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ALEXANDER DJORDJEVIC
November 30, 2024Now accepting new students in Park Ridge, Hinsdale and onlineAlexander Djordjevic is now accepting new piano students of all ages at his home studio in Park Ridge, Hinsdale, IL and online via Zoom, FaceTime or Skype. For more information please contact him via the Contact page.

September 1, 2010Alexander Djordjevic’s CD Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt is the recipient of the HungariaThe Hungarian Liszt Grand Prix du Disque recognizes conductors, orchestras, performing artists and record producers of works by Franz Liszt, judged by a jury of renowned musicians. Alexander Djordjevic follows an esteemed list of notable pianists who have received this honor for their Liszt recordings including Claudio Arrau, Lazar Berman, Jorge Bolet, Alfred Brendel, György Cziffra, Leslie Howard, Vladimir Horowitz, Jenõ Jandó, Zoltán Kocsis, Maurizio Pollini and André Watts. Alexander Djordjevic received the award and performed a recital in Budapest, Hungary on October 22, the anniversary of Liszt’s birth. A long devotee of Franz Liszt’s piano music, Alexander Djordjevic was honored to receive this award at the Old Liszt Academy of Music preceding the 200th anniversary year of Liszt’s birthday.


Pianist Alexander Djordjevic is known for his “formidable talent and technique,” “profound poetic sensitivity” and “elegant, expressive, yet powerful and electrifying playing.” The Washington Post has declared him “a constant infusion of original insight.” Gramophone Magazine proclaimed him “a fine young pianist.”

Alexander Djordjevic is recognized for his stirring performances of the late works of Franz Liszt. His CD, Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt, was the 2010 winner of the Hungarian Liszt Society’s 35th Annual Franz Liszt International Grand Prix du Disque. Alexander Djordjevic follows an esteemed list of notable pianists who have received this honor for their Liszt recordings including Vladimir Horowitz, Claudio Arrau, Alfred Brendel and Andre Watts. Mr. Djordjevic received the award and was featured in recital on the 199th anniversary of Liszt’s birth at the Old Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary. The Jury of the Franz Liszt International Grand Prix du Disque lauded Djordjevic for having “the key to the peculiar and meditative world of the works from Liszt's late years.”

Gramophone Magazine writes about Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt, “Djordjevic brings great subtlety to this well programmed Liszt Disc.” It goes on to write, “… Djordjevic's mastery and commitment are never in doubt. Listen to the first Elegie's carefully gauged climaxes, the subtle gradations in tone that help flesh out Nuages gris' sparse textures, the warm legato that embraces Romance oubliée's soft chords, or how the pianist imbues the Bagatelle ohne Tonart's grace notes with a convincing jazzy flair.” Phoenix Classical writes, “Through all of these works, Djordjevic displays a deep affinity for Liszt’s music, showcasing by turns their profundity, their thoughtfulness and their joy, and in every case transcending any limitations of technique. Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt by Alexander Djordjevic is a stirring collection of works from one of music’s most original artists.”

The Washington Post described Alexander Djordjevic in concert as, “an objective pianist in the sense that he remains always in scrupulous control of the music: Chords are immaculately voiced to yield the most minute harmonic changes; sonorities mix, hang around and then dissolve just when they should; and the musical line is scrubbed clean of artifice, clutter and distracting exaggerations. What then emerges is a constant infusion of original insight that freshens the music and makes even repertory staples seem new.”

A Fulbright Scholar where he studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany, Djordjevic was a prizewinner in numerous piano competitions including First Prize, Grace Welsh Prize for Piano; First Prize, Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra's Young Artists Piano Competition; First Prize, Chicago Artists Association Competition; Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition; Nena Wideman Piano Competition, Shreveport, Louisiana; and Union League Civic & Arts Foundation Piano Competition, Chicago. He was also chosen to participate in the Cleveland International Piano Competition; the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, New York; and the New Orleans International Piano Competition.

Alexander Djordjevic has performed as concerto soloist with the Central Oregon Symphony, New Philharmonic, Symphony of Oak Park River Forest, DuPage Symphony, Kankakee Valley Symphony, University of Illinois Symphony and Danville Symphony. Highlights from Mr. Djordjevic’s recent solo and chamber music performances include Symphony Center, Chicago; Academy of Arts and Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia; Liszt’s 199th Birthday Celebration Concert at the Old Liszt Academy, Budapest, Hungary; Phillips Collection, Washington, DC; Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts, Chicago; PianoForte Chicago; Kosciuszko Foundation Auditorium, New York; Harold Washington Library, Chicago; Steinway Society Recital Series; Music Institute of Chicago’s Faculty and Guest Artist Series; 19th Century Club. Djordjevic has performed duo-piano recitals with Daniel Paul Horn, Mayumi Kikuchi, Brenda Huang, and Paul Barnes at various venues including PianoForte Chicago, Nichols Concert Hall, Wheaton College, University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), University of Louisville, Middle Tennessee State University, and University of Akron.

