Just days before embarking on an intensive European tour, Ukrainian-born Australian pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk still manages to carve out time for a quick chat about his upcoming concerts with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and the music he loves playing.

Brimming with enthusiasm, he doesn’t seem at all daunted by the ever-increasing number of engagements in his calendar – a true testament to his international stature. As soon as our conversation ends, he is off to Amsterdam for Grieg’s Piano Concerto at the Royal Concertgebouw with Dalia Stasevska, before heading to the US for a recital as Artist in Residence at the Chautauqua Institution. This follows a similar residency at the prestigious Wigmore Hall in 2023–2024.

Alexander Gavrylyuk performing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Photo © Laura Manariti

Considering the responsibilities such residencies bring, he says matter-of-factly, “It means a lot of programs in a short period of time, so it requires a lot more preparation than usual, and my biggest challenge is to never compromise on the quality despite the amount of work.”

At the end of this whirlwind trip, he returns to Australia for his long-awaited debut with the ACO, which...