My mixtape: Alexandra Dariescu's 10 pieces by female composers you need to hear

That determination to give women equal billing to their better-known male colleagues is reflected not only in the pianist’s January 2026 concert here at the Southbank Centre, but also in this special playlist she’s curated for us.

Born in Iași, Romania, Dariescu has been based in the UK since the age of 17 and is an honorary Associate Artist of the Royal Northern College of Music, where she completed her musical studies. The first female Romanian pianist to perform at the Royal Albert Hall (in 2013), she has gone on to perform with orchestras the world over, including the BBC Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and Seattle Symphony.

Dariescu’s Queen Elizabeth Hall concert saw her explore short-form pieces from across the ages on a kaleidoscopic journey through the wealth of music for piano that pairs compositions by Missy Mazzoli, Florence Price and Lili Boulanger with works by Bach and Tchaikovsky. And ahead of this, she offered her expert guidance into the under-represented canon of female composition, with a mixtape of 10 pieces by female composers that you need to hear. 

Settle in and listen to the playlist, and then read Dariescu’s reasons for including each of the 10 composers featured, below.

‘Piano Sonata No. 2’ – Grażyna Bacewicz

A sonata that feels perpetually on edge – sharp, driven and electrifying. Bacewicz’s voice is unmistakably modern, combining rhythmic bite with remarkable clarity.

‘Ballade’ – Kaija Saariaho

Sound becomes atmosphere in this quietly hypnotic piece. Saariaho invites the listener into a world where colour, resonance and silence are equally important.

‘Chaconne’ – Sofia Gubaidulina

A work of intensity and ritual, uncompromising in its emotional honesty. Tradition is stretched and reshaped into something raw, spiritual and deeply searching.

‘Konzertstück’ – Cécile Chaminade

Brilliant, elegant and full of charm, this piece sparkles with pianistic flair. It recalls a time when Chaminade was one of the most performed composers in the world.

‘Ballade, Op. 6’ – Amy Beach

Dark-hued and expansive, this is music of real sweep and emotional conviction. Beach’s writing balances virtuosity with a strong lyrical core.

‘Femmes de Légende’ – Mel Bonis

A sequence of evocative musical portraits inspired by legendary women. Bonis’ imagination shines through in music that is poetic, colourful and full of character.

‘Fantaisie variée pour piano et orchestre’ – Nadia Boulanger

Rarely heard, this work reveals Nadia Boulanger’s own powerful compositional voice. Focused, intense and boldly constructed, it challenges long-held assumptions about her legacy.

‘Phantasie Concertante’ – Dora Pejačević

A generous, late-Romantic sound world full of warmth and sweeping gesture. Music that speaks directly to the heart and rewards rediscovery.

‘Concerto for Piano and Strings’ – Doreen Carwithen

Elegant and beautifully proportioned, this concerto unfolds with natural flow and clarity. Carwithen’s craftsmanship and emotional sincerity shine throughout.

‘Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 7’ – Clara Schumann

Composed when Clara Schumann was just 16, this concerto is lyrical, passionate and remarkably assured. It’s a work that has travelled with me around the world – from Melbourne to Brussels, Belfast to London and Florida – and one I recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Tianyi Lu, placing Clara Schumann firmly at the heart of the Romantic concerto tradition.