Pianist, professor of St. Petersburg Conservatory, Honored Artist of Russia, art Director of International Festival-Competition «Three century of classical romances».

She has graduated St. Petersburg (Leningrad) Conservatory with piano diploma, then completed her postgraduate study in Chamber Ensemble with leading Russian professors of that discipline. Since that time to this day she has been teaching Chamber Ensemble and Accompaniment at the St. Petersburg Conservatory.

In the same time she has led varied artistic career, performing as singer's accompanist and chamber musician, partnered many of renowned vocal soloists and ensemble. She performs with soloists of Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres with most diversified programs including hundreds of pieces, from ancient European and Russian music till contemporary composers. The Russian vocal classics is the core of Irina Sharapova concert activity. Following this theme, she has carried out a line of projects including great concert series and records, broadcasts and telecasts. Among them are «The Anthology of Russian romance», «Russian musical culture of XVIII - XX centuries», «Two centuries of Russian romance». Now she is one of organizers, heads and constant participants of extensive International Festival-competition «Three century of classical romances». Alongside Irina Sharapova continues intensive performances with her favorite national trio «Russian virtuoso project» both other ensembles and instruments, last time giving the increasing preference to harp music.

The other sides of her activity are performance (mostly the First performance) of contemporary music in different genres, preparation of new musical editions, tours in the European countries and USA, master classes on art of vocal and instrumental accompaniment.