Irena Josifoska is the 1st prize winner of the Gabrielli cello competition in Berlin and as academist of the Verbier Festival winner of the prize Prix Jean-Nicolas Firmenich, which recognizes the Verbier Festival Academy's best young cellist, and the winner of the STAR Prize of the "Villa musica foundation", chosen among around 100 scholarship-holders. She got Honorary Mention for an excellent performance as one of the six-semifinalists at the Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann, where she had recital in the hall of Berliner Philharmonie. In 2017 she was the youngest semifinalist of the Queen Elisabeth competition. In 2024 she got the Scholarship prize of the German music competition (Deutscher Musikwettbewerb) in the chambermusic category, which includes concerts organization in the season 2025/26 and Hans Gal prize from the Villa musica fondation and Academy of sciences and literature Mainz. In 2025 Irena got a teaching position with her own class at the "Peter-Cornelius-Conservatory" in Mainz, Germany-Department of Academic Studies.
Irena comes from a family of musicians. She started playing the cello at the age of 5 in Novi Sad, in the class of Judit Niederholzer-Josifoska. She finished Bachelor studies at the “Hochschule für Musik” in Detmold (Germany) in the class of prof. Xenia Jankovic, Master solo studies at the „Universität der Künste“ in Berlin in the class of prof. Jens Peter Maintz, and since October 2022 she is a student of the „Konzertexamen studies“ (the highest degree in Germany) in the same class and same University. Irena was „Artist in residence“ of the „Queen Elisabeth Music Chapelle“ in Brussels for chamber-music and since september 2022 she is in the „Villa musica foundation and chamber music festival academy“.
She won many highest awards and special prizes in national and international competitions, like Dotzauer cello competition in Dresden, Herann cello competition in Czech republic, International cello competition in Liezen, Austria, Jeunesses musicales international competition in Belgrade, silver medal in Vienna international music competition, GOLDEN MEDAL with High distinction in Manhattan international music competition, Janigro competition in Zagreb, "GWK Scholarship prize" etc.
Irena is a recipient of several recognitions, like: The most promising young music artist in 2013, the prize from Society of music artists of Serbia as The best young music artist in 2015, The little prince prize in 2018.
She performed all over the Europe and USA and she was a soloist of the eminent orchestras, like Deutsche Sinfonietta Berlin, Metamorphosen Berlin, Wurttembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen, Hagen Symphony orchestra, NWD orchestra, Detmold chamber orchestra, Kaunas philharmony, Orchestra nazionale sinfonica, Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, etc.
She was participant of the biggest festivals, like Verbier Festival Academy, Musiktage Mondsee, Paax GNP Festival in Mexico, Bebersee Festival, Mosel Festival, Fränkischer Sommer, Krzyzowa Music, Eggenfelden Klassisch, Ohrid Summer Festival, UNLTD Verbier, Vaduz Classic festival, Festival in Rügen, SONC festival, Kronberg Academy Masterclasses, Rutesheim Cello Akademie, Liechteinstein Musikakademie, ISA-International summer academy, Crescendo festival Berlin, Moritzburg Festival Academy (1st prize of audience), Sumito Switzerland, Hohenstaufen chamber music festival, Nitzow chamber music festival, Ljubljana Festival, Music Forum in Trenta, Slovenia held by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, etc.
Irena recorded two CDs, one for „A-records“ (Sweden), another one for „Art-link“ and „Societe generale bank“. In october last year NEW RELEASE of the solo CD "Cogitationes".
She also plays a barock cello, with in September 2019 she recorded a CD with the „VOX barock ensemble“ for „Sony“.
Irena was part of the production "Christmas in Berlin" - STAGE+ with Deutsche Grammophon and Albrecht Mayer.
Josifoska was „Thomastik Infeld artist“, was the scholarship holder of „Deutschland Stipendium“ and of „Ad infinitum and DAAD“ foundation.
Irena worked with prof. David Geringas, Frans Helmerson, Steven Isserlis, Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, Miklos Perenyi, Claudio Bohorquez, Wenn Sin Yang, Marc Coppey, Christian Poltera, Daniel Müller Schott, etc. She played chamber-music with Guy Braunstein, Daniel Stabrawa, Jens Peter Maintz, Albrecht Mayer, Alexander Sitkovetsky, Sacha Rattle, Boris Garlitsky, Roman Simovic, Vadim Gluzman, Karl-Heinz Steffens, Vlatko Stefanovski, Gabriel Prokofiev, Yeol Eum Son, Svetlin Roussev, Andrea Lieberknecht, Dag Jensen, Marie-Luise Neunecker, Gregor Sigl, Auryn quartett and she worked with Artemis Quartett, Corina Belcea, Mihaela Martin, Gabor Takacs Nagy, Matheu Herzog, Ivry Gitlis, Heinrich Schiff, Helmuth Rilling, Kent Nagano etc.
Composers Dejan Despic, S.S.Kovacevic, Aleksandar Vujic, Tibor Hartig and Günter Puzberg dedicated their compositions to Irena.
Irena plays as a guest in Karajan Academy of Berliner Philharmonie chambermusic concerts and she is a guest solo-cellist of Kammerakademie Potsdam, Camerata Salzburg, Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin, Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie, Detmolder chamber-orchestra, Munich radio-orchestra and she is permanent substitution in Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin.
She got on loan from Villa musica foundation a cello William Forster Senior 1790.