Ksenija Sidorova
Born in Riga, Latvia, Ksenija Sidorova has been playing the accordion since childhood. Passionate about showcasing the instrument and expanding its repertoire, she performs classical music ranging from Bach and Bizet to contemporary composers such as Erkki-Sven Tüür, plus folk and flamenco too. Her new album Piazzolla Reflections pairs unusual Piazzolla pieces with new commissions and is out now on Alpha.
My connection with the accordion started when, a little folk accordion I found in the attic, so my grandmother acquired a mini accordion from her neighbours. She sang Russian folk songs and I played the accompaniment, and the two of us had parties at home. I carried on learning the piano accordion at music school in Riga and didn’t find it difficult because my teacher made it seem so natural. What was hard was not being able to grow my nails long or wear a skirt! And the accordion seems to be getting heavier every year – it weighs three-and-a-half stone.
