Irina Kulikova

Background

Irina Kulikova was born in Chelyabinsk, the capital of Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia. Under the guidance of Victor Kozlov and her mother – cellist Vinera Kulikova – she started developing her musicianship from the earliest age.

Education

Maastricht Academy of Music.

Career

At the age of twelve, she was already travelling around Russia and abroad for gala-concerts and festivals. When she reached fourteen, she was included in the book "The Classical Guitar, its evolution, players and personalities since 1800" by Maurice Summerfield. Kulikova has given concerts all over Europe, Russia, and in North-America, performing as a soloist, in a variety of ensembles and with a number of orchestra’son

She played at leading guitar festivals all over the world and in beautiful halls like the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, the Academic Capella in Saint St. Petersburg and the Schloss Mirabel in Salzburg.

The experts’ appreciation of her interpretations is underlined by numerous awards on prestigious international guitar competitions, culminating with five 1st prizes in 2008: Michele Pittaluga in Italy, Guitarra Alhambra in Spain, Forum Gitarre Wien in Austria, the International Guitar competition Iserlohn in Germany and the "Twents Gitaarfestival" in the Netherlands, 2008. Irina Kulikova graduated with distinction at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg (Austria), the Gnessins Academy in Moscow (Russia) and the Conservatoire of Maastricht (The Netherlands).

She studied with outstanding musicians like Marco Tamayo, Carlo Marchione, Simone Fontanelli (modern music), Howard Penny (baroque music) and Hans Brüderl (baroque lute). Since 2007, Irina Kulikova lives and teaches in the Netherlands.

Achievements

• Irina Kulikova started winning first prizes on international competitions in Russia at the age of twelve. since 2006: First prizes Michele Pittaluga, Alessandria, Italy, 2008 Guitarra Alhambra, Valencia, Spain, 2008 Forum Gitarre Wien, Austria, 2008 International Guitar competition Iserlohn, Germany, 2008 Twents Gitaarfestival, The Netherlands, 2008 International Guitar festival of Coria, Spain, 2006 Second prizes International Guitar festival of Naxos, Greece, 2007 Norba Caesarina, Cáceres, Spain, 2007 Ivor Mairants Guitar Award, London, England, 2006 Other awards Young talent, Culture and Podium prize, The Netherlands, 2008 Printemps de la Guitare, Charleroi, Belgium, 2006 Special Prize, Koblenz International Guitar Festival, 2006.

Membership

She performed for various members of the royal and aristocratic families of Germany and Denmark.