A Chicago native, Alexander Djordjevic began his piano studies at age three and made his debut as concerto soloist with orchestra at age twelve. As a Fulbright Scholar, Alexander Djordjevic furthered his piano studies with Russian pianist Vitaly Margulis at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany, where he was awarded the Aufbaustudium Diploma “With Distinction.” He also holds advanced degrees in piano performance and literature from the University of Illinois. His teachers have included Vitaly Margulis, Joel Shapiro, Gustavo Romero, William Heiles, and Ann Schein (Aspen).

He has released two CDs: Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt (2009), which features rarely performed late piano works of Franz Liszt; and Alexander Djordjevic Plays Scarlatti – Beethoven – Chopin – Rachmaninov – Liebermann (2000).

Djordjevic’s live performances and recordings have been broadcast on radio stations worldwide.

Mr. Djordjevic is on the piano faculty of the Music Institute of Chicago and maintains his own private studios in Park Ridge and Hinsdale, Illinois.
"[Alexander Djordjevic] ... has the key to the peculiar and meditative world of the works from Liszt's late years. Djordjevic simply plays the sixteen pieces of different length without any kind of mannerism and with a poetic approach, finding the character and appeal of each piece."The Jury of the 35th Annual Liszt Ferenc International Grand Prix du DisqueHungarian Liszt Society
"...Djordjevic's mastery and commitment are never in doubt. Listen to the first Elegie's carefully gauged climaxes, the subtle gradations in tone that help flesh out Nuages gris' sparse textures, the warm legato that embraces Romance oubliée's soft chords, or how the pianist imbues the Bagatelle ohne Tonart's grace notes with a convincing jazzy flair."Jed DistlerGramophone Magazine
Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt is the latest CD release from pianist Alexander Djordjevic which features a variety of solo piano works from Liszt’s late period. Known most often for his great, powerful Romantic works (B minor Sonata, et al), Liszt was a master at smaller scale works as well, and many of these are beautifully intimate works which often feature great harmonic and musical invention. As with any Liszt works, these shorter pieces require a pianist of utmost skill and artistry, and Alexander Djordjevic brings formidable talent and technique to these works, coupled with a profound poetic sensitivity to the music. Gray Clouds features a number of Liszt’s “sacred” works for solo piano – the “Stabat Mater”, “Vexilla Regis Prodeunt” & “Sancta Dorothea” are among those on this collection, and Djordjevic gives each of these works a stately, yet reflective tone, bringing out their grasping for the Divine, while works such as the well-known “En Reve Nocturne” exude the spirit of Romanticism, and the incredibly original “Bagatelle Sans Tonalite” points towards the 20th century. Through all of these works, Djordjevic displays a deep affinity for Liszt’s music, showcasing by turns their profundity, their thoughtfulness and their joy, and in every case transcending any limitations of technique. Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt by Alexander Djordjevic is a stirring collection of works from one of music’s most original artists.Nick PerosPhoenix Classical
Alexander Djordjevic might be characterized as an 'objective' pianist in the sense that he remains always in scrupulous control of the music: Chords are immaculately voiced to yield the most minute harmonic changes; sonorities mix, hang around and then dissolve just when they should; and the musical line is scrubbed clean of artifice, clutter and distracting exaggerations. What then emerges is a constant infusion of original insight that freshens the music and makes even repertory staples seem new. Djordjevic's recital Sunday afternoon at the Phillips Collection traversed two of the most notoriously difficult pieces in the repertoire -- Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition' and Schumann's Symphonic Etudes -- and both benefited immeasurably from slower than usual tempos and his predilection for playing comfortably within his subtly precise technique. The Mussorgsky sounded almost civilized, and though the primitive Russian sweat the composer poured into this piece was missing almost entirely, compensations bloomed throughout -- a big sound that was opulent because it was always related to its antecedents, and a sure sense that every sonic picture was etched at the keyboard exactly as the performer envisioned it. Djordjevic pressed out unexpected colors in the Symphonic Etudes without braking momentum or fussing with the composer's linear design, and gamboled innocently but with gleaming elegance through Mozart's sunny Sonata in C, K. 330.Ronald BrounThe Washington Post
In the first section, he attacked the brilliant runs, trills and scalar passages with confidence. Djordjevic's playing had glitter when this virtuoso display piece called for it, but he also showed the ability to evoke a deep emotional response in the consolatory theme of the slow movement. In the exciting finale, Djordjevic and the orchestra under [guest conductor Gregory C.] Cunningham kept the musical ball whizzing over the net to a brilliant conclusion. As a gentleman sitting nearby said to me, 'Well, that woke us up!' Many in the audience stood in appreciation at the end of the concert.The News-Gazette

Past Performances

Friday, July 19, 2019
Chicago Duo Piano Festival
Nichols Concert Hall
Evanston, IL
Featuring excerpts from Crumb’s Makrokosmos IV: Celestial Mechanics for amplified piano, four hands, with pianists Louise Chan and Susan Tang.

