Alexander Paley Music Festival
· Alexander Paley ·
Alexander Paley is widely recognized for his broad and extensive repertoire of concerti and solo piano works, his dazzling technical prowess, and his convincing, personal interpretations.
Born in Kishiniev, Moldavia, Mr. Paley began playing the piano when he was six. At sixteen he won the National Music Competition of Moldavia. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Bella Davidovich and Vera Gornostayeva, completing graduate work in 1981. His major awards include First Prize at the Leipzig International Bach Competition in 1984, the Bösendorfer Prize in 1986, and the Grand Prix at the First International Pancho Vladigerov Competition in Bulgaria in 1986.
Mr. Paley performs in major venues and festivals in the United States and Europe. He has partnered with eminent artists such as Bella Davidovich and Mstislav Rostropovich, and principal players from major orchestras including the NDR Leipzig Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. He has played with ensembles including the Vermeer, Ysaye and the Fine Arts string quartets.
In August 1998, Mr. Paley created a festival in Richmond, Virginia that has drawn popular and critical acclaim for its bold programming and brilliant performances.
Mr. Paley has recorded the complete solo piano works of Balakirev (ESS.A.Y.) and works by Scriabin and Weber (Naxos), Anton Rubinstein's Piano Concertos Nos.2 and 4 with the Russian State Orchestra (Russian Disc). Mr. Paley's recent recordings for Acte Sud include the world premier recording of the Sgambati Piano Concerto with the Montpellier Philharmonic Orchestra, sonatas for 'cello and piano by Chopin and Rachmaninoff, and solo works including Liszt's transcription of the Beethoven Septet.