Alexander (Sasha) Boldachev
One of the most extraordinary young harpists of our time, Sasha Boldachev began playing the
harp at the age of 5 and began performing in concerts that same year. In 1996, he participated
in the Children’s Christmas Festival, where he performed Christmas Bells by Sergei Slonimsky,
written especially for him. He made his orchestral debut at the age of 9, performing Handel’s
Harp Concerto with the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Boldachev graduated from the Secondary Special Music School of the St. Petersburg State
Conservatory, having studied harp under Karina Maleeva and composition under Svetlana
Lavrova. In 2006, he entered the Zurich University of the Arts in Switzerland, where he
continued his studies under Catherine Michel and Sarah O’Brien. After earning his BA and MA,
he is continuing his postgraduate studies in Zurich, teaching, and giving master classes.
Over the last decade, Mr. Boldachev has won several top prizes including the UFAM
International Competition, the Vera Dulova Harp Competition, the Felix Godefroid Competition,
the Martin Geliot International Harp Competition, the Lily Laskine International Harp
Competition, and the Golden Harp International Competition. In 2003, he became the first
non-British winner of Britain’s Brilliant Prodigies Award, followed by The European Foundation
for Culture Pro Europe Award (Vienna, Austria) for “outstanding artistic talent and contribution to
European culture” in 2005. In that same year, he performed a solo recital at the IX World Harp
Congress in Dublin, Ireland.
Mr. Boldachev has toured and conducted master classes throughout Europe, Brazil and Japan.