Irina Kulikova
was born in Chelyabinsk, the capital of South-Ural, Russia. Under the guidance of her mother – cellist Vinera Kulikova – she started developing her musicianship from the earliest age. At twelve, she was already travelling around Russia and abroad for gala-concerts and festivals. At fourteen, she was included in the book “The Classical Guitar, its evolution, players and personalities since 1800” by Maurice Summerfield.

Ever since this early recognition, Irina has caught the attention of many leading guitarists and critics. She has given concerts in twenty five countries, performing as a soloist, in a variety of ensembles and with a number of philharmonic orchestra’s.

The experts’ appreciation has been underlined by numerous awards on prestigious international guitar competitions, culminating with five first prizes in 2008: ‘Michele Pittaluga’, Alessandria, Italy; ‘Guitarra Alhambra’, Valencia, Spain; ‘Forum Gitarre Wien’, Austria; “International Guitar competition Iserlohn’, Germany; “Scharpach Guitar competition”, The Netherlands. In the same year, she was awarded the ‘Young talent, Culture and Podia’ award in The Netherlands.

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).

In 2009 - 2010, Irina Kulikova has given concerts and master classes in 15 different countries, including the ‘Musical Olympus Festival’ in St.-Petersburg, ‘J.K. Mertz’ festival in Bratislava - Slovakia, 'Forum Gitarre Wien' in Austria, Esztergom in Hungary (oldest guitarfestival in the world), Split in Croatia, ‘Luigi Legnani’ in Italy, Rencontre de Guitare Classique in Nice - France - and Saltillo in Mexico.

Highlights for 2010 - 2011 will be two new CD-recordings with the Naxos label (including a CD with Russian composers), concert tours in Canada and the USA, a concert with the State Symphony Orchestra “New Russia” at the VI Moscow International Festival “The Guitar Virtuosos” in the Tchaikovsky Hall and concerts at the special XXth anniversary of two major guitar festivals: the Iserlohn Guitar Symposium in Germany and the West Dean Festival in England.