Pianist

When Sergei Prokofiev's Second Piano Concerto was first performed in September 1913, with the composer at the piano, the audience was furious: "To hell with futuristic music. Cats on the roof make better music." Prokofiev bowed as if being applauded – and played an encore. Over a century later, what today's ears consider a rather "moderate" concerto, which begins with an almost romantic theme and features the most difficult solo cadenza of all time, has long been recognized as a masterpiece. The jubilation for soloist Alexander Gadjiev is surely genuine. This is the first time the polyglot pianist, born on the Italian-Slovenian border, has appeared with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra.

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NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Alexander Gadjiev / Gergely Madaras

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

 Among numerous early prizes, Gadjiev won 1st prize at the Sydney International Piano Competition in 2021 and 2nd prize and the Krystian Zimerman Special Prize for his interpretation of a Chopin sonata at the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw.

Alexander Gadjiev piano

The Bridgewater Hall

From an early age, Alexander Gadjiev found the piano entertaining. He was particularly amused by how easy it is to produce a note, but how difficult it is to shape notes. This childhood enthusiasm developed into something more: at the age of nine, Alexander Gadjiev played with an orchestra for the first time. At ten, he had his first solo performance, followed in the years that followed by top marks and a long list of competition successes. But the Italian-Slovenian pianist has more than just a technical talent for the keyboard. He also considers his fluency in five languages ​​a key to his success, allowing him to absorb and process different musical styles and languages, adapting them to his own taste. With his nuanced touch, he will guide the audience through masterpieces of piano literature on July 3. Short character pieces by the humanist ambassador Beethoven will be followed by Polish folklore by the introspective Chopin. Dreamy sound vignettes by Debussy fade into Scriabin's expressive etudes, and finally, Mussorgsky's piano cycle opens the doors to a musical foray into the exhibition of his friend, the painter Viktor Hartmann.

Alexander Gadjiev

Ludwigsburg Residential Palace

Giuseppe Mengoli conducts works by Tchaikovsky, Scriabin and Franck

Best Western Plus Palatin Kongress Hotel

Lunchtime concert: Giuseppe Mengoli conducts Scriabin and Tchaikovsky

Kultur- & Kongresszentrum Liederhalle

Pianist Alexander Gadjiev explores captivating solo works by Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin and Corigliano in this lunchtime concert.

New Generation Artists: Alexander Gadjiev

LSO St Luke's

Alexander Gadjiev knows Chopin. At the 2021 Chopin Competition, he won second prize overall and first prize in the sonata category—the first prize winner with Serbian roots. In the final, he played the Piano Concerto in F minor, Op. 21, and the jury listened "with bated breath." Those who aren't already breathless after Chopin's virtuoso work can look forward to a fairytale fantasy by his Polish compatriot Stanisław Moniuszko. Antonín Dvořák also greets us from neighboring Bohemia. A breathtaking evening!

Prinzregententheater

Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.2 is one of the finest virtuosic showpieces for piano, requiring both technical ability and deep musicality from its soloist. As one of the prize winners in the 2021 Chopin Competition, Alexander Gadjiev has both in spades.

Dvořák’s Symphony No.8

Alexander Gadjiev, winner of the 2022 Terence Judd-Hallé Award, joins forces with Grammy-nominated Ariane Matiakh for a performance of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.2, is one of the finest virtuosic showpieces for piano, requiring both technical ability and deep musicality from its soloist. As one of the prize winners in the 2021 Chopin Competition, Alexander Gadjiev has both in spades. Before we dive into Dvořák’s lively and lyrical Eighth Symphony, audiences will also be the first in the UK to hear Hallé Featured Composer, Unsuk Chin’s Operascope, a musical walk through the history of opera with several nods to operatic giants like Verdi and Puccini.

The Hallé – Dvořák’s Symphony No.8

Alexander Gadjiev makes his much-anticipated appearance in the Chamber Series with two piano quartets. Mozart essentially sets the piano as soloist against the ‘orchestra’ of the string trio, whilst Brahms integrates all four instruments into a seamless whole, especially in the gloriously lyrical third movement.

Pianist

Alexander Gadjiev

Events

Upcoming events

4 - 7 Dec, 2025

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Alexander Gadjiev / Gergely Madaras · Elbphilharmonie

Jan 26, 2026

Alexander Gadjiev · Münchner Rundfunkorchester

14 - 17 May, 2026

Dvořák’s Symphony No.8 · The Hallé

14 - 17 May, 2026

The Hallé – Dvořák’s Symphony No.8 · The Bridgewater Hall

May 15, 2026

Chamber Series: Alexander Gadjiev · The Hallé

Past events

4 - 7 Dec, 2025

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Alexander Gadjiev / Gergely Madaras · Elbphilharmonie

Oct 23, 2025

Alexander Gadjiev piano · The Bridgewater Hall

Future and recently performed repertoire

Piano in Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky

Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele

Piano in Piano Sonata No. 7 by Prokofiev

The Bridgewater Hall

Piano in Mazurkas by Chopin

Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele

Piano in Bagatelles by Beethoven

Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele

Piano in Préludes by Debussy

Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele

Piano in Piano Concerto No. 2 by Chopin

The Hallé

Piano in 8 Etudes by Scriabin

Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele

Piano in Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor by Chopin

Münchner Rundfunkorchester

Piano in Piano Concerto in F sharp minor by Scriabin

SWR Symphonieorchester

About

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