Biography
Accordionist Ksenija Sidorova, born in Riga on May 18, 1988, during Latvia’s time within the Soviet Union, began studying her instrument at age eight under Marija Gasele after her grandmother—an amateur musician devoted to folk traditions—urged her to pursue music. She later completed a master’s degree with honors at the Royal Academy of Music in London under Owen Murray. Early recognition came with the Royal Academy of Music Wigmore Award in early 2009, followed by her Wigmore Hall debut that May and a prominent slot in the Park Lane concert series the same year. Subsequent performances took her across Europe, the United States, and the Baltic region.
To expand the accordion’s place in classical programming, Sidorova has partnered with ensembles ranging from the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and the Trondheim Soloists to Sinfonietta Riga, while also joining forces with the Sacconi and Belcea Quartets. Her programs stretch from Bach and Mozart through contemporary works, lesser-known Eastern European scores, and tango, occasionally venturing into popular repertoire. A 2013 appearance on the German television show Stars von Morgen, hosted by Rolando Villazón, helped raise her profile, as did further broadcasts in Britain, France, and Germany. These opportunities led to a 2014 Night of the Proms engagement and an Israeli tour in 2015.
Her first recording, Classical Accordion, appeared on Champs Hill in 2011. Two years later she released Fairy Tales, followed in 2016 by Carmen, her Deutsche Grammophon adaptation of the Bizet opera. Piazzolla Reflections, a 2021 Alpha recital centered on Astor Piazzolla and related composers, preceded a 2023 Ondine account of Arturs Maskats’s accordion concerto with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. She returned to Alpha in 2024 with the recital album Crossroads.
To expand the accordion’s place in classical programming, Sidorova has partnered with ensembles ranging from the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and the Trondheim Soloists to Sinfonietta Riga, while also joining forces with the Sacconi and Belcea Quartets. Her programs stretch from Bach and Mozart through contemporary works, lesser-known Eastern European scores, and tango, occasionally venturing into popular repertoire. A 2013 appearance on the German television show Stars von Morgen, hosted by Rolando Villazón, helped raise her profile, as did further broadcasts in Britain, France, and Germany. These opportunities led to a 2014 Night of the Proms engagement and an Israeli tour in 2015.
Her first recording, Classical Accordion, appeared on Champs Hill in 2011. Two years later she released Fairy Tales, followed in 2016 by Carmen, her Deutsche Grammophon adaptation of the Bizet opera. Piazzolla Reflections, a 2021 Alpha recital centered on Astor Piazzolla and related composers, preceded a 2023 Ondine account of Arturs Maskats’s accordion concerto with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. She returned to Alpha in 2024 with the recital album Crossroads.
Albums
