Alexander Gadjiev, piano

Recital on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Poland and Slovenia

Programme:
Polonaise in F sharp minor, Op. 44
Mazurka in C major, Op. 56 No 2 
Mazurka in C minor, Op. 56 No 3 
Barcarolle in F sharp major, Op. 60 
Polonaise-Fantasie in A flat major, Op. 61
***
Prelude in C sharp minor, Op. 45
Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35

Musical exposure and Central European culture: Alexander Gadjiev owes the first to his family, with both parents being piano teachers and musicians, and the second to Gorizia – his city of origin – a natural crossroads of peoples, cultures and languages. These factors have both had a determining influence on his natural ability to absorb, process and rework, to his own taste, different musical styles and languages. Tutored by his father, a well-known Russian teacher, Alexander played for the first time with an orchestra at the age of nine, and held his first solo recital aged ten. He was awarded his diploma at the age of seventeen, with the highest marks and honours. This allowed him to participate in the Premio Venezia – a competition reserved for Italy’s finest young talents – and to win the 30th edition of the award. 

Over the recent years, Gadjiev has won several major piano competitions: the Ninth Hamamatsu International Piano Competition in 2015 and the Monte-Carlo World Piano Masters Competition in 2018. In summer 2021, he was awarded first prize and several other distinctions at the Sydney International Piano Competition. That same year Gadjiev shot to worldwide fame by winning second prize and the Krystian Zimerman Prize for best performance of a sonata at the 18th Chopin Piano Competition. 

The Sydney competition opened the door for him to the Southern Hemisphere's most prestigious venues – his 2022 engagements include a grand tour of Australia and the Far East, as well as an extensive tour of Poland.