Other works include:
BRAHMS: Variations on Theme by Haydn
Elaine Felder and Milana Pavchinskaya
MOZART: Sonata in D Major for Two Pianos
Inah Chiu and Sung Hoon Mo

RACHMANINOFF: selections from Suites for Two Pianos
Alexander Djordjevic and Gregory Shifrin
FRANZ VON SUPPE: Poet and Peasant Overture
Mark George, Ralph Neiweem, Gregory Shifrin, and Alexander Djordjevic

more info...
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Schubertiade Chicago
PianoForte Foundation
Chicago, IL
The PianoForte Foundation will be hosting its annual Schubertiade, a celebration of Franz Schubert’s life and music.
Schubert: Impromptu in G-flat, Op. 90 No 3, D. 899
more info...
Sunday, October 28, 2018
"Spooktacular" Concert
Nichols Concert Hall
Evanston, IL 60201
The Music Institute invites families to a Halloween outing, featuring scary music, including Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera and Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, performed by the Music Institute’s faculty, followed by a haunted musical open house at 4 p.m. Costumes are welcome!
Orage (Storm) by Franz Liszt
more info...
Thursday, October 18, 2018
Faculty Recital
McAninch Arts Center
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Playhouse Theatre
Orage (Storm) by Franz Liszt
more info...
Saturday, October 13, 2018
2018 American Liszt Society Festival and Conference
Furman University
Greenville, SC
Friday, October 12, 2018
2018 American Liszt Society Festival and Conference
Furman University
Greenville, SC
Thursday, October 11, 2018
2018 American Liszt Society Festival and Conference
Furman University
Greenville, SC
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
2018 American Liszt Society Festival and Conference
Furman University
Greenville, SC
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Piano Encounters: Chopin Favorites
Armerding Center for Music & the Arts
Wheaton, IL
This second installment of the series "Piano Encounters" features timeless piano favorites of Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) performed by internationally-acclaimed concert pianist and president of the Chicago chapter of the American Liszt Society, Alexander Djordjevic.

All are invited to this FREE classical piano recital of music loved by millions, performed in this new beautiful concert hall at Wheaton College. Parking is also FREE!

Whether you're new to the classical music scene, a piano student, or a regular concert-goer, we offer you a beautiful evening of great music. Come check it out.

Please feel free to share this event with friends! Hope to see you there!

This concert is presented by the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the American Liszt Society to share and promote classical music in our communities. For more information about our chapter or about the American Liszt Society, please visit https://www.facebook.com/LisztChicago and http://americanlisztsociety.net/

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
-Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23
-Waltz, Op. 64, No. 2 in C-sharp Minor
-From Preludes, Op. 28:
No. 20 in C Minor
No. 4 in E Minor
No. 15 in D-flat Major “Raindrop"
No. 24 in D Minor
-From Études, Op. 10:
No. 3 in E Major
No. 4 in C-sharp Minor
No. 6 in E-flat Minor
No. 12 in C Minor "Revolutionary"
-Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2
-Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53 “Heroic"

more info...
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Faculty Showcase
McAninch Arts Center- College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
From 24 Preludes, Op. 28 by Frédéric Chopin
No. 20 in C minor (Largo)
No. 4 in E minor (Largo)
No. 15 in D-flat major (Sostenuto)
No. 24 in D minor (Allegro appassionato)

Sunday, February 25, 2018
Solo Recital - Chopin in the City
Pro Musica Audio
Chicago, IL
Solo Recital
more info...
Friday, January 26, 2018
Faculty Spotlight
College of DuPage
Chopin Ballade No. 1 in G minor
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Benefit Recital for Hurricane Relief
Christ Church of Oak Brook
Oak Brook, IL
Etude 17 by Philip Glass
Friday, September 29, 2017
Music Fridays at Noon
College of DuPage, MAC Room 140
Glen Ellyn, IL
Faculty Spotlight–features faculty in recital including: Jennifer Barnickel-Fitch, voice, Steven L. Havens, piano (Copland songs); Alexander Djordjevic, piano; Jim Martincic, trumpet
Die Zelle in Nonnenwerth, S. 534 No. 3 "Elegie" by Franz Liszt
3 Hungarian Folksongs from the Csik District, BB 45b by Bela Bartok​
Etude No. 3 by Philip Glass

more info...
Sunday, April 30, 2017
American Liszt Society National Festival
Northwestern University
Saturday, April 29, 2017
American Liszt Society National Festival
Northwestern University
Friday, April 28, 2017
American Liszt Society National Festival
Northwestern University
Monday, March 20, 2017
Keys to Excellence Concert Series
Drake University
Piano Recital
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Faculty Recital
McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn, IL
One selection, to be announced.
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Recital/Masterclass
Concordia College
Moorhead, Minnesota
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Beethoven and Fate
A lecture-recital presented to the West Suburban chapter of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association.
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Los Angeles International Liszt Competition
Will be judging.
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Los Angeles International Liszt Competition
Will be judging.
Friday, November 4, 2016
Lecture/ Recital at ISMTA Conference
Illinois Weslyan University
Two-piano music by Franz Liszt, performed with Daniel Paul Horn.
Concerto Pathetique and Reminiscences de Don Juan

Thursday, October 27, 2016
Duo Piano Recital
Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL
Duo Piano Recital with Daniel Paul Horn.
All Liszt-
Concerto Pathetique, Orpheus, and Reminiscences de Don Juan

