About
Irving Artists is a group of Chicago-based classical musicians, founded by cellist Alexa Muhly and pianist Hiroko Nagahata who have been collaborating since 2014.
Sought after cellist Alexa Muhly has performed extensively in the United States, Canada, England, France, Germany, and Hungary as a soloist, orchestral, and chamber musician. Muhly received early recognition as a first-prize winner in the Iowa Center for the Arts competition as well as prize winner in the Jugend Musiziert national competition in Germany. Muhly was a principal cellist at Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, and also appeared with the Grand Rapids Symphony and the Pine Mountain Music Festival. Muhly holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music.
Hiroko Nagahata enjoys performing as a solo and collaborative pianist. Nagahata made her New York solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall in 2009 after winning Artists International audition. She has played in numerous music festivals including Summit Music Festival, New York Summer Music Festival, International Academy of Music in Russia, and European American Musical Alliance in Paris. She has performed with the New York Concerti Sinfonietta, Choirs of America, and individual artists such as sopranos Juliet Petrus and Whitney Morrison as well as other stellar groups. Nagahata received a Doctor of Music Degree from Michigan State University, a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music Degree from Kobe College, Japan.