Ukrainian-American pianist is acclaimed as "...one of those rare pianists who makes every note seem like a personal statement" and an artist that "...plays the music from the inside out, getting into each phrase, each
melody, to plumb the depths "Geraldine Freedman for The Sunday Gazette, Schenectady, NY. Born in Odessa, Iryna began studying piano with her mother at the age of six. She was only nine years old when she won her
first competition - the Eugena Koki International Piano Competition in Moldova. At the Stolyarsky School for Gifted children in Odessa she studied with Alexander Bugaevsky, who was a Professor of Piano in the Odessa
State Conservatory, and Iryna was his youngest student ever.
After winning a local competition in Vorzel, Ukraine, Iryna was invited to perform a series of solo recitals in Italy. There she participated
at the Vincenza International Piano Competition where she took first place. After winning a Gold Medal at the Vladimir Horowitz International Piano Competition, Iryna began performing solo recitals in various countries including Greece,
Italy, Germany, Austria, and Russia. As recipient of a scholarship from the President of Ukraine, Iryna was frequently invited to perform in Kiev at the Annual New Names of Ukraine concert featured by the First Lady
of Ukraine.
Iryna was only 12 years old when she played her New York debut recital in Merkin Hall followed by a series of performances in Boston, Washington and New Jersey as a winner of the Vladimir Horowitz Piano Competition.
That same year she was invited to perform at the Volos International Music Festival in Greece. Her later performances include a concert tour in Austria where Iryna was a featured soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine under the baton of Hobart Earl.
During this tour she debuted in the Musikverein Zaal of Vienna. While studying in the M. Lysenko Special Music School for Gifted Children in Kiev, in the studio of Professor Valery Kozlov, Iryna received a full scholarship to participate in the Eastern Music Festival
(Greensboro, North Carolina) where she won a Concerto Competition and performed with the Eastern Music Festival Symphony.
Iryna subsequently enrolled at the Moscow State Conservatory, where she studied under Professor Sergey Dorensky. There Iryna received a scholarship to participate in the Mozarteum Academy in Salzburg, Austria. She was then invited to return to the Eastern Music Festival where she
won the Concerto Competition again and performed the Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 under the baton of Gerard Schwarz. Iryna then began her studies at the Bowling Green State University in Ohio earning an Artist Diploma. She continued
her studies there with Dr. Laura Melton, and won 3rd place along with a special prize for the best solo performance at the Corpus Christi International Piano Competition (Texas) and 1st place at the Lima Piano Concerto
Competition (Ohio).
Iryna recorded her debut CD in the studio of Anne and Richard Doerfler, Toledo, Ohio. She also received a full scholarship to study at Mannes School of Music in New York with Professor Arkady Aronov. In 2010, Iryna
made a successful debut on the stage of Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall by concluding a year-long F. Chopin Festival with the piece that launched Chopin's career - Variations for Piano and Orchestra 'La Ci Darem
La Mano', Op. 2.
Iryna graduated from Mannes College of Music with Academic Honors, earning a Master of Music degree. She was also presented with a monetary award for excellence in music performance.
Iryna continues to perform in solo and chamber music recitals in United States. She also enjoys teaching in her studio.