Ana Gaceva

The artistic appearance of pianist Ana Gaceva occupies an important place in the contemporary Macedonian music culture. Creative and energetic, she presents herself on the concert stage as a supreme artist with an individual expression in piano interpretation. Her biography includes education and training at prestigious European universities. She completed her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s studies at the Skopje Faculty of Music Arts, École Normale Superieure de Paris Alfred Cortot, and the Trinity College in London, respectively, with the highest honor - cum laude - specializing in piano concerto performance, chamber music, and piano interpretation. Stela Slejanska, Monique Deschaussées, Ramzi Yassa, Chantal De Buchy, Aquiles Delle Vigne, and Simon Young are just some of the renowned pedagogues - pianists with whom she has developed her education. She works professionally as a full-time piano teacher at the Skopje Faculty of Music, at all levels of academic education, participates as a member of international competition juries, and holds master classes at the Music Academy in Jerusalem, Israel. She is also the author of a solo CD and a book Piano Techniques in Concertos of Composers-Performers from the World Music Scene. Additionally, Ana Gaceva has had a very prolific concert career: solo recitals, guest appearances with orchestras and performances in various chamber formations. At the invitation of prestigious halls and institutions, she gives concerts throughout Europe and the United States- France, USA, Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Romania, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Israel, Montenegro etc. She is a soloist with the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Youth International Chamber Orchestra, the St. Sofia Contemporary Music Orchestra, the Russian Academic Chamber Orchestra, and the Bitola Chamber Orchestra. She has performed at international festivals such as: Ohrid Summer Festival, Les concerts de Midi & Demi, Noordenbergconcert, Kamermuziek DE HOOP, Kyiv Music Fest, Meridian Festival Bucharest, Museum De Buiten Plaats, L’Artpour l’Aar, Concerti del Tempietto, Minsk Spring, Zagreb Summer Festival, Piran Music Nights, Barski Ljetopis Festival, Espressivo Festival Cetinje, Nimus Festival, Ledamus Festival, Days of Macedonian Music, Shtip Summer, Makarska Summer Festival, Omis Summer Festival, Ljubljana Composers Forum, Hvar Summer Events, etc. Gaceva's concert repertoire combines a wide range of works from several eras of piano music literature, with a markedly studious approach to stylistics and the genre concept. Her interpretation reflects a cultured musicality, solid piano technique, and refined dynamics. But above all, her performance captures the subtle shaping of tonal colors and shades of piano sound. In search of new forms of expression, her performances have included works by Macedonian composers (she is the winner of the Georgi Bozhikov Award). Exceptionally charismatic, with deep creative artistry and piano mastery, Ana Gaceva establishes close contact with the audience at her performances, with confidence and conviction, as confirmed with acclamation by the numerous praising reviews. "...Virtuosity, clean and clear language in the interpretation of Beethoven’s Appassionata ... with a special piano mastery and a confident expression she enabled us to perceive the fantasy and the imaginary world of Schumann's pieces, successfully constructing a dynamic continuity which united the three Schumann pieces in an extraordinary whole ... she narrated Liszt’s reading of Dante, leaving a deep impression on the large audience ... In Prokofiev's Sonata she showed refined musical artistry..." (Macedonian Radio, 2000) "... powerful and energetic tone and exceptional rhythm in Brahms’ sonata ... extraordinary richness of tone, and power of colors and shades ... fantastically captured colors ..." (Radio Zagreb, 2003) "... Through Mozart's filigree platform, Gaceva provided a realistic picture of her developed artistic potentials on the path of the now famous great pianists ..." (Macedonian Radio, 2004) "... So powerful, so delightful! From extremely expressive, to exceptionally calm ... she took our breath away! performing the works ... with a lot of passion, strength and virtuosity. She also caressed us with the supreme, masterful interpretation of Schumann, Debussy, Ravel, ending with a powerful performance of Ginastera. We can only wish to listen to her performance all over again ..." (De Hoop, 2017) „ Gaceva got a big applause from the audience.. she gave an expressive performance both to the dramatic and romantic pieces… (Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger, 2022)