The pianist Irakly Avaliani was born in Tbilissi, Georgia, (republic in the former U.S.S.R). He began his musical education under Madame Tcherniavskaya at the Tbilissi College of Music and gave his first concert at the age of nine. He continued his studies at the Tchaikowsky National Conservatory in Moscow, where he received the highest honours. In 1974, he was given a state diploma, which allowed him to perform both in the USSR and abroad. This prestigious diploma also permitted him to teach in any soviet conservatory or college.
Avaliani began his career at a time when the political situation in Russia made it very difficult for soviet artists to express themselves freely and he was never authorised to leave the USSR. In light of this, he decided to return to Georgia to perfect his style under the tuition of Ethery Djakeli, an alumnus of the Paris and Brussels Conservatories and former pupil of Eduardo Del Pueyo. For the next five years, Avaliani worked on the Marie Jaëll method with Madame Djakeli, completely transforming his piano technique.
He then toured, as a soloist with the Moscow State Concert Agency, throughout the former USSR, from Riga to Vladivostok, the Caucasus to Central Asia, and finally to Moscow and Saint-Petersburg. Every year he gave more than 200 recitals, as well as playing chamber music and concerts with orchestra.
Avaliani is amongst a handful of privileged pianists to have followed the Jaëll Method, continuing in the tradition of Albert Schweitzer, Eduardo Del Pueyo and Dinu Lipatti.
Avaliani's vast repertoire covers all styles, from Scarlatti to Scriabine, Romanticism to contemporary compositions. His own arrangements, technically challenging and innovative, confirm his reputation as an exceptional musician.
Avaliani has been living in Paris since 1989 and gives numerous concerts around the world. He teaches and directs master-classes. He is a member of the "Florilege Trio". His recording of the Brahms' Intermezzi and Trios was selected by Reader's Digest to be part of a set which includes recordings by Carlo Maria Giulini, Aafje Heynis, Wolfgang Sawallich, Janos Starker and Vienna Symphony Orchestra.