Aksuna, an award-winning Australian pianist-composer who is currently based in Germany, draws upon the instrument a grounded authenticity that showcases a remarkable blend of classical virtuosity and original pianistic voice.
By the age of 17, she achieved nationally-certified grades, diplomas and numerous first-prizes from eisteddfods and state competitions, as well as becoming the youngest winner of the NSW Chopin Society Award. Despite also being academically inclined and having been offered a place at the Melbourne Dental School, Aksuna's passion for music propelled her towards the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, where she earned her Bachelor's in Music/Criminology, a Master in Music (Research/Performance), followed by a Master in Music Therapy.
As a performer, Aksuna was trained under the guidance of distinguished pianists and pedagogists, including the internationally-acclaimed Professor Viktor Makarov, Professor Ronald Farren-Price and Professor Ian Holtham. She has performed in numerous notable recital halls, captivating audiences at prestigious venues such as the Sydney Town Hall, The Edge at Federation Square, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Government House of Victoria. Collaborative projects remain close to her heart, performing with orchestras such as the Ku-Rin-Gai Philharmonic, the Australian Lawyers Orchestra, the Australasian Orchestra, as well as working with local composers.
After being a finalist in the 2014 Australian National Piano Award, Aksuna's concert career gradually expanded beyond performing. Perhaps a combination of burnout and with a desire to seek something else further, she turned to music therapy as a way to expand her relationship with music. Her subsequent, brief career as a palliative care music therapist ignited the improvisational and compositional side of her musicality, which inspired Aksuna to turn to the piano with a noticeably intimate note. This culminated to the release of her debut album, Love Child.
Today, Aksuna continues to dedicate her focus to bring the story-telling element of the human spirit into her original compositions, merging virtuosic piano techniques with emotional ambience in her original compositions. Although she does not actively perform classical works as much as she did in her former years, the great masters such as Chopin, Debussy, and Rachmaninoff, are never far off her mind as she sits to compose. This, in addition to her love for contemporary film and game composers, continuously inspires her to weave together technical virtuosity and evocative emotional landscapes. Her music transcends genres, appealing to lovers of classical and modern piano, film scores, and those seeking introspective, emotional experiences.