Biography

Praised for ‘her mastery of phrasing and of the dramatic dimension’ (Diapason), ‘poised, fearless energy, chamber intelligence and musical finesse’ (Charlotte Gardner, 2024), violinist Irène Duval is establishing herself as a uniquely compelling performer with a strong interest in combining works central to the repertoire with little-known gems. She is one of the ten Bachtrack’s Rising stars to watch for 25/26.

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. Last November, 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, Sinfonia Varsovia, and Kremerata Baltica, working with such conductors as Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Sanderling, and Robert Trevino.
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.

Her second disc ‘Fauré and Friends’, recorded with Angus Webster, was released by Capriccio last September, and a third one is to come in 2026 on the theme of ‘Lost Violin Concertos’.

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 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, which is kindly loaned to her by Beare’s International Violin Society.