He was born in the village of Livezeni, Romania and he shown talent in music since early his childhood. At the age of seven, he began studying violin at the Vienna Conservatoire, graduating before his 13th birthday and then continued his studies at Paris Conservatoire (1895-1899).
Many of Enescu's works are influenced by Romanian folk music, his most popular compositions being the Romanian Rhapsodies, other works being the opera Oedipe (1936), five symphonies and much chamber music.
In 1923 he made his debut as a conductor in a New York concert of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He also conducted the New York Philharmonic between 1937 and 1938.
He lived in Paris and in Romania, but after WWII and the communist occupation of Romania, he remained in Paris.
He was also a noted violin teacher. Yehudi Menuhin and Dinu Lipatti were amongst his pupils.
The symphony orchestra of Bucharest is named in his honor; that city also houses a museum in his memory.