Gheorghe Rizea was born on February 15th, 1974 in Romania. At the young age of eleven, Gheorghe began his studies with the Romanian pan flute (nai) at the Dinu Lipatti Music High School in Bucharest, under the direction of the renowned naist Cornel Pana. Upon completion of his nai studies with Cornel Pana, Gheorghe entered the University of Music Bucharest in 1993, where he remained for the next five years, studying musicology and musical pedagogy. Since 1989, Gheorghe Rizea has been an associate pan flute teacher at his former music school (The Dinu Lipatti Music High School), and, beginning in 1993, served as a naist for seven years with the Folklore Ensemble of Student's Cultural Center, in Bucharest, Romania. Since 2002, Gheorghe has been the pan flute soloist of the Doina Folkloric Ensemble of the Romanian army, performing in concerts and recitals throughout France (Paris, Matha, Le Puy, Belfort, Cognac, Nancy), England, Spain, Afghanistan, and Bosnia.