Saturday, October 22, 2016
6th Annual Franz Liszt Birthday Gala Concert
Nichols Concert Hall
Evanston, IL
Presented by the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the American Liszt Society.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Reigning Pianos- Alexander Djordjevic in Recital
19th Century Club
Oak Park, IL
Metamorphosis Two by Philip Glass (born in 1937)

Waltz, Op. 64 No. 2 in C-sharp minor by Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Fantasia in D Minor, KV. 397 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Sonata in C Minor, Op. 13 -"Pathetique" by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 by Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

In festo transfigurationis Domini nostri Jesu Christi by Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Impromptu (Nocturne) by Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Polonaise, Op. 53 "Heroic" by Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

more info...
Friday, July 1, 2016
PianoForte Salon Series LIVE
PianoForte Studios
Chicago, IL
If you can't make it in person, listen to the live broadcast on 98.7 WFMT or www.wfmt.com.
more info...
Thursday, June 16, 2016
MIC Adult Piano Camp Faculty Recital
Nichols Concert Hall
Evanston, IL
Philip Glass- Etude 11
Frederic Chopin- Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23

Saturday, June 4, 2016
American Liszt Society 52nd Annual Festival
California State University, Northridge
Alexander Siloti- Complainte
Vladimir Horowitz- Danse Excentrique

more info...
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Piano Encounters, presented by the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of th
Edman Chapel, Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827):
Für Elise
Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor "Quasi una fantasia", Op. 27, No. 2, first movement

Saturday, October 24, 2015
5th Annual Franz Liszt Birthday Gala Concert
Nichols Concert Hall
Evanston, IL
Come celebrate Franz Liszt's 204th birthday with a grand evening of music performed by some of the Midwest's finest pianists! This year's theme is Years of Pilgrimage, and will feature selections from Liszt's Années de pèlerinage.

Performers include: Duo pianists Claire Aebersold & Ralph Neiweem, Alexander Djordjevic, Young Rising Star Andrew Guo, Daniel Paul Horn, Brian Lee, George Radosavljevic, Nicholas Roth and Aaron Stampfl.

Please join us to experience this event at the acoustically and architecturally magnificent Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston!

Tickets:
$15 General Admission
$10 for American Liszt Society Members
$5 for Kids 17 and under
FREE for Music Institute of Chicago Students/Staff
Tickets are available for purchase at LisztChicago.tix.com and at the door.

Orage, from Première année: Suisse
Alexander Djordjevic, piano

Vallée d'Obermann, from Première année: Suisse
Brian Lee, piano

Sposalizio, from Deuxième année: Italie
George Radosavljevic, piano

Sonetto 123 del Petrarca, from Deuxième année: Italie
Aaron Stampfl, piano

Tarantella from Venezia e Napoli
Andrew Guo, piano

I N T E R M I S S I O N

Aux cyprès de la Villa d'Este II: Thrénodie, from Troisième année
Daniel Paul Horn, piano

Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d’Este, from Troisième année, transcribed for two pianos by Emil Sauer
Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem, pianists

Après une lecture de Dante: Fantasia Quasi Sonata, from Deuxième année: Italie
Nicholas Roth, piano

more info...
Sunday, October 4, 2015
CHICAGO CELEBRATES PHILIP GLASS- MUSIC FOR ONE AND TWO PIANOS CH
PianoForte Studios
Chicago, IL
BIOGRAPHIES:

Paul Barnes, pianist

Praised by the New York Times for his “Lisztian thunder and deft fluidity,” and the San Francisco Chronicle as “ferociously virtuosic,” pianist Paul Barnes has electrified audiences with his intensely expressive playing and cutting-edge programming. He has been featured four times on APM’s Performance Today and on the cover of Clavier Magazine and his recordings are broadcast worldwide. He has performed in England, China, Korea, Taiwan, Austria, Russia, Greece, Italy, Serbia, Hungary, and in all major cities throughout the US.

Deeply inspired by the aesthetic challenge of minimalism, Barnes commissioned and gave the world premiere of Philip Glass’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (After Lewis and Clark). The Omaha World Herald praised Barnes playing for his “driving intensity and exhilaration.” Nebraska Educational Telecommunications' production "The Lewis and Clark Concerto," a documentary/performance of the concerto featuring Barnes, won an Emmy for Best Performance Production. Additional performances included collaborations with conductor Marin Alsop at the prestigious Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music and also the Northwest Chamber Orchestra where the Seattle Times called Barnes' performance "an impressive feat." The world-premier recording with the NWCO was released by Orange Mountain Music. Gramophone Magazine remarked that this recording is "certainly one of the most enjoyable recent releases of Glass's music...Paul Barnes is a shining soloist."

Orange Mountain Music also released Barnes' recording of his transcriptions from the operas of Philip Glass, including both the Trilogy Sonata and the Orphée Suite for Piano. Gramophone Magazine observed that “Barnes offers a surprisingly expressive reading…. Atmosphere and rhythmic vitality are important, and these qualities Barnes has in abundance.” The American Record noted that "Barnes is an expressive pianist with a lovely tone and a flair for the dramatic." New York critic Joseph Dalton described Barnes' playing of the Glass transcriptions as "atmospheric and elegant," while San Francisco critic Michael McDonagh hailed Barnes' performance as "remarkably effective, highly expressive.” The Trilogy Sonata and the Orphée Suite for Piano are published by Chester Music of London and are available at sheetmusicplus.com. Barnes’ eleventh CD The American Virtuoso featuring the music of Philip Glass, Samuel Barber, and Joan Tower was released on Orange Mountain Music to much critical acclaim. The American Record Guide wrote, "Another fine release from the amazing pianist Paul Barnes...with a pianist like this, new American music is in good hands."

