Violinist Andrea Gajic received her early musical training at St Mary’s Music School, Edinburgh. When she was twelve, she performed the Bruch Scottish Fantasy at St James’ Palace, London for Yehudi Menuhin’s 70th Birthday celebration. Two years later, she was invited by Sylvia Rosenberg to study at the Peabody Institute, Baltimore USA, where she won first prize at the American String Teachers’ Association Violin Competition.
From 1990, Andrea studied for five years at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music in Moscow with Khalida Akhtiamova where she gained her Masters Degree and Diploma in Solo Performance, before continuing her post-graduate studies with Felix Andrievsky at The Royal College of Music in London.
Throughout her studies, Andrea received generous financial assistance, being the youngest recipient of The Scottish International Education Trust and also receiving awards from The Martin Trust and Sir James Caird Travelling Scholarships.
Andrea has performed as a soloist and chamber ensemble player in Britain, United States, Russia, Lithuania, Finland, Germany, Australia, Yugoslavia and France, and she has been invited to give recitals and Masterclasses in Serbia, at the Victoria International Arts Festival, Gozo, at Dartington International Music Festival, and at the Menstrelle International Chamber Music Academy, St Petersburg.
She enjoys performing regularly with husband Djordje Gajic on classical accordion as duo Adlibitum. She has also led the Fibonacci Sequence chamber ensemble at the Conway Hall in London and worked with the Research Ensemble, which resulted in a number of contemporary music performances including birthday celebrations for Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and James MacMillan. In April 2013 she gave a recital of Beethoven Sonatas in the Max-Joseph-Saal at the Munich Residenz with pianist Michael Leslie.
For radio, she has recorded for BBC Radio, Bavarian Radio, Lithuanian Radio, Yugoslavian Radio and Radio Baltimore. On television, she has appeared on BBC, STV, ITV, and on Russian and Yugoslavian stations. CD releases include a recording of Beethoven’s Theme and Variations Op 107, performed with Michael Leslie, Thomas Rugge and Michael Shopper for Bavarian Radio and released by Büchergilde Gutenberg.
In addition to her numerous performing commitments, Andrea is a dedicated teacher. International pop star, Madonna, studied with Andrea for several months before pulling out of Wes Craven’s Hollywood film “50 Violins,” also known as “Music of the Heart,” which eventually starred Meryl Streep. Andrea was also invited to be the strings advisor for the film.
Currently Andrea teaches violin at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow where she was made Professor in 2018, and this year looks forward to joining the string faculty at the Royal Northern College of Music. She has given classes and workshops for the European String Teachers’ Association, University of Music and Performing Arts (Graz), Rostov State Conservatory (Russia), Sydney Conservatorium (Australia), Sabac Music School (Serbia), Kragujevac Music School (Serbia), Victoria International Arts Festival (Malta), University of Delaware (USA), Peabody Conservatory (USA) Komitas State Conservatory (Armenia) and the Benedetti Foundation. Since 2014, she has been course leader for the String Summer Course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, which attracts students from all round the world.
Andrea has performed at a number of international festivals throughout Europe and USA. Her most recent concerto performances include performances of the Sibelius Violin Concerto, Barber Violin Concerto, Brahms Violin Concerto. She is also a regular performer with the Malta Philharmonic at the closing concerts of Victoria International Arts Festival, Gozo having performed Brahms’ Violin Concerto, the Sibelius Concerto, and more recently in July 2022, Beethoven’s Concerto in D major.
She was a major contributor to the COP26 concert ‘Vital Signs of the Plant’ held in Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall in November 2021, where she played excerpts from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with the RCS chamber orchestra, and recently she was interviewed by the Strad magazine. She was also honoured with a Professorship at the RCS and in August 2023 was promoted to Head of Strings.
Recently Nicola Benedetti has restarted sporadic lessons with Andrea to help regain confidence after a wrist injury that forced her to pull out of a residency last summer at the Aldeburgh Festival.
Andrea plays on a violin made by Nicolaus Gagliano in 1766.
Cinderella, Arkhipovsky
Djordje Gajic began his musical studies in Serbia at the age of six, finally graduating from the Russian Academy of Music in 1993 with a Master of Music degree and the Honorary Title of Solo Performer. He continued his post-graduate studies at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music and was appointed Assistant to Professor Yuri Dranga.
