Family Concert Series: Ines Irawati, piano

The Friends of the Carmel Valley Library will present pianist Ines Irawati in a free concert titled "Souvenirs" on Tuesday, November 18, at 6:30 pm at the Carmel Valley Library, 3919 Townsgate Drive.

Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, Irawati began her musical journey at the Yamaha Music School at age six, studying piano and composition. By age 12, she made her official debut performing Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto and Chopin's First Concerto with the Indonesian Youth Symphony.

Irawati's path led her to the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music, where she received a full scholarship to their Young Artists Program, and later to the Yale University School of Music for her Master of Music degree. She studied with renowned teachers, including Claude Frank and Peter Frankl, and earned recognition as Best Vocal Pianist by the Marilyn Horne Foundation. Critics have praised her artistry, with The Plain Dealer's Donald Rosenberg noting "her way with lyricism was as vivid as her crisp definition of the scampering material...without fear, negotiating the digital demands smoothly while remaining mindful of the score's rhythmic accents and nuances."

Now based in San Diego, Irawati has built a richly varied performance career that spans solo recitals, chamber music, and opera coaching. She is the founder of Musikamar, a music series dedicated to bringing exquisite chamber music performances into smaller, intimate spaces. She is also a member of the Aviara Trio and the Hidden Valley Virtuosi, the resident chamber music group of Hidden Valley Music Seminars in Monterey.

Her local presence has been significant, with recent performances at TEDxSan Diego at Copley Symphony Hall, the Art of Élan, and concerts throughout Southern California. She has collaborated with esteemed musicians, including members of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and the Hyperion String Quartet. Most recently, she served as musical and artistic director of the San Diego Opera Young Artist Training Program.

For the "Souvenirs" program, Irawati will share some of her all-time favorite works, opening with two of Schubert's beloved Impromptus from op. 90 (No. 2 in E-Flat Major and No. 3 in G-Flat Major), followed by Ravel's charming three-movement Sonatine. The program then features an impressive array of Liszt's virtuosic works: "Un sospiro" from his Trois Concert Études, "Sposalizio" from his Italian pilgrimage pieces, his transcription of "Isoldens Liebestod" from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, and concluding with the electrifying Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-Sharp Minor.

The one-hour concert is free and open to the public, though donations are gratefully accepted to support future cultural events presented by the Friends of the Carmel Valley Library.