Iryna Viriasova

In the development of the performing arts, playing the bayan (button accordion), new trends, new names play a big part. We can’t help but mention the name of the young accordion player who won in the international competitions demonstrating her talent, her skill, and perspective for her creative development. Her performing talent, artistry, and vocal skills captivate listeners and make them focus on the performance by Irina of a piece of music. By performing in the category of classical music, Irina gradually moves into the category "bayan for variety music," where she uses styles characteristic of pop music with a varied palette of musical colours, emotional richness, when her creative approach to the contemporary trends in the bayan music arts make her performances unique. Lately, she has become fond of jazz and become one of the female performers in Ukraine playing ‘variety music.’ The young accordion player is constantly updating her repertoire, she purposefully participates in concerts to promote such musical instrument, as the button accordion. Her favourite musicians are Richard Galliano, Frank Marocco, Ludovic Beier,Renzo Ruggiery. She likes reading books very much and makes hand-made jewelry herself.
VIRIASOVA IRYNA was born on 13 May, 1991, in Dnipropetrovs’k (Ukraine), to a family where you can always hear music. Her mother Valentina is a teacher of button accordion and accordion, a composer, head of the children's ensemble. Iryna's father Eugene is an amateur accordionist who has received primary music education in button accordion playing. Iryna’s grandfather Yakov was a self-taught accordionist. Having no musical training and unable to read musical notes, he picked out elaborate tunes by ear. Iryna started studying music from the age of 4, she studied piano and choral class at Children's Music School No.11, city of Dnipropetrovs’k, affiliated to pre-school child care institution. When she was 8, she began to study playing the accordion. She played in an ensemble of accordionists directed by her mother, Valentina Viriasova, studied vocals in earnest, participated in children's song competitions and festivals.
Dnipropetrovs’k... This city is the life and work of many outstanding musicians. Among them, a special place belongs to the patriarch of the bayan in Ukraine, People's Artist of Ukraine, Professor Nikolai Ivanovich Rizol. He had been directing the First Kiyv Philharmonic Bayan Quartet for 50 years. Childhood of Nikolai Ivanovich is associated with hometown where his family lived. His entire life is a service to bayan art, he was an artist, teacher, composer, and harmonist. Therefore, it is no coincidence that in 2006, the idea of organizing the First Dnipropetrovsk (now nationwide) Festival-competition of young bayanists and accordionists named after Nicolai Rizol. At the First festival-competition Irina Viryasova took the 3rd place in solo nomination and 2nd place in duet category. For many beginners and perspective bayanists and accordionists, this competition gave way to the professional stage, helped in choosing the profession of a musician.
In 2006. Iryna Viriasova graduated from the music school №11, class of bayan, teacher Valentina Yakovlevna Viryasova, and entered the Dnipropetrovsk Music College Conservatory named after Mikhail Glinka, class bayan, teacher Tarasenko, Andrei Evgenievich. In 2010, she was awarded the Diploma with Honours at the all-Ukrainian Festival-competition "Provesin", city of Kirovograd.
The same year, Iryna Viriasova graduated from music college with distinction and entered Kiev Institute of Music named after Reingold Glier, class bayan, teacher Yuri Yakovlevich Chupryna, Honoured Art Worker of Ukraine. Yuri Yakovlevich helped even more the talent of Iryna Viriasova to blossom. Using the technique of personal development, he fostered creative independence of Irina which is inextricably linked with the formation of the personality of the musician, the development of her intellectual, musical, masterly, and emotional abilities.
In 2011, Iryna Viriasova became a laureate of the international competition of bayan and accordion players at 'PREMIO LANCIANO', Lanciano, Italy), where she won the 1 place and became the winner in the category N "Senior, Classica." In January 2012, Irina, together with the President of the international Competition "PREMIO LANCIANO”, the world-renowned composer Vladimir Zubitsky and participants of the charity tour performed in the following cities: Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovs’k, Donetsk, Luhansk, Mariupol, Severodonetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Mykolayiv. During the concert tour ‘Czech Republic-Lithuania-Latvia-Ukraine-Russia,’ the laureates of the international competition "PREMIO LANCIANO" made charitable performances in crowded best concert halls where they were enthusiastically received by the audience. Vladimir Zubitsky worthily introduced the performers, who had agreed to participate in a charity tour, to promote the art of bayan (button accordion) not among a narrow circle of listeners, but for the charitable purpose to all interested.
In 2013, a young accordion player Iryna Viriasova won 3rd International Competition of bayanists and accordionists, ‘ACCORDION PLUS’, Rostov-on-Don, Russia, in the category 3, nomination 'variety bayan, accordion.' At the gala-concert of the winners of this competition, where only 1st award winners were playing, Iryna Viriasova made a laudable performance before a large audience of listeners and members of the jury sitting on the stage. This triumph became a springboard for Iryna's new achievements.
In 2013, Iryna Viriasova took part in VIII International Competition ‘ACCOHOLIDAY’, Kyiv, Ukraine, bayan and accordion performance, in the category "B", where the chairman of the jury was the President of the ‘Major league masters of the accordion in the world’ Ian Tabachnik. The first place was not awarded in this category. Irina Viryasova won the 3rd prize and successfully performed at the gala-concert of the winners of the competition. This win once again confirmed that variety genre is successfully developing in Ukraine. Musicians should not give up to perform classical works, but in such a challenging time in musical life of Ukraine, where bayan (button accordion) is losing its popularity, it is necessary to employ different methods of influence on the public and mass audience.
From May 2012 - 2014 , she performs with the band "Folknery" at various festivals and concerts while continuing her studies and improving her bayan playing artistry. Iryna Viriasova popularizes the bayan performing for a large youth audience at various festivals in Poland, the Baltic States, Belarus,Great Britain and Ukraine. We would like to wish her further success and new awards, new achievements, and to continue to bring from the stage joy to people!!!