About Irina
Education
Irina Smolyakova received a Master of Arts degree in Music (Piano Performance) with honors, from California State University, Fresno, where she studied piano under professor Andreas Werz. Irina has participated in numerous piano master classes with such distinguished artists and educators as Markus Groh, Vahan Mardirossian, Elena Kuschnerova, Vardan Mamikonian, Giuseppe Andaloro, Biljana Urban and Jon Nakamatsu.
Performing Experience
​​Throughout her career, Irina has demonstrated her versatility through a diverse array of performances. She was the winner of the 2009 and 2015 Fresno State Concerto Competition which resulted in performances as soloist in Schumann’s Piano Concerto and Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Fresno State Symphony Orchestra. In the spring of 2010 she was featured in the Young Artist Spotlight on the KVPR radio station. Irina has given solo recitals at Gavilan College, Porterville Community College, and The Music Tree in Morgan Hill. She has also performed as a guest pianist at the Marian Filice Youth Piano Competition at Gavilan College and at the MTAC (Music Teachers Association of California) meeting in the Valley Music Center, Fresno. She was a finalist in the 2012 Kruschke Piano Competition, a system-wide event of the California State University held at CSU, Chico. In addition, Irina has served as an orchestral pianist, and she has performed with the Fresno Philharmonic, Monterey Symphony, and Modesto Symphony Orchestra. In May of 2016 Irina was featured as a chamber pianist in the Orpheus Chamber Music Ensemble concert series at California State University, Fresno. Most recent performance includes Bach to Blues concert in Gavilan College in May of 2021, where Irina performed a piece for 2 pianos with Maria Amirkhanian.
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