Bio
Aleksei Zaitsev (b. 1995) is an award-winning young pianist from North Karelia, an intense and sensitive musician who has shown his strength in both classical pianism and innovative explorations, such as combining solo piano with contemporary dance.
Zaitsev has performed extensively as a soloist, chamber musician and recital pianist in Finland, Europe, the United States and Japan. He has collaborated with musicians such as Marianna Shirinyan, Klaus Mäkelä, Daniel Rowland, Maja Bogdanovic, and Maxim Vengerov. In 2023, he performed four-handed alongside Olli Mustonen at the Klassiske Dage Festival in Denmark.
Festival performances include Piano Espoo (2023), Fejø Festival (2024), Stavanger International Piano Festival (2023–2025), Musica Nova Helsinki (2025), Mänttä Music Festival (2014) and Turku Music Festival (2019), among others. In 2024 Zaitsev gave his debut as a soloist with the Joensuu City Orchestra conducted by Jan Söderblom and a solo recital at the Helsinki Music Centre as part of theThe Young Artists of Summer series. He also actively performs contemporary music, with ensembles such as Uusinta Ensemble, defunensemble, Avanti! and the ÄÄNI collective.
In March2025, Alba Records released his debut album ”From the Street”, including music by Clara Schumann, Leevi Madetoja, Leoš Janáček and Franz Liszt and being received with rave reviews.
Aleksei Zaitsev has been successful in several competitions, such as Kuopio Piano Competition (2nd Prize, 2011), Tampere Piano Competition (2021, Finalist and Special Prize for the best interpretation of a work by Scriabin), and Maj Lind Piano Competition (2022), where he was the only Finnish semifinalist and received wide acclaim for his intense and intelligent musicianship. In the Vigo International Piano Competition in Spain (2023), he was a finalist and received an Honorable Mention. In 2023 he won first prize at the Royal Danish Academy of Music's RDAM Solo Competition.
Zaitsev has studied piano with Irina Zahharenkova and at the Sibelius Academy with Hui-Ying Liu-Tawaststjerna and Teppo Koivisto, graduating as Master of Music in 2022.In 2024, Zaitsev completed his second Master's degree at the Royal Danish Academy of Music under the guidance of Marianna Shirinyan. He has also attended masterclasses with Klaus Hellwig, Jerome Lowenthal, Matti Raekallio and Robert Levin, among others.
”…attention is drawn to the orchestrality of Zaitsev's pianism, the clarity of voice leading and transparentness of the sound. - - Zaitsev's pianism is abundant, but thoughtful and without exaggeration”
Kikka Holmberg, Kulttuuritoimitus 4.5.2025 (debut album)
”Zaitsev's debut album is a well-considered, high-quality ensemble.”
Jari Hoffren, Keskisuomalainen 7.5.2025 (debut album)
”With his program choices Zaitsev shows artistically mature taste. - - Liszt's majestically monumental Funérailles (Harmonies poétiques et religieuses) then gives a foretaste of Zaitsev's virtuoso capacity. The famous horse-riding motif can be felt in the bones. Even in other ways the whole rolls over in a full-bodied way: there is orchestral power and storytelling – the strong interpretation even provides the listener with visual evocations."
Jyri Ojala, Karjalainen 5.5.2025 (debut album)
”Zaitsev’s playing is gripping. It’s intense musicianship and the level of skill is astonishing… Such a balance of emotion and intellect…”
Yle Radio 1, Niklas Pokki, Maj Lind Piano Competition, expert commentator 2022
”Aleksei Zaitsev's Sibelius program emphasised quite contemplative works, researching the nuances of the moment. - - In the virtuoso part of the program Skriabin's fifth sonata got a resonate and fiery interpretation, as well as Rachmaninov's second sonata and Chopin's first ballad.”
Samuli Tiikkaja, Helsingin Sanomat 22.10.2022 (Maj Lind competition)
”Zaitsev is a virtuoso with a secure and strong grip, who gets a big, round and major sound from the grand piano, with nuances appropriate for each style. - - Haydn showed Zaitsev's ability to discover varied harmony colours. In works by Chopin, Skriabin and Magnus Lindberg a good sense of sound was combined with virtuoso sparkle.”
Hannu-Ilari Lampila, Helsingin Sanomat 20.8.2017 (Maj Lind competition)
**
Aleksei Zaitsev From the Street album teaser (released in March 2025)
Videos
Shows
Promo Images
