Defined as a compelling musician and a natural performer on stage, Galician cellist Alejandra Díaz is prize winner of the Carnegie Palmer Award of the Worshipful Company of Musicians and finalist of the Pablo Casals International Award.
After being awarded the LSO String Experience Scheme in 2013, Alejandra became the first Spanish cellist in history to perform alongside the London Symphony Orchestra, as part of two tribute concerts to Claudio Abbado and Pierle Boulez at the Barbican Hall in London.
As an orchestral musician Alejandra has collaborated regularly with the Real Filharmonía de Galicia and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia. As principal cellist, she has appeared with the Orquesta Sinfónica Vigo 430, the Atlantic Coast Orchestra, the London Metropolitan Sinfonia and the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra.
Alejandra has performed under the baton of internationally acclaimed conductors like Valery Gergiev, Sir Colin Davis, James Gaffigan, Paul Daniel, David Afkham, Stephen Barlow, Dima Slobodeniouk, Nikolaj Znaider, Jesús López Cobos, Juanjo Mena, Takuo Yuasa, Sian Edwards, Daniel Harding, Jaime Martin, Alexander Bloch, Jordi Mora, Jakub Hrůša, Leif Segerstam, Manuel Hernández-Silva, Antoni Ros Marbá, Michail Jurowski, Christoph König or Lorenzo Viotti, to mention some.
A keen chamber musician, Alejandra has shared stage alongside artists of great reputation such as Nicolas Dautricourt, Alexander Gold, Roberto González, Claudio Martínez Menher, Felix Renggli, David Watkin, Gordan Nikolitch and Tim Hugh. In 2016 she formed a duo with the Japanese pianist Eriko Ishimoto with whom has given several critically aclaimed recitals, including their debut concert at Teatro Rosalía dedicated to the memory of David Ethève.
Alejandra has toured around England, Portugal, Italy, Spain and the United Arab Emirates and performed at very distinguished venues such as the Emirates Palace Auditorium, Wigmore Hall, Barbican Centre, Amaryllis Concert Hall, Milton Court Concert Hall, LSO St Luke´s, Palau de la Música Catalana, Auditorio Nacional in Madrid, Casa da Música in Porto, Palacio de Festivales in Cantabria, Teatro Afundación in Vigo, Teatro Jofre, Palacio de la Ópera in A Coruña or Círculo de las Artes in Lugo.
Alejandra has been invited to take part in various International Music Festivals including the Abu Dabhi Classics Music Festival, the Pierre Boulez 90th Birthday Festival, Encuentro de Música y Academia de Santander, Brandenbourg Spring Choral Festival, Bohemian Dreams Festival, Festival Cine Europa, Semana de Música Religiosa de Cuenca and Joaquin Turina International Chamber Music Festival.
Alejandra has appeared Live at the BBC Radio 3 programme "In tune" and has been principal cellist of the Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition. In 2012 co-organised and lead the series of recitals "Homage to Catalunya" with the Perseidas Ensemble, celebrating the anniversary of three of the most important Catalan composers of the 20th Century: Montsalvatge, Toldrá and Mompou, broadcast at the Euro Classical Online Festival. In 2011, she was selected to give a series of lunchtime concerts and workshops at Wigmore Hall with the Quartz Piano Trio. In 2010, was selected to the LSO Strings Academy where she performed Verklärte Nacht by Schoenberg with Tim Hugh at LSO St Luke´s.
As a concerto soloist, Alejandra appeared at the Anglo-Spanish 5th Annual Concert performing the Haydn D Major Cello Concerto with a chamber orchestra at St Paul´s Knightsbridge in 2013. In 2011, she formed as artistic director and principal cellist the Solo Artist Ensemble, giving her debut performing the Vivaldi Double Cello Concerto in G minor at the Livery Hall in London.
Alejandra completed a Guildhall Artist Masters in Performance (AIS) under prof. Ursula Smith and Alexander Baillie in 2014 and a Bachelor Degree with Honours at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama under prof. Oleg Kogan in 2011. Obtained a Diploma in Advanced Orchestral Studies at the Escuela de Altos Estudios Musicales de Galicia under prof. Plamen Velev in 2007 and the Título Profesional de Música at Conservatorio Manuel Quiroga under prof. Ana Torres Estarque in 2005.
Alejandra has performed in public masterclasses given by some of the foremost cellists including David Ethève, Lluís Claret, Angel Luis Quintana, Marçal Cervera, Reimund Korupp, Pieter Wispelwey, Oleg Kogan, Alexander Baillie, Antonio Lysy, Gary Hoffman, Tim Hugh, Johannes Goritzki, Rebecca Gilliver, Valentin Erben and received artistic mentorship by the Belcea Quartet, the Florestan Trio, the Endellion Quartet and other artists like Selma Gokcen, Caroline Palmer, Alasdair Tait, Richard and Robin Ireland, Krysia Osostowicz, Wolfgang Redik, Rachel Podger, Pavlo Beznosiuk, Rachel Roberts, Carole Presland, Gordon Back, Matthew Johns and Evan Rothstein, to mention some.
With a keen interest in contemporary music as well as the standard repertoire, Alejandra has premiered a number of chamber music and solo works including NEGRA SOMBRA-LELA for cello, baritone and piano by Juan Durán commissioned for ENSAMBLEISAAC and performed at Castillo de Santa Cruz in 2020, the premiere of new works by Hugo Gómez-Chao, Ramón Otero, Israel López Estelche, David del Puerto and César Viana as part of Música para unha época, CINCO COMPOSITORES PARA UN MUSEO at Museo de Bellas Artes de A Coruña in 2017 or the premiere of Capricho for cello and piano by Francisco Coll at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2011.
Alejandra combines an active performing career with music education. After completing a Master of Education at the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela in 2017, she has imparted music lessons to secondary school students at the CSM in Pontevedra. Alejandra is currently guest cello professor at the Escuela de Altos Estudios Musicales de Galicia where she gives regular masterclasses to younger generations of musicians.
Her studies have been generously supported by the Guildhall School Trust, the Matthiesen Foundation, the Worshipful Company of Musicians and the Richard Carne Trust.
Alejandra plays an Apostol Kaloferov made in Sofia (circa 1990) and a Paolo Pamiro bow made in Málaga (circa 2019).
