As part of continuing JesmondLocal‘s International Women’s Day celebrations, which have been running on Instagram over the last week, we are interviewing influential women in Jesmond along several key themes. Today JesmondLocal speaks to Jesmond resident Alexandra Raikhlina.

Raikhlina is a violinist with the Royal Northern Sinfonia at Sage Gateshead. She is also co-founder and artistic director of Brundibár Arts Festival, an annual event dedicated to showcasing Holocaust music and art in Newcastle and Gateshead. 

Raikhlina was born in Moscow, Russia. When she was 13, she was laureate of the Charles de Beriot competition in Belgium. Later, she was awarded a place at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey. She completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, after receiving a full scholarship. 

Raikhlina is an accomplished classical musician. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in many countries, including Belgium, England, Switzerland, Russia, Greece and Hong-Kong. She appeared in the BBC Proms as part of the “Composers Portrait” programme, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Raikhlina has won awards from a variety of organisations, such as The Craxton Memorial Trustand London Symphony Orchestra. 

Brundibár 2021 will be dedicated to showcasing the work of female composers. Raikhlina says that she has seen more female conductors during the last couple of years. However, she explains that historic female composers like Fanny Mendelssohn are often overlooked. Raikhlina says, “when these women wrote their music, it was considered a hobby”. 

“I think [the music] should be judged for its worth and not because it’s a female or male composer”, says Raikhlina.