Alexandra Khanafina was born in 1970 in Moscow. In 1988, she graduated from the Gnessins Special Music School and in 1993 – from the Gnessins Russian Music Academy (Professor Vyacheslav Trushin's classes).
She was an awardee of the Concertino Praga International Competition (1987).
In 1999-2003, she played in the Russian Camerata Chamber Orchestra; in 2003-2008, she was an artist of the Russian State Academic Chamber Orchestra. Since 2008, she has been a member of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia.