Irène Duval
Kronberg Academy Professional Studies Studies with Mihaela Martin funded by the Benno und Ursula Stork-Wersborg patronage
Violin Masterclasses, participant
Kronberg Festival, concert
Chamber Music Connects the World, junior
Violin Masterclasses, concert
Chamber Music Connects the World
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.
STEVEN ISSERLIS, VERONIKA EBERLE & FRIENDS I „The young Mendelssohn“
Participants
- Veronika Eberle violin
- Irène Duval violin
- Steven Isserlis cello
- Samuel Rosenthal viola
- Sào Soulez Larivière viola
- Dénes Várjon piano
- Avery Gagliano piano
Programme
Fanny Hensel (1805–1847)
Adagio for violin and piano
Ignaz Moscheles (1794–1870)
Sonata in E major for violoncello and piano op. 121
Short Intermission
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847)
String Quintett no. 1 A major op. 18
Subject to change.
STEVEN ISSERLIS, VERONIKA EBERLE & FRIENDS II „Mendelssohn in Leipzig“
Participants
- Veronika Eberle violin
- Irène Duval violin
- Steven Isserlis cello
- Boris Diagilev double bass
- Kristian Katzenberger horn
- Dénes Várjon piano
- Izabella Simon piano
- Kronberg Young Soloists
Programme
Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Andante and variations for two pianos, two violoncelli and horn op. 46
Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847)
Klaviertrio Nr. 2 c-Moll op. 66, Streichquintett no. 2 B-Dur op. 87
(Arr. for string orchestra)
Intermission
Clara Schumann (1819–1896)
Three romances for violin and piano op. 22
Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847)
Streichquintett no. 2 B-Dur op. 87 (Arr. for string orchestra)
Concert introduction at 6.15 pm with Steven Isserlis and Friedemann Eichhorn
Subject to change.
ERZÄHLUNGEN
Participants
- Pierre Génisson clarinet
- Irène Duval violin
- Sào Soulez Larivière viola
- Steven Isserlis cello
- Anna Han piano
- Alasdair Beatson piano
Programme
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Piano Trio-B-Dur Op. 12 “Gassenhauer”, Cello Sonata in C major, Op. 102 No. 1
Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Three Romances, Op. 94
INTERMISSION
Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Fairy Tales, Op. 132
Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924)
Trio in D minor, Op. 120
Concert introduction at 6:45 p.m. with Dr. Norbert Gertsch (G. Henle Verlag)
Subject to change
ÖSTERREICH
Participants
- Irène Duval violin
- Sào Soulez Larivière viola
- Sarah Jégou-Sageman violin
- Friedrich Thiele Cello
- Jérémie Moreau piano
- Mishka Rushdie Momen piano
- Geneva Lewis violin
- Kaoru Oe violin
- Matthew Lipman viola
- Gabriel Schwabe cello
Programme
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
• Oboe Quartet in F major, K. 370 – approx. 15'
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Rondeau: Allegro
Michael Höfele, oboe
Irène Duval, violin
Sao Soulez-Larivière, viola
Benedict Kloeckner, cello
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
• Piano Trio in D major, Op. 70 No. 1 (“Ghost Trio”) – approx. 25'
I. Allegro vivace e con brio (D major)
II. Largo assai ed espressivo (D minor)
III. Presto (D major)
Sarah Jégou-Sageman, violin
Friedrich Thiele, cello
Jeremie Moreau, piano
INTERMISSION
Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951)
• Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19 (1911) – approx. 5'
Mishka Momen, piano
Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897–1957)
• Piano Quintet in E major, Op. 15 – approx. 35'
I. Mäßiges Zeitmaß, mit schwungvoll blühendem Ausdruck
II. Adagio. Mit größter Ruhe, stets äußerst gebunden und ausdrucksvoll
III. Finale. Gemessen beinahe pathetisch
Geneva Lewis, violin
Kaoru Oe, violin
Matthew Lipman, viola
Gabriel Schwabe, cello
Mishka Momen, piano
Programme subject to change
FRANKREICH
Participants
- Francoise Verherve
- Stephanie Winker
- Thorsten Johanns clarinet
- Sarah Jégou-Sageman violin
