Lunchtime Recital - Cristiana Achim (piano)

Programme:

Sergei Rachmaninov - Lilacs

Maurice Ravel - Jeux d’eau

Enrique Granados - El Amor y la Muerte

Earl Wild/George Gershwin - Etude no 4 “Embraceable you”

Aaron Copland/Leonard Bernstein - El Salón México

Free Entry. No ticket required. Retiring collection - suggestion £5

https://www.stpancraschurch.org/donations

Biographies:

Bucharest-born pianist, composer and educator, Cristiana Achim is recognised as a standout talent of her generation. Graduating with First Class Distinction in 2024 from the esteemed Royal College of Music in London, under the tutelage of Professor Nigel Clayton, she earned a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Performance degree. She was a recipient of the C. Bechstein Scholarship and the holder of the Help Musicians Postgraduate Awards. She is now a Trustee of the Talent Unlimited Charity.

Most notably, Cristiana has been awarded the 2023 London Symphony Orchestra Conservatoire Scholarship, amplifying her musical studies with performing opportunities and mentorship throughout the 2023-2024 concert season. Cristiana performed under the baton of Gianandrea Noseda, Sakari Oramo, Sabin Pautza, John Andrews and Constantin Grigore with orchestras such as London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Camerata and Trinity Orchestra.

Renowned for her exceptional solo and chamber performances, Cristiana has received laurels from various international music competitions, such as the ‘Norah Sande 2022 Awards' , ‘Andrew Downes Music Competition’ and the ‘International Youth Music Competitions’. In addition, she achieved the distinction of being a semifinalist in the prestigious ROSL 2023 Music Competition.

Her performances have graced esteemed venues across the UK and internationally, including the DiMenna Centre for Classical Music in New York, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Haddo Arts Festival in Scotland, or the iconic Romanian Atheneum in Bucharest. Cristiana’s repertoire is diverse, encompassing classical, contemporary, jazz, and folk music. She has a particular affinity for Romanian folk music, which she has explored in her piano solo compositions since 2019.

In addition to her performing career, she is passionate advocate for music education. Cristiana served as a Benedetti Foundation Music Ambassador, contributing to creative projects alongside violinist Nicola Benedetti. She is also a Visiting Piano Teacher at City of London Freemen’s School and at the World Heart Beat Music Academy. In 2024, she founded Piano-Travel, an online platform connecting pianists with global music events and budget-friendly travel resources. In the summer of 2024, she was awarded the RCM Accelerate Scheme prize which further supports her entrepreneurial project.