The Florida Guitar Foundation is proud to present Irina Kulikova

Saturday, April 23, 2016. 8 PM.
Clarke Recital Hall
University of Miami
5501 San Amaro Dr.
Coral Gables, FL 33146

With the rare beauty of her tone and her enchanting presence on stage, Irina Kulikova catches the hearts of audiences across the globe. She belongs to that class of musicians that tell something special with their instrument, and they draw their public into a colourful experience. Her secret, in life and in music: “It’s about the touch. If you take special care of everything and everybody that is dear to you, if you show love and devotion in those little details that make a difference, you will touch the lives of others in ways you can never predict.”

‘Some of the most sheerly beautiful playing I have ever heard’  -Soundboard Magazine, Al Kunze

‘An exceptionally fine musical talent.’  -Classical Guitar Magazine, Colin Cooper

‘A deeply romantic and truly captivating player.’  -Norbert Kraft, Naxos producer

‘Wherever she performs, she plays herself into the hearts of the audience.’
-Luz Leskowitz, Direktor Salzburger Schlosskonzerte

‘Few can tell us something so special as she does.’  -Carlo Marchione, guitarist

‘The magic that the art of music is all about.’  -Marco Tamayo, guitarist

‘Seldom I heard a guitarist succeed in eliciting such a beautiful, rich sound from the instrument.’  -Ton Hartsuiker,former director of Utrecht Conservatoire, The Netherlands

‘If she is the representative of a new generation of guitarists, the future of the classical guitar is looking immensely good.’  -Roland Kieft, chief editor Dutch classical radio

Her musical career began at the age of five, when she was guided into the mysteries of music by her mother, cellist Vinera Kulikova. At eight, she gave her first public performance. By twelve, she was a child star playing all across Russia and at festivals in Europe which lead her to be discovered by the world’s leading guitarists and critics. At fourteen her name appeared in Maurice Summerfield’s book ‘The Classical Guitar, its evolution, players and personalities since 1800’. As time passed by, the rising star met the highest expectations. She graduated with distinction at the Gnessins Academy in Moscow (Russia), the Mozarteum University in Salzburg (Austria) and the Conservatoire of Maastricht (The Netherlands). She was awarded over thirty prizes, culminating in 2008 with an unprecedented array of first prizes in five highly prestigious competitions: Michele Pittaluga (Italy), Guitarra Alhambra (Spain), Iserlohn (Germany), Forum Gitarre Wien (Austria) and the Scharpach Guitar Competition (The Netherlands). In the same year, she was awarded the Young Talent, Culture and Podium prize in The Netherlands, where she made her home in 2007. Today Irina Kulikova tours far afield, with appearances at leading festivals in Europe, North America and Asia and in prestigious concert halls such as the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Schloss Mirabell in Salzburg, the Palau de la Musica in Valencia, the Musashino Hall in Tokyo and the Oriental Arts Center in Shanghai.

She recorded four solo CD’s, three of which were released by Naxos, the world’s largest label for classical music. Her career is growing rapidly in every dimension as a soloist in recital, with ensembles and orchestras and in her personal dedication to teaching. This is the result of her approach to each area of her career to give fully and touch the lives of promising students and audience of all continents.