Biography

Inis Oírr Asano is a violist and recorder player studying under Paul Silverthorne, Yuko Inoue and Anna Stegmann, with a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In July 2022, Inis Oírr graduated with a First Class Honours, achieving the highest mark in the final recitals of the undergraduate violas, and receiving a Regency Award and the Sir John Barbirolli Memorial Prize. Inis Oírr is the 2022 recipient of the Biddy Baxter & John Hosier Music Trust Scholarship, representing the Academy and receiving full scholarship for her place on the Intensive Master of Arts course at the Academy. She was awarded the Chamber Music Fellowship at the Academy, and will join the Elmore String Quartet in their Junior Fellowship at the Royal Northern College of Music.

Recently, Inis Oírr has had the opportunity to perform in the Glastonbury Concert Series at the Victoria and Albert Museum with her piano quintet, Whitman Ensemble. They were also awarded second place in the Academy’s Harold Craxton Prize. Previously, she was awarded first place in the Wolfe Wolfinsohn Quartet Competition at the Academy with Asaka Quartet, and attended Tunnell Trust’s Chamber Music Coll upon invitation by Jonathan Tunnell. In March 2022, Inis Oírr made her Wigmore Hall debut in the performing contemporary string trios with Nash Ensemble member Adrian Brendel.

In addition to her chamber music, Inis Oírr is a keen orchestral player. In Autumn, she will join the Glyndebourne Tour Orchestra, having recently achieved a place on the Glyndebourne’s ‘Pit Perfect’ scheme. She was a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra from 2019 until she could no longer join due to Brexit. Inis Oírr has performed in numerous concert venues including the Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall and Barbican Centre in the UK. Since joining the EUYO she has had the opportunity to travel to and perform in 9 different countries and venues, including Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Konzerthaus Berlin and Royal Opera House of Muscat.

As a soloist, her performance of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Eulogy with the Academy’s contemporary Manson Ensemble was attended and commended highly by the composer himself. She has also been selected for masterclasses by the Academy with Harmut Rohde and Ashan Pillai. In 2021, she premiered Colin Matthews’ piece Dual which was recorded on the occasion of Academy’s 200 PIECES Bicentenary project. In addition to her extensive viola playing, Inis Oírr previously won the Royal Wind Prize at the ORDA International Recorder Competition in Amsterdam and reached the final round of the Solo Category round.

Musicians’ Company Award: Biddy Baxter Award 2022

Page Updated: Nov 2022

Photo Credit: ioaphotography