Biography
Daria Parkhomenko, a young Russian pianist of Romanian origin, is one of the most promising talents of her generation. Described as a “leading lady” by the international piano press on her 1st place victory at the world-renowned George Enescu Piano Competition in 2018, Daria has performed at some of the world’s most renowned concert halls and has appeared with several of the world’s leading conductors and orchestras.
Daria has been a prize winner in over 15 national and international piano competitions. Her awards include 3rd prize and the audience award at the Sendai Competition (Japan), 2nd prize at the Čiurlionis Piano Competition (Lithuania), 2nd prize at the Сlavicologne Piano Competition (Germany), 2nd prize at the “In Musica” Piano Competition (Italy), 1st prize in the Pietro Iadeluca Piano Competition (Italy), 2nd prize at the “Nuova Coppa Pianisti” Competition (Italy), and 1st prize at the ICOM Piano Competition “Hamburg Composers” (Germany).
Daria’s engagements have taken her to the stages of several notable venues such as Mariinsky Concert Hall, Hamburger Laeiszhalle, Rolf-Liebermann-Studio, Sendesaal Bremen, Tainan Municipal Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Concert Hall, Romanian Athenaeum, Roma Teatro Palladium, Vilnius National Philharmonic, and the Tallinn Philharmonic. Additionally, Daria has appeared in various festivals such as “The Faces of Modern Pianism” Festival in St. Petersburg, the George Enescu Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Festival, the Mecklenburg Vorpommern Festival, and the Gezeitenkonzerte Festival.
Daria has performed with several eminent conductors and orchestras. She has enjoyed partnerships with conductors such as Junichi Hirokami, Vassily Sinajsky, Wojciech Rajski, Julien Salemkour, Ignat Solzhenitsyn, Modestas Barkauskas, Arvo Volmer, Jung Park, Ching-Ming Lu, and has appeared with the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Romania, Orchestra Națională Radio, London Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian National Philharmonic, Tallinn National Orchestra, Norddeutschen Philarmonic Rostock, Kaunas Symphony Orchestra, Tainan Artists Orchestra, Rome Tre Orchestra.
Her performances have been broadcasted on several major classical stations such as, the Norddeutscher Rundfunk, Deutschlandradio Kultur, TVR (Romania), LRT Klasika and Delfi (Lithuania), 2RStudio (Italy).
In addition to her avid career as a soloist, Daria as a passionate chamber musician. Together with Korean violinist, Jiae Park, and German cellist, Jakob Kuchenbuch, Daria formed the “HON Trio”. In 2017, the HON Trio won 2nd prize at the Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Competition in Berlin, which allowed them to take various recitals on tour across Germany and Europe. Most recently, Daria performed at the premiere of the ballet production of “Glassmenagerie” by John Neumeier at the Staatsoper Hamburg in a quintet.
Daria was born in Rostov on Don, Russia and began her piano studies at the age of 4. At the age of 12, she began her formal studies with Prof. Sergei Osipenko at the Rostov State Rachmaninov Conservatoire, who then continued to train her for 12 years. She moved to Hamburg, Germany in 2013 to continue her training at the Hochschule with Prof. Stepan Simonian, with whom she still studies. Additionally, Daria has had the privilege of training with distinguished musicians such as Alfred Brendel, Philippe Entremont, Severin von Eckardstein, Eliso Virsaladze, Balazs Szokolay, Pavel Nersessian, Henry Sigfridsson, Michel Beroff, Grigory Gruzman, Vladimir Ovchinikkov, Anna Vinnitskaja, Lev Natochenny, Matthias Kirschnereit, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Hamish Milne, and Janina Fialkowska.
Daria Parkhomenko released her debut album with piano works by the Romanian composer George Enescu in October 2022 with great success. The debut album received great popularity and excellent international reviews and was nominated for the Opus Klassik and the “Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik” in 2023.
Press
"The competition’s latest installment was won by a gifted young Russian woman, who wowed the jury with her interpretation. The moment [Daria] started playing, [Maestro] Sinaisky smiled and the Enescu Philharmonic began to accompany her with genuine enthusiasm, knowing instantly that there was a rewarding partnership to be built – not a note placed without reason, not a phrase unshaped."
- International Piano, United Kingdom
"The interpretation of the 1st Prize Winner, Daria Parkhomenko, brought what can only be described as musical poetry to the stage of the Athenaeum. Her performance had rapture, expressiveness, plasticity, sensitivity, and lyricism. The general impression she gave me was one of authenticity and an understanding of the meaning of Rachmaninoff’s music. Through her generous movements on the instrument and a feel for the piano that seemed like painting color on a canvas, [Daria’s] feelings were externalized in sounds, which made up the sublime, romantic music. The pianist demonstrated her ability to move seamlessly from a state of silence to an effervescent eruption in the climactic sections of the piece."
- liternet.ro
"[Daria Parkhomenko] was the pianist who expressed the music with the most honesty. She played with a wonderful singing quality and there was always clear in what she wanted to convey. In addition, her sound has body, and her rich, voluminous tone is a rare and special quality. Her approach to the instrument throughout the performance was very pleasant and the structure was clearly expressed by her singing tone."
- SIMC Newspaper, Japan
"Daria was the most expressive pianist [in the Semifinals] and demonstrated a forthright feeling for the music; she showed us clearly what she wanted to express. In other words, she has a powerful ability to create full-bodied and rich sounds."
- SIMC Newspaper, Japan