Djordje has won first prize in International Accordion Competitions in Pescara, Stresa, Camalo (Italy), Soko Bana (Serbia), St Étienne (France) and at the CMA World Championship in Fontainebleu (France). He has also been awarded second prize in equally prestigious competitions held in Klingental (Germany) and Cheraparvetz (Russia). He has also received many awards of outstanding merit leading to television and radio broadcasts for the BBC, RTS Serbia, RTR Russia and RAI Italy.
Djordje has performed with several acclaimed orchestras and ensembles including the Russian State Symphony Orchestra (under the baton of Yvgeny Svetlanov), Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra (BBC Proms, London), the Fibonacci Sequence Ensemble, Locrian Ensemble, Research Ensemble, Hebrides Ensemble, et al. He is a prolific recitalist throughout Europe (Andorra, Holland, France, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Italy, Malta, Norway and Britain) and also in USA, Australia, China, Russia, Bahrain and Tunisia.
Djordje Gajic plays Scarlatti
In August 2018, Djordje was invited to be on the panel for Harbin’s International Music Festival, China. Most recent engagements were touring with Opera North and solo recitals in the USA.
Djordje is an accordion tutor at the RCS, Douglas Academy and St Mary’s Music School, Edinburgh. In October 2024, he was awarded a Professorship at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Zapateado by Sarasate
Performances
7.30pm, Wednesday 16 September 2026: Strathearn Music Society, St Andrew’s Hall, Crieff
7.30pm, Saturday 14 November 2026: Wakefield Concert Society
2.30pm, Monday 19 April 2027: Ross Priory, Gartocharn….
(for tickets please contact daisy@classicalmusiciansscotland.com)
Comfortable Unknown, Nicholas Olsen
Performances past
3pm, Sunday 15 February 2026: Music in Dumfries (48 hours’ notice)
7.30pm, Friday 19 September 2025: Ripon International Festival, St Andrew’s Church, Kirkby Malzeard
3pm, Sunday 27 April 2025: Wycliff St Mary’s
2pm, Friday 6 June 2025: Ross Priory (private event)
7.30pm, Friday 14 March 2025: Millennium Centre, Stranraer (education workshop 1 – 2:15pm Ryan Centre)
2.30pm, Sunday 23 February 2025: Dunoon Burgh Hall
7pm, Thursday 19 September 2024: Thirsk
7 pm, Thursday 18 January 2024, Fratry Hall, Carlisle Cathedral
1 – 2pm, Wednesday 6 December 2023, Westbourne Music Society, Glasgow Art Club
3pm, Sunday 26 November 2023, Penicuik Community Arts Association
3pm, Sunday 19 November 2023, Music in Aberfoyle
Wednesday 9 August 2023, Kirkharle
Sunday 23 April 2023, Newton Stewart and District Music Club
Sunday 26 February 2023, Haddington Concert Society
Sunday 29 February 2023, Music in Dollar
Tuesday 6 December 2022, The Brunton, Musselburgh
Saturday 19 March 2022, Music Arran
Thursday 3 March 2022, Ross Priory
Friday 22 October 2021, West Kilbride
Saturday 16 October 2021, Spire concert series, Glasgow
Wednesday 28 April 2021, Strathearn Music Society
Saturday 23 November 2019, with double bassist Nikita Naumov, Spire concert series, Glasgow
Sunday 3 November 2019, Pollok House Arts Society
Friday 27 September 2019, Order of st John Soirée, Ross Priory
Saturday 30 March 2019, Spire concert series, Glasgow
Friday 23 November 2018, West Coast Arts, Poolewe
Sunday 4 November 2018, Penicuik Community Arts Association
Saturday 21 April 2018, Sphere concerts
Tuesday 18 April 2017, Tuneful Tuesdays concert series, Royal Faculty of Procurators Glasgow
Friday 14 April 2017, West Kilbride
Sunday 5 February 2017, Gatehouse of Fleet
Friday 27 January 2017, Catstrand
Saturday 16 August 2016, St Conan’s, Loch Awe
Wednesday 8 June 2016, Ross Priory
Saturday 6 April 2016, Clydebank
Saturday 2 April 2016, Sphere concert series
Saturday 5 March 2016, Ayr Music Cub
Monday 16 November 2015, Portree, Skye
Sunday 25 October 2015, Cowal Music Club
Friday 31 October 2014, Ross Priory
Tuesday 14 October 2014, Lockerbie Music Society
Friday 10 October 2014, Balerno Music Festival
Saturday 16 August 2014, Edinburgh Fringe
Friday 4 April 2014, Sphere concert series