Barnes also serves as head chanter at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Lincoln where his fascination with Byzantine chant led to a commissioned piano concerto "Ancient Keys" written by Victoria Bond based on a Greek chant. The world-premier recording of this concerto as well as Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue was released on Albany Records.

With performances throughout Europe, the Near East, the Far East, and the U.S., Barnes' unique lecture/recitals have received international acclaim. Liszt and the Cross: Music as Sacrament in the B Minor Sonata explores the fascinating relationship between music, theology, and the Orthodox icon. Barnes' live recording of this lecture recital was recently released on the Liszt Digital label. The British Society Newsletter reviewed the recording and wrote that Barnes was “a fine pianist and gives us a performance of resounding conviction.” Clavier Magazine wrote "It is a majestic, reverential performance that elevates listeners to the sacred experience Barnes so eloquently describes in the lecture."

Barnes is Marguerite Scribante Professor of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Glenn Korff School of Music. He teaches during the summer at the Vienna International Piano Academy and also coaches the students of Menahem Pressler, Barnes' own teacher, at Indiana University where Barnes received his doctorate in Piano Performance. In great demand as a pedagogue and clinician, Barnes has served as convention artist at several state MTNA conventions and was recently named ‘Teacher of the Year” by the Nebraska Music Teachers Association. Barnes also teaches and performs regularly at the famed Amalfi Coast Festival in Italy.

Upcoming projects include the release of Barnes’ twelfth CD: New Generations: The New Etudes of Philip Glass and Music of the Next Generation. Produced by Glass’s label Orange Mountain Music, the recording features a selection of Glass’s etudes juxtaposed with works by N. Lincoln Hanks, Lucas Floyd, Ivan Moody, Jason Bahr, Zack Stanton, and Jonah Gallagher. The sonic result is a breathtaking panorama of the energetic and expressive landscape that is twenty-first century piano music. Barnes has already performed the recital version of New Generations in Los Angeles, Seoul, and New York and is touring the US with the program during the 2015-16 season. Barnes will perform and lecture on New Generations at the Konservatorium Wien in June of 2015.

In celebration of twenty years of collaboration, Barnes is also commissioning Philip Glass to write a piano quintet to be premiered with the Chiara Quartet in September of 2016 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln. Barnes’ recordings are available on Pandora, ITunes, YouTube, and Amazon.



Alexander Djordjevic, pianist

Alexander Djordjevic is known for his "formidable talent and technique," "profound poetic sensitivity" and "elegant, expressive, yet powerful and electrifying playing." The Washington Post has declared him "a constant infusion of original insight." Gramophone Magazine proclaimed him "a fine young pianist."

Alexander Djordjevic has also been recognized for his stirring recordings of the late works of Franz Liszt. Djordjevic's CD, Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt, was the 2010 recipient of the Hungarian Liszt Society's 35th Annual Franz Liszt International Grand Prix du Disque. Alexander Djordjevic follows an esteemed list of notable pianists who have received this honor for their Liszt recordings including Vladimir Horowitz, Claudio Arrau, Alfred Brendel and Andre Watts, among others. Mr. Djordjevic received the award and performed a recital on the 199th anniversary of Liszt's birth at the Old Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary. The Jury of the Liszt Ferenc International Grand Prix du Disque lauded Djordjevic for having "the key to the peculiar and meditative world of the works from Liszt's late years."

Gramophone Magazine writes about Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt, "Djordjevic brings great subtlety to this well programmed Liszt Disc." It goes on to write, "... Djordjevic's mastery and commitment are never in doubt. Listen to the first Elegie's carefully gauged climaxes, the subtle gradations in tone that help flesh out Nuages gris' sparse textures, the warm legato that embraces Romance oubliée's soft chords, or how the pianist imbues the Bagatelle ohne Tonart's grace notes with a convincing jazzy flair." Phoenix Classical writes, "Through all of these works, Djordjevic displays a deep affinity for Liszt's music, showcasing by turns their profundity, their thoughtfulness and their joy, and in every case transcending any limitations of technique. Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt by Alexander Djordjevic is a stirring collection of works from one of music's most original artists."

The Washington Post described Alexander Djordjevic in concert as, "an objective pianist in the sense that he remains always in scrupulous control of the music: Chords are immaculately voiced to yield the most minute harmonic changes; sonorities mix, hang around and then dissolve just when they should; and the musical line is scrubbed clean of artifice, clutter and distracting exaggerations. What then emerges is a constant infusion of original insight that freshens the music and makes even repertory staples seem new."

In addition to being named a Fulbright Scholar where he studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany, Djordjevic was a prizewinner in numerous piano competitions including First Prize, Grace Welsh Prize for Piano; First Prize, Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra's Young Artists Piano Competition; First Prize, Chicago Artists Association Competition; Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition; Nena Wideman Piano Competition, Shreveport, Louisiana; and Union League Civic & Arts Foundation Piano Competition, Chicago. He was also chosen to participate in the Cleveland International Piano Competition; the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, New York; and the New Orleans International Piano Competition.

Alexander Djordjevic has performed as concerto soloist with the Central Oregon Symphony, New Philharmonic, Symphony of Oak Park River Forest, DuPage Symphony, Kankakee Valley Symphony and Danville Symphony. Mr. Djordjevic's solo recital performances have included the Academy of Arts and Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia; the Phillips Collection, Washington, DC; the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts, Chicago, Illinois; PianoForte Chicago including Schubertiade Chicago; the Harold Washington Library, Chicago, Illinois; the Steinway Society Recital Series; Music Institute of Chicago's Faculty and Guest Artist Series; the 19th Century Club; the Kosciuszko Foundation Auditorium, New York; the Old Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, Hungary; and various performances in Germany. Djordjevic has performed duo-piano recitals with Dr. Daniel Paul Horn, Dr. Mayumi Kikuchi, and Brenda Huang at various venues including PianoForte Chicago, Nichols Concert Hall, Wheaton College, University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), University of Louisville, Middle Tennessee State University, and University of Akron.

Born in Chicago, Alexander Djordjevic began his piano studies at age three and made his debut as concerto soloist with orchestra at age twelve. As a Fulbright Scholar, Alexander Djordjevic furthered his piano studies with the Russian pianist and pedagogue Vitaly Margulis at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany, where he was awarded the Aufbaustudium Diploma "With Distinction." He studied piano under full scholarship at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) where he earned his Undergraduate and Master's degrees and completed his Doctoral coursework. His teachers have included Vitaly Margulis, Joel Shapiro, Gustavo Romero, William Heiles, and Ann Schein (Aspen).

He has released two CDs: Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt (2009), which features rarely performed late piano works of Franz Liszt; and Alexander Djordjevic Plays Scarlatti - Beethoven - Chopin - Rachmaninov - Liebermann (2000).

Mr. Djordjevic is also highly regarded as a piano teacher. He is currently on the piano faculty at the Music Institute of Chicago and College of DuPage, and is the president of the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the American Liszt Society. For more information, visit www.AlexanderDjordjevic.com.

From Trilogy Sonata (2000) Philip Glass (b.1937)
II. Act III Conclusion from Satyagraha
III. Dance from Act II Scene III of Akhnaten
Arranged and performed by Paul Barnes

From Orphée Suite for Piano (2000)
II. Orphée’s Bedroom
IV. Orphée and the Princess
Arranged and performed by Paul Barnes

From Piano Concerto No. 2 (After Lewis and Clark) (2004)
III. The Land
Arranged and performed by Paul Barnes

From The Complete Piano Etudes (1991-2012)
Etude 11
Etude 20
Performed by Paul Barnes

Etude 5
Etude 6
Performed by Alexander Djordjevic

Four Movements for Two Pianos (2008)
Performed by Paul Barnes and Alexander Djordjevic

