic, and vocal-symphonic pieces. He has been awarded various national prizes and his works have been performed within concerts in the country and abroad (France, Italy, Sweden, Portugal – played by famous contemporary music ensembles, such as “The pearls before swine experience”), being published by publishing houses in Romania and Switzerland.

Among the national prizes awarded by professional associations and institutions of prestige, we mention:

1. The 2nd prize ex-aequo at the Alexandru Zirra Composition Contest (organized by the University of Arts, Iasi), with the work String trio;

2. 1st prize at the National Coral Composition Contest Stefan cel Mare si Sfant - 500, Suceava, 1st Edition, 2004;
3.  The excellence prize for young composers awarded by the National Union of the Romanian Employers, Bucharest, 2005 (for the oratorio Apocalipsa and the chamber opera Moara lui Califar);
4.  The prize of the Composers’ and Musicologists’ Association in Romania – the Cluj branch – in 2005 for the chamber opera Moara lui Călifar;
5. The 2nd prize ex-aequo National Contest of Coral Creation, the 7th edition, Bucharest (with the work Cantari).