Cristiana Achim
Piano, Royal College of Music
Born and raised in Bucharest, pianist and educator Cristiana Achim is one of the most sought-after musicians of her generation. After graduating from the Royal College of Music with First Class Honours in 2022, Cristiana is currently pursuing her Master’s under the tutelage of Nigel Clayton at the Royal College of Music. She is generously supported by numerous scholarships in addition to her LSO Conservatoire Scholarship, such as the C Bechstein Scholarship, Help Musicians Postgraduate Awards and Talent Unlimited Music Charity.
As a highly gifted pianist, at the age of 15 Cristiana became a resident artist with the Romanian Royal House and has been invited to play with the Royal Camerata Orchestra and Trinity Orchestra, performing concertos by Clara Schumann, Saint-Saëns and Dinu Lipatti. She has developed a keen interest in jazz and folk music and is well-versed in improvisation. In 2019, she released three of her singles, which are based on Romanian folk tunes: Little Cloud Passing By, Cristina, and S.H.E.
A winner of numerous international music competitions, Cristiana was a semi-finalist in the 2023 Royal Overseas League Music Competition and the third prize winner in the Norah Sande Awards 2022. She also won the Debut in Transylvania prize at the Youth of Music 2021 International Competition with a Recital Award.
Cristiana has performed in prestigious UK venues including Queen Elizabeth Hall, St James’ Piccadilly and Drapers Hall. Upcoming engagements include a suite of solo and chamber music recitals throughout England, Scotland and Romania for the 2023/24 season.
Cristiana is a passionate advocate for education. She has collaborated with Romanian and British institutions, developing the Romanian educational system by teaching music to disadvantaged children through interactive workshops. As a Benedetti Foundation Music Ambassador, she has developed creative education projects, working alongside violinist Nicola Benedetti and her collaborators in 2021/22.
