Walter Labhart, cultural mediator for "Badener Tagblatt"
"Daria's solo recital was themed "Feminine Power"
and lived up to it with enduring energy and great expressiveness until the very end."
and lived up to it with enduring energy and great expressiveness until the very end."
"Feminine Power" is a concert project by the passionate concert pianist Daria Vasileva, dedicated to bringing the works of female composers, both past and present, into the well-deserved spotlight.
This inspiring project was conceived by Daria to honor these exceptional women, whose music warrants far greater recognition.
In a musical landscape dominated by the compositions of brilliant male composers, it is a challenge to draw attention to the genius of female composers and their masterful creations.
In May 2024, Daria premiered the first concerts of the "Feminine Power" project in three Swiss cities: Lucerne, Zurich, and Baden.
These concerts showcased the works of seven outstanding female composers:
The premiere concerts garnered significant attention, particularly from young audiences. Many attendees were captivated by Daria’s innovative approach, which made classical music more accessible through educational elements in her performances.
Here you will find some of the audience’s feedback on the concerts:
I really enjoyed the concert, especially the music of Fanny Mendelssohn and Cecile Marti! Daria's dedication to the pieces she played was very inspiring, and being a musician myself, it has inspired me to listen to more music by women composers and perhaps play something composed by women myself in the future!
My husband and I left with so much inspiration! It was incredible! And for me, the performance seemed to be over in 10 minutes! You could feel the mood of each composition, and each one was like its own "adventure".
I found the concert overwhelming. The piece by Fanny Mendelssohn was very powerful. My four female colleagues (there was also a teacher from the ECAP school) also found it very beautiful! One of them wondered whether women could generally compose more powerfully than men. I thought the selection was very good, with the "gradual introduction" to abstract pieces.
Daria provided an absolutely wonderful experience! The "Feminine Power" concert was truly remarkable. The atmosphere was captivating, Daria's knowledge was very enriching, and the music was exceptionally beautiful! After the concert, I am now full of curiosity and eager to learn more about the lives of the women composers presented and to continue listening to their music. Daria's energy was outstanding, and I hope she will do more performances in the future!
I have not been to a classical concert for many years, but the concept of an evening of music by female composers piqued my interest. Daria put on an enchanting evening: The music was beautiful, and by telling us something about the composer and the work itself before each piece, Daria made it much more accessible than a 'regular' classical concert. Everything around the concert, such as the location, the flowers that were handed out, and the photographer who was there, also contributed to the wonderful atmosphere. In short, it was a wonderful evening put together with a lot of heart and soul that I would repeat at any time.
Thank you for the wonderful "Feminine Power" concert! The program was very interesting and varied. I had never heard these pieces of music before, and it was a wonderful discovery for me. I especially liked the piece by Teresa Procaccini. I was simply in love with it and found this music on YouTube right after the concert. Special thanks go to the pianist Daria Vasileva, who has incredible talent! Not only did she play the piano with virtuosity, but she was also a good presenter and told very interesting stories about each composer and each piece of music.
I really enjoyed the concert, especially the music of Fanny Mendelssohn, Cecile Marti, and Oksana Stechyshyn. Everything was perfect; I liked that you told your audience about the lives of these women composers and interesting facts about their path into music! I am happy that I managed to attend the concert!
The concerts were generously supported by several foundations, including Cultural Foundation of Kanton Zürich, the Françoise Rhyner Foundation, FUCA Fonds, the Strebi Foundation, and the Alfred & Ilse Stammer Foundation.
Now, Daria plans to expand her visionary project, bringing the unique voices of these female composers to more cities and countries.