- Cosima Soulez Larivière violin
- Gabriel Schwabe Cello
- Matthew Lipman viola
- Jean-Sélim Abdelmoula piano
- Itai Navon piano
- Irène Duval violin
- Sindy Mohamed viola
- Benedict Kloeckner Cello
Programme
Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
• Introduction et Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet and String Quartet (1905) – approx. 11'
Francoise Verherve, harp
Stephanie Winker, flute
Thorsten Johanns, clarinet
Sarah Jégou-Jageman, violin
Cosima Soulez-Larivière, violin
Matthew Lipman, viola
Gabriel Schwabe, cello
Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
• Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp – approx. 16'
I. Pastorale: Lento, dolce rubato
II. Interlude: Tempo di minuetto
III. Finale: Allegro moderato ma risoluto
Stephanie Winker, flute
Matthew Lipman, viola
Francoise Verherve, harp
Darius Milhaud (1892–1974)
• Scaramouche, Op. 165b (version for clarinet and piano) – approx. 10'
I. Vif
II. Modéré
III. Brazileira (Mouvement de Samba)
Thorsten Johanns, clarinet
Jean-Selim Abdelmoula, piano
INTERMISSION
Erik Satie (1866–1925)
• Gnossienne No. 1 for solo piano – approx. 3'
Itai Navon, piano
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921)
• Piano Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 41 – approx. 31'
I. Allegretto
II. Andante maestoso ma con moto
III. Poco allegro più tosto moderato
IV. Allegro
Irène Duval, violin
Sindy Mohamed, viola
Benedict Kloeckner, cello
Itai Navon, piano
Programme subject to change
POLEN
Participants
- Cosima Soulez Larivière violin
- Peijun Xu viola
- Edgar Moreau harpsichord
- Suyoen Kim violin
- Irène Duval violin
- Jean-Sélim Abdelmoula piano
- Martina Consonni piano
- Kaoru Oe violin
- Sebastian Fritsch Cello
Programme
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
• Serenade in D major, Op. 8 for String Trio – approx. 27'
I. Marcia: Allegro – Adagio
II. Menuetto: Allegretto
III. Adagio – Scherzo: Allegro molto – Adagio
IV. Allegretto alla polacca
V. Andante quasi allegretto – Variations – Allegro – Tempo I
VI. Marcia: Allegro
Cosima Soulez-Larivière, violin
Peijun Xu, viola
Edgar Moreau, cello
Moritz Moszkowski (1854–1925)
• Suite for Two Violins and Piano, Op. 71 – approx. 20'
I. Allegro energico
II. Allegro moderato
III. Lento assai
IV. Molto vivace
Suyoen Kim, violin
Irène Duval, violin
Jean-Selim Abdelmoula, piano
INTERVAL
Witold Lutosławski (1913–1994)
• Variations on a Theme by Paganini for Two Pianos – approx. 5'
Martina Consonni, piano
Jeremie Moreau, piano
Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)
• Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 8 – approx. 30'
I. Allegro con fuoco
II. Scherzo: Vivace
III. Adagio sostenuto
IV. Finale: Allegretto
Kaoru Oe, violin
Sebastian Fritsch, cello
Martina Consonni, piano
Program subject to change
NORWEGEN
Participants
- Ragnhild Hemsing
- Edgar Moreau Cello
- Itai Navon piano
- Kaoru Oe violin
- Sindy Mohamed viola
- Suyoen Kim violin
- Irène Duval violin
- Cosima Soulez Larivière violin
- Peijun Xu viola
- Sebastian Fritsch Cello
- Friedrich Thiele Cello
Programme
Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)
• Andante in C minor for Piano Trio – approx. 11'
Ragnhild Hemsing, violin
Edgar Moreau, cello
Itai Navon, piano
Ragnhild Hemsing (*1988)
• Vetra – Chamber Suite based on Norwegian folk melodies for Hardanger fiddle (Norwegian folk fiddle) and strings
Ragnhild Hemsing, Hardanger fiddle
Kaoru Oe, violin
Sarah Jégou-Sageman, violin
Sindy Mohamed, viola
Edgar Moreau, cello
N.N., bass
INTERVAL
Johan Svendsen (1840–1911)
• String Octet in A major, Op. 3 – approx. 38'
I. Allegro risoluto ben marcato
II. Allegro scherzoso
III. Andante sostenuto
IV. Finale: Moderato – Allegro assai con fuoco
Suyeon Kim, violin
Irène Duval, violin
Cosima Soulez-Larivière, violin
Sarah Jégou-Sageman, violin
Sindy Mohamed, viola
Peijun Xu, viola
Sebastian Fritsch, cello
Friedrich Thiele, cello
Program subject to change