Violаs

Irina Sopova

In the orchestra since 2019

Irina Sopova was born in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia.

She began learning to play the violin at the age of 4 under O.D. Sopova. In 2001, she continued her education at the Novosibirsk Special Music School (viola class, supervised by professor Y.N. Mazchenko). In 2011, Irina Sopova graduated with honors from the Moscow Tchaikovsky State Conservatory (under docent R.G. Balashov, department of Y.A. Bashmet). In 2014, she completed her postgraduate programme (under Yuri Bashmet). She currently teaches viola at the Moscow State Conservatory.

Irina Sopova is a laureate of numerous international competitions. She has also won various awards and scholarships, including those from the Russian Ministry of Culture, the “Russian Performance Art” foundation, and the Rotary Club Foundation.

As a viola player, she is remarkable for her uniquely vivid manner of playing, both as a soloist and as a troupe member. Irina is particularly renowned for her viola d’amore performances.

Since 2007, Irina has been a soloist and concertmaster of the viola group at E. Grach’s “Moskovia” chamber orchestra. Since 2011, she has been the second concertmaster of the viola group at the Russian National Orchestra (directed and conducted by Mikhail Pletnev). Since 2015, Irina has been a soloist at the musicAeterna orchestra (directed and conducted by Teodor Currentzis). She frequently works with such troupes as “Old Music Academy”, “Opus Posth”, “Pocket Symphony”, MCME, “Questa Musica”, “Madrigal” and “PerSymphAns”.

In 2010, Irina won the second prize at the VIth International Viola Competition held by Yuri Bashmet in moscow; at the same event, she got the special award in honour of Oleg Kagan. Since then, she has been playing instruments by Jon van Kouwenhoven: one was given to her by the Yuri Bashmet Viola Foundation (Kronberg) in 2011 and another one was a personal gift to her from the luthier in 2014.

Irina Sopova has shared the stage with numerous outstanding musicians of our time: pianists M. Muntian, Z. Chochieva, E. Brakhman, M. Tretyakova, V. Nepomnyashaya, A. Shaikin; violinists T. Grindenko, N. Borisoglebskiy, N. Kozhukhar, A. Pritchin, E. Korzhenevich, G. Kazazian, K. Shakhgaldian; cellists E. Rumyantsev, S. Suvorov, P. Kondrashin.

As a soloist, Irina Sopova has performed with such ensembles as the “New Russia” symphonic orchestra, the “Soloists of Moscow” chamber orchestra, the Moscow State Philharmonic symphonic orchestra, the “Musica Viva” chamber orchestra, E. Grach’s “Moskovia” chamber orchestra and many others. She has received standing ovations all around the world: in Japan, Ecuador, Colombia, the USA, Myanmar, South Korea, Italy, France and russia (from Karelia to Vladivostok).

РАССКАЖИТЕ ОБ ОДНОМ ЯРКОМ ЭПИЗОДЕ ИЗ ГАСТРОЛЬНОЙ ЖИЗНИ.

Несколько сезонов подряд мы принимали участие в Зальцбургском фестивале и неделями жили в пригороде в студенческом кампусе. Комнаты были оборудованы для приготовления пищи, и между репетициями и концертами мы устраивали кулинарный фестиваль. Одним из памятных моментов этого альтернативного фестиваля стала совместная лепка пельменей.

CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING ANYTHING ELSE BUT A MUSICIAN?

My life would have something to do with the stage no matter what: I could imagine myself as a playwright, a director, an actress.

GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO MASTER?

I would learn to fly! Seriously though, I am interested in directing (both as a job and as a phenomenon), philosophy and pottery.

WHAT IS THE MAIN DRIVING FORCE IN YOUR LIFE?

It is love.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

The tiniest specks of kindness and talent.

WHAT MAKES MUSICAETERNA DIFFERENT FROM OTHER TROUPES?

Troupes tend to be rather inert: they need to get inspiration from outstanding conductors and soloists (and even that does not always work out). Here at musicAeterna, everyone’s enthusiasm and ambitions get melted together into a common, qualitatively new kind of energy.

WHAT MUSIC ALBUM WOULD YOU TAKE WITH YOU TO A DESERT ISLAND?

I would take a whole hard drive with several Tb of storage instead. It would contain all sorts of info: how to survive on a desert island, how to make an energy source, how to build a house, how to turn saltwater into drinkable one, how to turn drinkable water into wine. This hard drive would definitely contain works by Confucius, Dostoevsky and Joyce. As for the music, it would hold the Goldberg Variations by Bach (performed by Jean Rondeau, preferably with video), Schumann’s Adagio and Allegro performed by Yuri Ambramovich, Schnittke’s Double Concerto performed by Gidon and Grindenko, “The Doors” by The Doors, Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, Pérotin, and Bruckner’s Symphony No.8.