Please note change of artist and repertoire
José Gandia graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire, London with an MMus in music performance, studying with professor Rivka Golani. In 2009 he was awarded the 4th Prize for Solo Performance at the International Music Competition in Padova (Italy). He is cofounder of the Opera at Home ensemble, having performed in prestigious venues like St Martin in the Fields, Royal Palace of Madrid (In front of Queen Sofia), Munich Kaisersaal, Arts Theatre in Moscow, Reform Club and recently at Westminster House of Lords. Also trained as an actor, Jose has featured in an article at ‘The Strad’ magazine (2015) on the relation between acting technique and music performance. José plays on a viola by the English maker Rod Ward.
Belorussian soprano Alexia Mankovskaya graduated from Russian Academy of Dramatic Art, where she completed BA in opera singing course. In 2009 she completed MMus at Trinity College of Music, supported by the Butler and Offenheim scholarships. Operatic roles performed include Marcelina (Marrige Figaro, Stanislavky Opera Theatre Moscow), Lola (Cavaleria Rusticana, Schloss Leopoldskron Palace, Salzburg), Madam Larina (Tchaikovsky; Evgenie Onegin; Cadogan Hall) Olga (Aghliari Summer Festival; Italy, Romeo ( Bellini Montecci e i Capuletti; Guildford Opera). Alexia regularly give recitals in the UK and across Europe. She appeared in concert series at St. Martin in the Fields, Chipping Campden Festival, Spitalfields Festival, Royal Palace (Madrid, Spain), Kaiser Palace (Munich, Germany), Rachmaninovsky Hall (Moscow, Russia). Among her prizes and awards First Prise of Padua International Competition, Elisabeth Shuman Prize for Lieder, Silver Medal of International Russian Music Competition, diplomas of Stuart Burrows International Voice Award, Ralf Welsh Competition, Bayreuth Bursary Competition and Morimondo International Opera Competition. Future engagements involves series of recitals in London and Madrid, recording her first solo CD and appearance as Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana for The Reform Club Annual Opera and Edinburgh Fringe festival 2018 (UK).