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 85 th 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 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 5concert 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.

Her collaborations include performances with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Dresdner Philharmonie, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Orchestre d’Auvergne, Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, 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, 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, in 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 JeanJacques 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.