16-year-old cellist Alexander Peter Fiszer began his musical journey with the cello at the age of 6. His passion for the instrument was evident from a young age, often featuring it during school “show and tell” sessions. By 9, Alexander was showcasing his talent at various venues, including churches, holiday parties, local libraries, and elder care facilities. As soon as he could, he quickly joined the music ministry orchestra at St. Charles Borromeo Church under the direction of Tim Keyes. There he learned how to play in ensembles, sight-read, and moreover, he learned how beautiful it is to share his music with others.
In 2019, he received a partial scholarship to the Mike Block String Camp in Florida. For five years, he’s played locally with the Tim Keyes Consort and is also an active member of the Stretto String Ensemble, Hopewell Valley Pops Orchestra, and the Boston Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. A highlight of his young career was in February 2019, when he performed solo at Weil Hall in Carnegie Hall as part of the Crescendo International Competition.
Alexander has been privileged to train under accomplished cellists like Evangeline Benedetti, David Szepessy, Uri Vardi, Susan Moses Bloom, and his current teacher, Mark Curchill. During the pandemic, his commitment to music remained unwavering. He engaged in Amit Peled’s Online Academy, the Your Body in Your Strad Virtual Conference for two consecutive years, two Sphinx Performance Academy sessions, Encore Summer Camp, and virtual conducting classes with Benjamin Zander. He also remained active with the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra’s online rehearsals. Recently, he has been accepted into the New England Conservatory of Music Preparatory Program where he takes lessons, classes and performs.
His recent performances include tours in Greece and South Africa with the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, a Swiss tour with the Stretto String Ensemble, and the Sphinx Performance Academy at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Moreover, he made a mark at Nebrija University’s Forum Musikae in Madrid, securing second place in their competition. He also placed second place in the Radda International Competition for the bass and cello division for his age. In the fall, Alexander performed a solo concert in South Carolina in order to help raise funds for a new performing arts center. This winter, he participated in the Philadelphia International Festival’s “Music in the Manor” solo intensive program in Miami where he participated in a masterclass and performed in a final recital.
When he is not playing his cello, Alexander enjoys chi gong, learning about the Feldenkrais Method, as well as designing and building with Legos. For Alexander, music is a cherished gift, and he is grateful for his parents, grandparents, his family, and all of his teachers present and past who share his musical journey.
You can find Alexander’s 2024 Classical Music Competition cello performance here.