New GSI Videos by Irina Kulikova!

We recently welcomed Irina Kulikova to our showroom for a recording session featuring four videos. An internationally acclaimed classical guitarist, Kulikova is known for her refined musicality, intellectual depth, and ability to bring clarity and emotional nuance to a wide range of repertoire. Her recorded program reflects a thoughtful balance between 19th-century tradition, Latin American expression, and contemporary composition, offering a vivid portrait of her artistic voice.

One of the works recorded is Una Tarde de Abril by Eduardo Díaz, a lyrical and introspective piece that draws on the expressive warmth of Latin American musical idioms. The music unfolds with a gentle, almost nostalgic character, shaped by singing melodic lines and subtle harmonic color. This piece really invites the listener to focus on the beautiful phrasing, tone, and expressivity. She recorded this piece on a 1988 Daniel Friederich guitar.

She also recorded Andante y Rondo by Dionisio Aguado, a representative work of early Romantic guitar repertoire. Aguado, a contemporary of Fernando Sor, wrote music that combines Classical elegance with growing Romantic expressiveness. The Andante introduces a graceful, cantabile character, while the Rondo contrasts it with charming virtuosity and rhythmic vitality. She performed this piece on a 2006 Andrea Tacchi guitar.

A particularly compelling moment in the session is Kulikova’s performance of a piece named Mariëlle by Peter Stewart. This piece was written for and dedicated to Irina. It's named after Irina's daughter. The guitar featured in the video is a 2005 Manuel Contreras II.

The program concludes with Las Abejas by Agustín Barrios Mangoré, one of the most iconic and virtuosic works in the classical guitar repertoire. Inspired by the buzzing motion of bees, the piece demands extraordinary control of arpeggio patterns, and rhythmic precision. Beneath its dazzling surface lies Barrios’s lyricism and harmonic richness. Kulikova’s performance balances brilliance with musical direction, transforming technical display into a vivid and expressive narrative. For this piece, she used a 1931 Santos Hernandez guitar.