- Wednesday 3 June 2026
- 7.30pm
21 Shepherd
Sensitivity and captivating rhythms characterize the sound of Berlin-based Alexandra Ivanova Trio led by the Austrian pianist and composer of Bulgarian roots. Alexandra has experienced a range of cultural influences, giving her an “unorthodox approach to her compositions” (All About Jazz).
With Judith Ferstl (AT) on double bass and Axel Filip (AR/DE) on drums, the trio navigates between Jazz, Eastern classical music (Maqam), odd meters from the Balkan and Afro-Cuban claves.
Alexandra’s compositions stem from a deep journey into the self, rooting in research about ancestry and belonging. Her arrangements of Arabic and Azeri standards or Bulgarian and Icelandic folklore invite the listener to find the universally human by looking at the world from different angles: from the East, the West or from somewhere in between.
“In every sense of the word, a musician out of the ordinary” (Jazz thing)
Alexandra Ivanova is a Berlin-based pianist and composer, born in Austria with Bulgarian roots, who has called France, the Middle East and the Gulf home. Her musical interests centre on polyrhythms, Bulgarian and Maqam-based music in conversation with jazz harmony and Afro-Cuban claves. She is a recipient of jazz scholarships from Musikfonds and the Berlin Senate; and has performed at Havana Jazz Plaza Festival, Reykjavik Jazz Festival, Porgy and Bess Vienna.
Judith Ferstl is a Vienna-based double bassist and composer whose musical range spans jazz, improvisation, pop and folk. Her practice moves fluidly between intricate rhythms and intimate soundscapes, with a curiosity for unconventional sounds and diverse forms of expression. She is a recipient of the Austrian Federal Chancellery’s Start-Grant, the SKE annual scholarship and the Bawag P.S.K. Next Generation Jazz Award.
Axel Filip (they/them) is an Argentine drummer, composer, bandleader and improviser based in Berlin. They hold a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Music from the Conservatorio Superior de Musica and completed the European Jazz Master at institutions in Trondheim, Copenhagen and Berlin. Their work sits at the intersection of contemporary jazz, electroacoustic music and experimental sound, with themes of identity, migration and belonging running through their practice.
