Daria Iulia Asaftei was born on July 12, 2004, in Iași, Romania, and moved to Portugal at the age of three.
She began her musical studies at the age of six, joining the Children’s Choir of the Óbidos Music Academy, conducted by Maestro Pedro Filipe dos Santos.
After the choir was dissolved, she re-enrolled at the same academy between 2014 and 2019, this time in the Integrated Music Programme with a major in Flute, under the guidance of Professor Daniela Carimbo Pinheiro. Continuing her musical training, in 2019 she entered the Professional Course in Flute at the same institution.
In 2018, she received an Honourable Mention at the Flute Competition held by the Nossa Senhora do Cabo Music School. The following year, she participated in the II Easter Course of the Escola Profissional Metropolitana as Principal Flute in the Wind Orchestra. In 2020, she was once again awarded an Honourable Mention at the same competition.
Three years later, she began her Bachelor’s Degree in Music at the University of Évora, studying under Professors Monika Streitová and André Cameira. During her undergraduate studies, she deepened her knowledge as a flautist, attending masterclasses with Nuno Inácio, Ana Maria Ribeiro, Marina Camponês, Christian Studler, Johanna Schwarz, Ivica Gabrisová, Wéndela van Swol, Maestro Philippe Ferro, Maestro Jean-Sébastien Béreau, Clara Novakova, and Marco Pereira.
In 2025, she took part in a programme with the Portuguese Academic Philharmonic Orchestra, performing as Piccolo. She is currently in the first year of her Master’s Degree in Music Teaching at the University of Évora, in the class of Professor André Cameira.
Alongside her studies as a flautist, Daria Iulia Asaftei has developed various projects as a singer, including two performances at the Óbidos International Literary Festival (FOLIO) in 2024 and 2025, as well as several concerts at the University of Évora featuring original works. She was accompanied by the University of Évora Flute Class in the performance “Jewish Évora”, held as part of the International Meeting and Conference organised by the Yehudi Menuhin Association.
She is also currently performing as an actress in the play “CAPRA – or how to say hello to fear”, written by Roxana Ionesco.
