Irene Kurka

The multifaceted soprano Irene Kurka received many awards and scholarships. She sings recitals, opera and oratorio throughout Germany, Europe and the United States.

Within the realm of contemporary music, she is in great demand; many composers (Eggert, Corbett, Weeks, Muntendorf, Frey, Kampe, Seither, Brass, Beuger, Pisaro etc.) wrote and dedicated new creative output for her to perform as well as record. She has premiered over 290 pieces. Since 2009 Irene Kurka has focussed intensively on the repertory for unacoompanied voice (Hildegard von Bingen, Nono, Berio, Cage, Bauckholt, Brass, Beuger, Stäbler, etc.).

In April 2018 she succesfully started the first independent podcast for new music: “neue musik leben”, cooperating with the nmz (Neue Musikzeitung). Based on her podcast “she published two books with “ARE Edition”.

Irene curates “Irene kurka lädt ein: Future Singing“ in Duesseldorf since 2021 among other projetcs like “Play on demand”, “Metropolitan 1-3”.

Concerts with Hezarfen Ensemble Istanbul, e-mex, musikFabrik, notabu, Wandelweiser, Ensemble Garage. She performed at Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Konzerthaus Berlin, IGNM Basel, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, L’auditori Barcelona, Theater Dortmund, Arte Biennale Venedig, Musica Sacra Maastricht, Cité Internationale des Arts Paris, Acht Brücken – Musik für Köln, Cafe Oto London, Counterflow Festival Glasgow, Muziek Biennale Niederrhein, A.DEvantgarde-Festival München and many others.
http://www.irenekurka.de