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Praised for ‘her mastery of phrasing and of the dramatic dimension’ (Diapason), ‘astonishing virtuosity’ (Revelation Classiques) and ‘her infinite delicacy’ (Le Populaire du centre), Irène Duval is firmly establishing herself as a compelling and versatile performer with a strong interest in combining little-known works with works central to the repertoire.
Recent highlights include her debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra at the first symphonic concert given by an international orchestra in Mauritius, her debut in Australia at Bendigo Chamber Music Festival, at the Verbier Festival, replacing Lisa Batiashvili at short notice, in Budapest at Kamara.hu Festival, and her debut with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe at the inauguration concert of the Casals Forum in Kronberg.
This season, she gives concerts at the Festival de Musica de Canarias with Joshua Bell, Blythe-Engstroem, and Steven Isserlis; at Wigmore Hall with Jean-Efflam Bavouzet and Steven I.; with Angus Webster; she returns to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Mendelssohn Concerto; she plays in Sheffield for a celebration of Gabriel Fauré’s music. Fauré is the central composer of her next recital recording with Angus to be released by Capriccio this year.
Irène has performed widely in Europe, giving recitals at major venues and festivals including the Konzerthaus Berlin, Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Salle Gaveau, Dresdner Kulturpalast, Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad, Philharmonie de Paris, and Les Folles Journée de Nantes.
Solo highlights include her collaborations with the Dresdner Philharmonie, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Orchestre d’Auvergne, Sinfonia Varsovia in Tokyo, Kremerata Baltica, working with such conductors as Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Sanderling, Robert Trevino, and Roberto Fores Veses.
Chamber music holds a big space in Irène’s heart and she feels lucky to have had the chance to play with musicians such as Gidon Kremer, Olli Mustonen, Ferenc Rados, and Christian Tetzlaff. She participates with great pleasure in Open Chamber Music at IMS Prussia Cove in Cornwall, Krzyzowa Chamber Music Festival in Poland, and was invited to Norsjo Chamber Music Festival in Norway and Chamber Music Connects the World Festival at Kronberg Academy.
Born in France, to a French father and Korean mother, Irène Duval grew up in Japan, Indonesia and Hong Kong before returning to France at the age of 11. She studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris with Roland Daugareil, and at the Kronberg Academy in Germany with Mihaela Martin.
Irène plays a Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, which is kindly on loan to her through the Beare’s International Violin Society.