more info...
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Chicago Duo Piano Festival presents: Faculty Extravaganza!
Nichols Concert Hall
Evanston, IL
Two pianos with Sung Hoon Mo and Alexander Djordjevic
Khachaturian- Ostinato
more info...
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Make Music Chicago
Nichols Hall
Evanston, Illinois
Live radio broadcast on WFMT 98.7 FM wfmt.com
Für Alina by Arvo Pärt
more info...
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Free Lunchtime Concert
Music Institute of Chicago
Evanston, IL
Schubert- Four Impromptus Op. 90 (D. 899)
June 6-8, 2014
American Liszt Society Festival
James Madison University
Harrisonberg, VA
Late Liszt Works
Saturday, October 26, 2013
3rd Annual Franz Liszt Birthday Gala
Nichols Concert Hall
Evanston, Illinois
Come help commemorate Franz Liszt's 202nd birthday by enjoying a monumental evening of Liszt's music as performed by some of Chicagoland's most celebrated concert pianists! Performers include: Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem, Svetlana Belsky, Alexander Djordjevic, Andrew Guo, Matthew Hagle, Brenda Huang, Sung Hoon Mo, George Radosavljevic and Paul Sanchez.
Nuages Gris
more info...
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Faculty Recital
College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Philip Glass- Metamorphosis Two
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Music Institute of Chicago Faculty Concert
Nichols Concert Hall
Evanston, IL
To open the season, more than 30 members of the renowned Music Institute faculty perform music composed for and of the night. The program includes several Chopin Nocturnes, Rachmaninoff's Suite No. 1 for Two Pianos "La nuit... L'amour..." (The night...the love...), and Schoenberg's stunning work for strings Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night).
Debussy's La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune
more info...
Friday, June 21, 2013
Make Music Chicago
PianoForte Chicago and LIVE on WFMT 98.7 Chicago www.wfmt.com
Chicago, Illinois
Rush Hour Concerts presents Make Music Chicago, a FREE citywide, daylong celebration on June 21 of everyone’s ability to make music. Throughout the day, people of all ages and musical abilities – beginners, amateurs, students, professionals, and marquee artists – gather to play free live music of all genres in public venues across the city. As part of the global Fête de la Musique, Make Music Chicago joins 500 cities around the world – and 14 cities in the United States, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Denver, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. – in this annual celebration on June 21, the longest day of the year
Metamorphosis 2 by Philip Glass and Stabat Mater by Franz LIszt
more info...
May 30th - June 1st, 2013
American Liszt Society Festival
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, California
Verdi-Liszt: Miserere du Trovatore, S. 433
more info...
Monday, March 25, 2013
Live from WFMT
WFMT Chicago 98.7 FM
more info...
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Opus 10 Faculty Showcase
Nichols Hall
Evanston, Illinois
The impassioned virtuosity and artistry of more than 20 Music Institute faculty shine in this concert featuring performances of 10 of Brahms’ Hungarian Dances and Chopin’s Études, Op. 10. Alexander Djordjevic will perform select Chopin Etudes.
more info...
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Solo Recital at Arlington Heights Library
Arlington Heights Library
Arlington Heights, IL
Program To Be Announced
more info...
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Piano Recital
Oregon, Illinois
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Piano Trio Recital
Grainger Ballroom, Symphony Center
Chicago, Illinois
Performing with Cornelius Chiu, violin, and Daniel Katz, cello
Ravel Piano Trio in A minor and Rachmaninoff Trio in D minor (“Trio Elégiaque”)
more info...
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Schubertiade Chicago
Fine Arts Building, Studio 825
Chicago, IL
Four Impromptus, Op. 90, by Franz Schubert
more info...
November 16-18, 2012
Franz Liszt International Competition
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California
Alexander Djordjevic will be a judge for this competition
more info...
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Faculty Showcase Recital
College of DuPage, SRC 2000, Turner Conference Center
Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Schubert Impromptus Op. 90 No. 1 and No. 2
Saturday, May 19, 2012
American Liszt Society Festival
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
Alexander Djordjevic joins pianist Daniel Paul Horn in this exciting 2-piano work.
Concerto Pathetique in E minor for 2 Pianos
more info...
Saturday, October 22, 2011
200th Birthday Celebration of Franz Liszt
PianoForte Chicago
Chicago, IL
Alexander Djordjevic joins other performers TBA. More info soon.
Music of Liszt
more info...
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
College of DuPage Faculty Showcase Recital
McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn, IL
Alexander Djordjevic and other College of DuPage music faculty to perform.
Music of Liszt
more info...
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Live from Mayne Stage
Mayne Stage
Chicago, Illinois
The concert will also be broadcast LIVE on WFMT
Frederic Chopin: Ballade, Op. 23, No. 1 in G minor; Frederic Chopin: Waltz, Op. 64, No. 2 in C-sharp minor; Frederic Chopin: Étude, Op. 10, No. 3 in E major, "Tristesse"; Frederic Chopin: Étude, Op. 10, No. 4 in C-sharp minor; Frederic Chopin: Étude, Op. 10, No. 5 in G-flat major, "Black Keys"; Franz Liszt: Impromptu, S.191; John Cage: In a Landscape; Sergei Rachmaninoff: Etude-Tableau in A minor, Op. 39, No. 6, "Red Riding Hood and the Wolf"; Frederic Chopin: Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53, "Heroic"
more info...
Friday, July 15, 2011
Duo Piano Extravaganza
Nichols Concert Hall
Evanston, IL
Alexander Djordjevic and Sung Hoon Mo, pianists. In this popular event, members of the Music Institute faculty offer a varied selection of four-hand and two-piano works. Performers include Chicago Duo Piano Festival Founders/Directors and Music Institute faculty piano duo-in-residence Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem, along with faculty and staff members Maya Brodotskaya, Alexander Djordjevic, Irene Faliks, Elaine Felder, Mark George, Matthew Hagle, Mio Isoda, Katherine Lee, Soo Young Lee, Sung Hoon Mo, Milana Pavchinskaya, and Fiona Queen.
Concertino for Two Pianos, Op. 94 by Dmitri Shostakovich
more info...
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Music Institute of Chicago Performance Series
Nichols Concert Hall
Evanston, IL
Price: Adult $25, Senior $15, Stud.$10
works by Schumann, Chopin and Rachmaninoff, and Liszt's iconic Sonata in b minor.
Friday, March 25, 2011
WFMT Presents: Impromptu
Live performance. Host: George Preston.
Live on WFMT radio, 98.7 Chicago
more info...
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
College of DuPage Faculty Showcase Recital
McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn, IL
Rachmaninoff Moments Musicaux Op. 16 No. 2 (E-flat minor) and 3 (B minor)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Salt Creek ISMTA Meeting
Alexander Djordjevic will give a performance and lecture about the late music of Franz Liszt.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Schubertiade Chicago
PianoForte
Chicago, IL
8th Floor
Liszt Schwanengesang Transcriptions S. 560/ D. 957
more info...
Friday, October 22, 2010
Franz Liszt Birthday Gala Concert
Old Liszt Academy of Music
Budapest, Hungary
Alexander Djordjevic will receive the The Hungarian Liszt Society’s 35th Annual Franz Liszt International Grand Prix du Disque and perform a recital in Budapest, Hungary on October 22, the anniversary of Liszt’s birth.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Essential Franz Liszt Piano Recital
McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn, IL
Price: $20 Adults, $10 Age 8-18
Stabat Mater, S.172b; Impromptu ('Nocturne'), S.191; Nuages gris (Trübe Wolken), S.199; Trauervorspiel und Trauermarsch, S.206; Bagatelle ohne Tonart - Bagatelle sans tonalité, S.216a; Liszt - Sonata in b minor, S.178.
Alexander Djordjevic's Piano StudioPiano Lessons in Park Ridge and Hinsdale, IL and online on Zoom, FaceTime and Skypehttps://adjpiano.mymusicstaff.com
Videos of Alexander Djordjevic performing in concerthttp://www.youtube.com/adjpiano
Download Alexander's CDs on iTunesclick here for more info
Buy Alexander's CDs at CD Babyclick here for more info
Lisa-Marie MazzuccoLong Island based classical music photographer Lisa-Marie Mazzucco. Lisa Marie Mazzucco, photographer and make up artist, Montauk, New York, NY.http://www.lisamazzucco.com
Aestheticize MediaWeb/graphic designhttp://www.aestheticize.com

