Alexandra Ivanova

Curiosity about the 'Other'

Born to Bulgarian parents in Austria, Alexandra Ivanova grew up curious to meet and understand the 'Other' - in herself, in society or in culture. In her compositions, Alexandra creates conversations between jazz, Oriental and Afro-Cuban music and odd polyrhythms. Her arrangements reflect her experience living on three continents and speaking six languages fluently. Alexandra Ivanova is an unconventional musician who invites the listener to look at the world from different points of view: from the East, the West or from somewhere in between.

Classically trained in Austria since the age of eight, she discovered her passion for jazz at sixteen and has been mentored by Lebanese-American jazz pianist and award-winning composer Tarek Yamani. Alexandra studied jazz piano in Austria, at the Regional Conservatory in Dijon, the Conservatoire Erik Satie in Paris, as a music scholar at the UK's University of Warwick Music Center and as NYUAD Arts Centre Fellow at the 2017 Bang-On-A-Can Residency.

She toured Saudi Arabia with her trio and has further performed in the Reykjavik Jazz Festival 2020, the Official UNESCO Online Education Programme of the International Jazz Day 2020, the Mengi Reykjavik, Stockwerk Graz, the New York University Abu Dhabi Arts Center, the House of Pianos Dubai and the Cité Internationale Paris, among others.

Alexandra holds a Master's degree in Economics and Business from the Paris Institute for Political Sciences (Sciences Po Paris) and writes spoken word poetry.

Awards

- 2022 Virtual Partner Residency Program with Mazen Lawand by the Goethe Institute 
- 2022 Jazz Scholarship by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe
- 2022 Travel Grant from the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe for Saudi Arabia Tour
- 2021 FEB Stipend for Duo "Alexandra Ivanova & Uygur Vural" by the German Music Fund
- Artist in Residence during August 2020 at NES Artist Residency Skagaströnd, Iceland
- Iceland Tour 2020 and Recording for Saeborg (elderly home) supported by the Austrian Embassy Copenhagen 
- 2019 Research and talk on "What makes Khaleeji rhythms swing" featured on the international platform Afikra
- 2017 New York University Abu Dhabi Fellow at the Bang-On-A-Can Residency
- 2014 Scholarship at the Warwick Music School (Warwick University Arts Centre)

Tags