Irina Dernova

How long have you been teaching/playing professionally?

30 years

Whats your music education/qualification?

Conservatoire graduate, Piano teacher, accompanist, music collaborator

What do you love about teaching?

Bringing out the best in students

Who is your inspiration?

A lot of high standard performers and my colleagues

Other hobbies/interests?

Gardening, pets

Biography

Irina comes from Russia, where she studied and graduated from Vyatka College of Arts and the Nizhny Novgorod Glinka State Conservatoire. Since 2006 Irina has been based in Ireland and continues her musical career as a piano teacher and accompanist at the Mid-West Vocal Academy & Music School, Limerick and at Clare Music Makers, Ennis.

Irina is Organist and Choir Mistress of Saint Michael’s Church, Limerick and continues her studies with Bernadette Kiely. Highlights include Laurisden’s Lux Aeterna with Limerick Chamber Choir at Glenstal Abbey. 

Irina is an Official Accompanist of the annual Feile Luimni Festival since 2007 and was appointed Resident Accompanist of Limerick Choral Festival for the last three years.

Irina performs regularly in recitals, enjoying both accompanying and playing solo on piano and organ. Irina gave a number of performances at Saint Mary’s Cathedral Lunchtime Recital’s Series, MIC Recital Series and many concerts in different venues in Limerick, and Clare. Also, through the years Irina has worked in collaboration with many International soloists including Owen Gilhooly (MIC Lunchtime Series 2020) and Majella Cullagh as part of 175th Celebratory Concert for Saint Michael’s Church. 

Since it’s inception in 2017, Irina has been Resident Accompanist of Limerick Opera Workshop, directed by Shirley Keane, a new initiative for young singers pursuing their professional interest in opera and stage performance. In the recent production Abandoned Irina was a collaborative pianist for the world premiere of the opera by the Limerick composer Fiona Linnane, Off Tuskar, as well as Fiona’s The Bay of Fundy with soprano Sarah Dolan. Irina also joined Opera Workshop in 2019 for a collaboration with Hands in Harmony Community Choir, resulting in the production of short film and completed a tour of The Trouble with Virtue with the Opera Workshop Ensemble.