Alexander Markovich was born into a musical family. He entered the Gnessins’ School of Music in Moscow at the age of six and at the age of thirteen he was awarded first prize at the International Prague Youth Radio Competition. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatoire having specialized in piano and conducting. In 1990 he immigrated to Israel and became an Israeli citizen. Having given dazzling performances together with Vadim Repin and Maxim Vengerov, the musician drew the attention of international audiences and the critics. He has also accompanied such instrumentalists as Sergei Nakariakov, Julian Rachlin, Ida Haendel and Gйrard Caussй at concerts in major venues including Wigmore Hall (London), Carnegie Hall (New York), Berlin’s Philharmonie, Heichal Hatarbut (Tel Aviv), Suntory Hall (Tokyo) and the Thйвtre des Champs Йlysйes (Paris). Strad magazine has hailed Alexander Markovich as an “absolutely outstanding musician”.
In 1997, after meeting conductor Neeme Jдrvi, Alexander Markovich revived his recital performances. Following his successful debut with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra he received invitations to appear with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra as well as returns to both Detroit and Montreal. Markovich has also performed with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, the WDR Orchestra (Cologne) and the Residentie Orchestra (The Hague). In December 2005 the pianist performed with the Bayerische Staatsoper Orchestra in Munich under Paavo Jдrvi, following which he was subsequently invited back to take part in the orchestra’s New Year Gala under the baton of Zubin Mehta.
Other acclaimed appearances include the musician’s recital at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire, performances with the Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra at the Teatro Colуn, a performance of the Scharwenka Piano Concerto with the Lьbeck Orchestra, a recital at the Ruhr Piano Festival and a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No 1 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall (October 2007). Markovich performed with the same orchestra under the baton of Neeme Jдrvi in late October 2008. The musician has also appeared with the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra and the Tonkьnstler orchestra in Vienna.
In January 2011 he performed Liszt’s Piano Concerto No 2 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Vladimir Jurowski. The pianist’s plans for 2011 include a series of concerts with the Norrkцping Symphony Orchestra and returns to the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna’s Tonkьnstler orchestra.
Alexander Markovich’s recordings have been released on the Teldec, Deutsche Grammophon and Erato labels. His recent performance with the Deutsche Symphonie Orchester at Berlin’s Philharmonie proved an absolute sensation. The Berliner Morgenpost newspaper compared the musician with a Formula 1 driver.