Alexander Gadjiev

In 2019, Gadjiev joined the BBC New Generation Artists scheme, for the scheduled period of 2019-2021. including Gadjiev. Gadjiev won second prize, ex aequo, as well as the Special Prize for the Best Performance of a Sonata at the XVIII International Chopin Piano Competition in 2021. Also in 2021, he won first prize and six other prizes in the 2021 Sydney International Piano Competition.

Alexander Gadjiev, winner of the 2021 Sydney International Piano Competition, makes his debut recording for Decca (Australia) on the Eloquence "New Series" imprint, devoted to brand new recordings. Carrying off the Ernest Hutcheson First Prize but also an additional six prizes at the 2021 Online Edition of the Sydney International Piano Competition, the young Italian-Slovenian pianist was also winner of the 2018 edition of the Prix Ranieri 111: Monte-Carlo Piano Masters (Monte Carlo, Monaco) and, in 2015, First Prize and Audience Award winner at the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition (Hamamatsu, Japan). More recently, he was selected for the 2019-2021 BBC New Generation Artists Scheme, which provided opportunities for him to perform in many of the major festivals and series in the UK, both in recital and as soloist with the BBC orchestras, and to record regularly for BBC Radio 3. In demand as a soloist with orchestras, and as a recitalist, Gadjiev has also performed in the Salle Gaveau in Paris, the Great Hall of Ljubljana's Philharmonie, La Fenice in Venice and the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory.

“Romanticism” is characterized by crossing all kinds of boundaries. Usually, the titles of compositions give us insight into how their creators were inspired by literature, landscapes or works of art. But mere titles do not exhaust the phenomenon of crossing borders the least. Many artists have multiple talents. Franz Liszt not only composed, but was also an outstanding piano virtuoso. Robert Schumann had to give up his promising piano career.

“Romanticism” is characterized by crossing all kinds of boundaries. Usually, the titles of compositions give us insight into how their creators were inspired by literature, landscapes or works of art. But mere titles do not exhaust the phenomenon of crossing borders the least. Many artists have multiple talents. Franz Liszt not only composed, but was also an outstanding piano virtuoso.

Alexander Gadjiev’s album Legends takes listeners on a journey through the timeless legends and stories hidden within music, revealing its power to conjure entire worlds. In Debussy’s La cathédrale engloutie, ghostly bells rise from a submerged cathedral, bringing a Breton myth to life. Liszt’s Funérailles rages with thunderous chords, evoking a battle against mortality, whilst Musorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition unfolds a vivid tapestry of Slavic folklore and European scenes.

Alexander Gadjiev’s album Legends takes listeners on a journey through the timeless legends and stories hidden within music, revealing its power to conjure entire worlds. In Debussy’s La cathédrale engloutie, ghostly bells rise from a submerged cathedral, bringing a Breton myth to life. Liszt’s Funérailles rages with thunderous chords, evoking a battle against mortality, whilst Musorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition unfolds a vivid tapestry of Slavic folklore and European scenes. Prokofiev’s Légende tells an enchanted tale of light and shadow, and Scriabin’s Sonata No. 9 (Black Mass) immerses us in an eerie, otherworldly soundscape. Franck’s Prélude, Fugue et Variation offers a sublime reflection on the soul’s journey, while Bach-Siloti’s Prelude in B minor resonates like a timeless, universal hymn. The Italian-Slovenian pianist has designed this programme to offer listeners a profound and mythical experience.