Aliya Iskhaki (born in the Republic of Tatarstan, based in Rotterdam) is a concert pianist renowned for her thoughtful and deeply emotional interpretations. Her artistry and passion have earned her prizes in 11 national and international competitions, including the Young Pianist Foundation Competition (Netherlands), the Baltic Stars (Estonia), and the Conservatoire Alexandre Scriabine International Piano Competition (France).
She has captivated audiences across Europe, performing in prestigious venues such as the Concertgebouw, Bimhuis, and Théâtre Adyar, and appearing at renowned festivals, including the Holland Festival, Grachtenfestival, Musica Mundi, and Storioni International Chamber Music Festival.
Aliya began playing the piano at seven in her native Tatarstan. After graduating with honors from the Kazan Conservatory, she continued her studies in the Netherlands, earning master’s degrees from Codarts (under Bart van de Roer) and the Amsterdam Conservatory (under Naum Grubert). She has also participated in masterclasses with distinguished musicians such as Boris Berman, Menahem Pressler, Ivry Gitlis, Pavel Gililov, Konstantin Lifschitz, and Stephen Kovacevich. Several prestigious grants and scholarships have aided Aliya’s artistic development, including the Vrouwenstudiefonds Soroptimist and Het Nationaal Muziekinstrumenten Fonds, which provided her with a magnificent Steinway & Sons piano on loan.
With a broad classical repertoire, Aliya is on a mission
to introduce European audiences to the music of her homeland, the Republic of Tatarstan. In the Netherlands, she is one of the few performers specializing in these «rare musical treasures largely unknown» (The Moscow Times), which follows the classical academic tradition yet carries the rich, evocative character of Eastern music.
Aliya is frequently invited to include Tatar composers in her concerts, both as a soloist and as part of Duo Mong, her ensemble with Tatarstan-born violinist Yulia Gubaydullina. In 2024, Duo Mong released the first European recording of Tatar classical music under the OClassica label.
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