Irina Muresanu https://www.irinamuresanu.com
Internationally renowned Romanian violinist Irina Muresanu continues to stretch the boundaries of classical music. A sought-after soloist and chamber musician who has appeared throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and South Africa, Ms. Muresanu has also developed a reputation as a compelling and elegant interpreter in the contemporary music world. Acclaimed for her elegant, passionate performances, her concerts have frequently been cited by The Boston Globe as among the “Best of Classical Music Performances.”
Ms. Muresanu’s 2021 summer festival engagements include performances of the Vivaldi “Four Seasons” with the Washington Chamber Orchestra and festivals of Halcyon Chamber Music (Boston, MA), Meeting House Chamber Music (Cape Cod, MA), Newport Music (RI), Needham Chamber Music (MA), Berkshire High Peaks (Great Barrington, MA), and Astoria (Oregon). The repertoire features a mix of contemporary pieces and war horses, including the premiere of a work by Stacy Garrop commissioned for the Boston Trio by the Newport Music Festival. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Muresanu has remained actively engaged in the artistic life through virtual portals, contributing livestream and broadcast solo and chamber music performances to “Notes of Hope” (a music series for the frontline healthcare workers) and several virtual music festivals and concert series, such as “Close Encounters with Music”, “Bach, Dancing and Dynamite” and Allentown Symphony amongst others. She connected nationally and internationally with many young musicians through masterclasses (“Musicians for the World”) and festivals (ARIA International Academy and Berkshire High Peaks), and her chamber music class “Meaningful Connections” at the University of Maryland organized virtual performances shared with retirement communities and organizations such as “Music for Autism” and “Ayuda” (an immigrant and refugee legal aid endeavor).
“Four Strings Around the World,” Muresanu’s acclaimed solo violin multi-media program celebrating the diversity of cultures through the unifying voice of the violin, continues to steal the limelight. Released as a solo violin CD in 2018 by the Grammy-nominated Sono Luminus label, the CD has been called an “illuminating release” by The Boston Globe. The program was highlighted in a Virtual Reality collaboration with the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCOU-YS1MO8. The ever-evolving project includes composers from all continents, with such staple works as Niccolò Paganini’s Caprice No. 24 and J.S. Bach’s Chaconne in D minor, as well as commissioned new works, including Indian composer Shirish Korde and Native American composer Jerod ‘Impichchaachaaha’ Tate. In 2021, Nigerian composer Fred Onovwerosuoke and Iranian composer Sanam Gharacheh have dedicated new solo works to this project.
An active chamber musician and recitalist, Ms. Muresanu has appeared as guest artist in such festivals and venues as New York City’s Bargemusic, Massachusetts’ Rockport Festival, Maine’s Bay Chambers concert series and Bowdoin Festival, Colorado’s Strings in the Mountains and San Juan Music Hawaii’s Maui Chamber Music Festival, The Netherland’s Reizend Music Festival, Belgium’s Festival van de Leie, and the Rencontres des Musiciennes Festival in France and the Guadeloupe islands.
Ms. Muresanu is an avid performer of new music, especially by American composers. Recent recordings include Thomas Oboe Lee’s Violin Concerto (dedicated to Ms. Muresanu) on the BMOP label, and works by Elena Ruehr for the Avie Records CD “Lift,” included on Keith Powers’ 13 Best Classical Music Recordings of 2016. She has also recorded the complete William Bolcom sonatas on the Centaur label with pianist Michael Lewin, funded by the Copland Recording Grant, and the Guillaume Lekeu and Alberic Magnard late Romantic Violin and Piano Sonatas with pianist Dana Ciocarlie for the French label AR RE-SE (“singing and soaring…[a] sizzling performance.” Fanfare). Of note among numerous additional recordings is the world premiere recording of Marion Bauer’s Sonata for Violin and Piano with pianist Virginia Eskin for Albany Records.
A laureate and winner of top prizes in several prestigious international violin competitions including the Montreal International, Queen Elisabeth International, UNISA International String, Washington International, and the Schadt String Competition, Muresanu achieved international acclaim early on as an outstanding young soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. Muresanu’s awards also include the Creative and Performing Arts Award at the University of Maryland, a prestigious New Music USA Grant, a Pro Musicis International Award, the Presser Music Award, the Kate Kinley Fellowship Award from the University of Illinois, and the Arthur Foote Award from the Harvard Musical Association.
Irina Muresanu is a strong proponent of music education. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland and has taught at Boston Conservatory and in the Harvard and MIT Music Departments.
Born in Romania, Ms. Muresanu holds a prestigious Artist Diploma degree and a Doctor in Musical Arts degree from the New England Conservatory. She plays an 1849 Giuseppe Rocca violin with an Etienne Pajeot bow.