Booking & General Inquiries

Bryson Artist Management
Linda Bryson - bryson.artist.management@gmail.com

Contact Alexander


Ludwig van Beethoven
Sonata in F minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata"
I. Allegro Assai
Alexander Djordjevic
from Scarlatti - Beethoven - Chopin - Rachmaninov - Liebermann
2000
AMAZONCDBABYiTUNES LISTEN
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sonata in F minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata"
III. Allegro ma non troppo-presto
Alexander Djordjevic
from Scarlatti - Beethoven - Chopin - Rachmaninov - Liebermann
2000
AMAZONCDBABYiTUNES LISTEN
Frederic Chopin
Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
Alexander Djordjevic
from Scarlatti - Beethoven - Chopin - Rachmaninov - Liebermann
2000
AMAZONCDBABYiTUNES LISTEN
Sergei Rachmaninov
Prelude in G minor, Op. 23 No. 5
Alexander Djordjevic
from Scarlatti - Beethoven - Chopin - Rachmaninov - Liebermann
2000
AMAZONCDBABYiTUNES LISTEN
Sergei Rachmaninov
Etude Tableaux in A minor, Op. 39 No. 6
Alexander Djordjevic
from Scarlatti - Beethoven - Chopin - Rachmaninov - Liebermann
2000
AMAZONCDBABYiTUNES LISTEN
Franz Liszt
Vexilla regis prodeunt, S.185
(Kreuzes Hymne)
Alexander Djordjevic
from Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt
2009
AMAZONCDBABYiTUNES LISTEN
Franz Liszt
Impromptu, S.191
('Nocturne')
Alexander Djordjevic
from Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt
2009
AMAZONCDBABYiTUNES LISTEN
Franz Liszt
Nuages gris, S.199
(Trübe Wolken)
Alexander Djordjevic
from Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt
2009
AMAZONCDBABYiTUNES LISTEN
Franz Liszt
Bagatelle ohne Tonart, S.216a
Alexander Djordjevic
from Gray Clouds: Piano Music of Franz Liszt
2009
AMAZONCDBABYiTUNES LISTEN

PUBLICITY PHOTOS


PHOTO ALBUM


Chopin Etude Opus 10 No. 1.
Recorded live during the 2001 Cleveland International Piano Competition.
Bach C minor Prelude & Fugue
Recorded live during the 2001 Cleveland International Piano Competition.

Alexander Djordjevic is a performing classical pianist who teaches private lessons to students of all ages at his personal studio in Park Ridge, Hinsdale and at the Music Institute of Chicago. Besides having earned advanced degrees in piano performance and literature from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and the Freiburg Hochschule für Musik (Germany), Mr. Djordjevic is a Fulbright Scholar who was the winner of numerous piano competitions. He frequently performs as a recitalist and concerto soloist, and has an extensive background in accompanying and chamber music. His performances have been broadcast on classical radio stations across the country. He has taught master classes and has judged regional and international piano competitions.

These experiences greatly contribute to his expertise as a teacher. Having taught professionally since 1992, Djordjevic has taught piano at the University of Illinois, Northern Illinois University, College of DuPage, Wheaton College, University of Notre Dame, Benedictine University, Elgin Community College, and at the Music Institute of Chicago. His studio consists of children, adolescents, college students and adults.

Alexander Djordjevic helps students of all ages become successful, confident, highly trained pianists. His comprehensive approach to teaching covers such topics as music theory, sight reading, transposition, ear training, and piano technique, as well as learning to play music for pure enjoyment. His students continue to win prizes in competitions and are regularly accepted into the nation’s top music colleges.

Please contact Mr. Djordjevic with any questions about lessons and to schedule an interview.