Alexandra Dariescu

Piano

Alexandra Dariescu

Born in Romania in 1985, Alexandra Dariescu studied at the ‘Octav Bancila’ Special Music School in Iasi, Romania for twelve years, making her debut as a soloist with the Kisinev Symphony Orchestra at the age of nine.  In 2002, Alexandra won a full scholarship to Pocklington School in York where she studied with Faye Mercer and in 2004 entered the Royal Northern College of Music with a full scholarship from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music where she studied with Mark Ray, Alexander Melnikov, Nelson Goerner and Dina Parakhina.  While at the RNCM, Alexandra has won all major prizes and awards, including the RNCM Gold Medal, Chopin Prize and Recital Prize.  Her international competition successes include winning the Eastbourne Young Soloist of the Year in 2005, 2nd Prize in the Adila Alieva Competition in Gaillard France in 2006 and ‘Prix Maurice Ravel 2008’ at the Academie Internationale de Musique Maurice Ravel in France. Alexandra was selected for representation by YCAT in May 2008 and she is currently studying for her Masters’ with a full scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with Ronan O’Hora.

Alexandra made her UK debut in the Bridgewater Hall performing under André de Ridder with the RNCM Chamber Orchestra in the 2006 Piano Festival, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.   She has appeared regularly with the State Philharmonic in Romania, Kisinev Philharmonic, Eastbourne Symphony Orchestra, RNCM Chamber Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, Crosby Symphony Orchestra and Liverpool Mozart Orchestra, Blackburn, York and Sheffield Symphony Orchestras.   Her recital work has included concerts at Bridgewater Hall and with violinist Alina Ibragimova in London.  Further afield she has given recitals in the USA, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain and Moldavia and broadcast for Tvr Cultural, Tvr International, Tvr Iasi, Radio Trinitas and Radio Iasi in Romania, Manx Radio, Isle of Man and Nevada Radio in California.

Future engagements include return visits to the Bridgewater Hall, recitals at Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room, Ravel Festival in France, performances of the Schumann Piano Quintet with the Sacconi Quartet in Sowerby and Wigmore Hall; and appearances as soloist with the ViVA Sinfonia, EMG Symphony, Nottingham Symphony and Liverpool Mozart Orchestras performing Grieg, Beethoven ‘Emperor’, Shostakovich No.2 and Tchaikovsky Concertos.

Alexandra is very grateful for support from the Hattori Foundation, Academie de Villecroze, Ratiu Foundation, Music Foundation, John S Cohen Foundation, the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers’ and the Music Students’ Hostel Trust.