Irène Duval

Violinist Irène Duval is one of the most distinctive voices of her generation — praised for her ‘poised,
fearless energy, chamber intelligence and musical finesse’ (Charlotte Gardner, 2024) and ‘mastery of
phrasing and of the dramatic dimension’ (Diapason). She is one of Bachtrack’s Ten Rising Stars to
Watch for 2025–26.
At the heart of her artistic identity is a passion for combining works central to the repertoire with little-known gems. Her second disc, Fauré and Friends, was released by Capriccio in 2024 and pairs two
rarely performed second violin sonatas — Fauré’s and Enescu’s.
Recent highlights include her participation in Stephen Kovacevich’s 85th birthday concert at Wigmore
Hall alongside Martha Argerich, her debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra at the first symphonic
concert given by an international orchestra in Mauritius, her debut with the Chamber Orchestra of
Europe at the inauguration concert of the Casals Forum in Kronberg, her first appearance at the Verbier
Festival playing with Janine Jansen, a Debussy concert with Jean-Efflam Bavouzet at Wigmore Hall,
and her fourth collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In November 2024, she played in
a 5-concert celebration of the centenary of Gabriel Fauré at Wigmore Hall, performing sonatas and
ensemble works with Joshua Bell, Jeremy Denk, Blythe Engstroem, Steven Isserlis and Connie Shih.
As a soloist, she has collaborated with major orchestras including the Dresdner Philharmonie, Royal
Northern Sinfonia, Orchestre d’Auvergne, Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, Sinfonia Varsovia,
and Kremerata Baltica, working with such conductors as Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Sanderling,
and Karel Mark Chichon.
Irène gives recitals at major venues and festivals in Europe, Japan and Australia, including the
Konzerthaus Berlin, Wigmore Hall, Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Salle Gaveau, Dresdner Kulturpalast,
Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad, Philharmonie de Paris, the Liszt Academy in Budapest, and Les Folles
Journées in Nantes, Nigata and Tokyo. She frequently appears with pianists Sam Armstrong, Alasdair
Beatson, Ariel Lanyi, Mishka Rushdie Momen, and Angus Webster.
Chamber music holds an important space in Irène’s heart and she enjoys participating in Open Chamber
Music at IMS Prussia Cove in Cornwall each year, at the Krzyzowa Chamber Music Festival in Poland,
and in Kronberg’s Chamber music connects the world festival.
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 with Suzanne Gessner and Jean-Jacques Kantorow, before entering the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in 2008
in the class of Roland Daugareil; in 2014 she joined the Kronberg Academy in Germany, where she
studied with Mihaela Martin for three years.
She has been supported by ArteMusica Stiftung, Fondation pour la vocation Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet,
Fondation d’Entreprise Banque Populaire, Günther Caspar Stiftung, Fondation de l’Or du Rhin,
Fondation Safran pour la musique, and in 2021, she was a prize-winner at the Young Classical Artists
Trust International Auditions.
Irène plays a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini which is kindly loaned to her by a private sponsor.