Russia is very much on our minds these days, as it moves closer and closer to the totalitarian state that it was when Joseph Stalin was its ruler. Dmitri Shostakvich lived through the darkest years of Stalin's terror, and it marked him for life; he later said that all of his music after that point, was a memorial to Stalin's innocent victims. His Cello Concerto #1 is a particularly moving and poignant tribute. Lexie Krakowski won 1st place in the senior category of our concerto competition, and is a truly memorable cellist.
These are dark things to think about, and I wouldn't leave you in that state of mind.... positivity is recovered in the second half of the concert with Beethoven's sparkling, brilliant, funny, Symphony #1. I hope that you'll join us on our journey towards optimism!
Featured on CBC’s ‘Classical 30 under 30’ in 2022, cellist Lexie Jana Krakowski has been awarded first place at numerous competitions, including the First Prize and Grand Award at the 2021 National Music Festival of Canada.
Most recently, she appeared as guest soloist with Symphony New Brunswick performing Dvorak Cello Concerto on tour across the province, and was a prize winner at the 2023 Shean Strings Competition in Edmonton AB.
Hailing from Victoria BC, Krakowski received early instruction from Brian Yoon, Paula Kiffner and Karen Whyte and was a member of the Young Artists Collegium Program at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. While in Victoria, she placed first in local and provincial festivals, and was awarded the Roberto and Mary Wood Scholarship in 2019.
Krakowski is currently an undergraduate student studying with Hans Jørgen Jensen and Andrés Díaz at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music where she gratefully receives full scholarship support from The Patrick and Barbara Keenan Foundation.