Irina Zahharenkova

3rd Prize ex-aequo piano 2005

Irina Zahharenkova is an outstanding pianist, harpsichordist and fortepianist. She was a student of Lilian Semper at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and at of Hui-Ying Líu-Tawaststjerna at the Sibelius Academy in Finland. She also studied harpsichord with Maris Valk-Falk and fortepiano with Pekka Vapaavuori. Prizewinner of major international piano competitions such as Johann Sebastian Bach (Leipzig), Casagrande (Terni), Enescu (Bucharest), and Jaén (Spain), Geneva and Rubinstein (Tel Aviv), she is also laureate of the Prague Spring Competition as harpsichordist and of the Bruges Competition as fortepianist. She leads an intense career giving recitals in Europe and Japan, and performing in major festivals such as Klavier-Festival Ruhr, Spoleto, Kuhmo and Bergen.

As soloist she has appeared with orchestras such as the Orchestre National de Lorraine, Helsinki Philharmonic, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Estonian National Orchestra and Sinfonia Finlandia. Irina Zahharenkova teaches piano at the Estonian Academy of Music and Sibelius Academy. She also works as accompanist at the Kuopio Academy in Finland. Her recordings of Scarlatti’s Sonatas and Bach Goldberg Variations have received very positive reviews.

http://www.asartists.com/artist/irina-zahharenkova/biography/