Ioana Petcu-Colan is an Irish violinist of Romanian origin living in Barcelona. She was a founder member of the Callino Quartet, with whom she toured for many years. She is currently a member of the Irish Chamber Orchestra and Ensemble Avalon, her piano trio with Gerald Peregrine (cello) and Michael McHale (piano). Visit www.ioanapetcucolan.com

What is your earliest musical memory?
Having the violin gently taken away from me and being encouraged to take up the piano instead. Seemingly, it’s harder to pick up and throw. 

What did you want be when you grew up?
I’ve never seriously considered doing anything else.

What quality do you most admire in other musicians?
One of the reasons why I love playing chamber music so much is seeing what different outlooks and suggestions each person brings.

Which living musician do you most admire?
Meeting and working with Arvo Pärt recently was a definite highlight.

What was your happiest musical moment?
They’re frequent and ongoing.

What new musical skill would you like to learn?
I briefly considered banjo lessons last year. There’s a fantastic busker in Barcelona where I live and he’s pretty inspiring!

What was the last concert you attended?
I’ve been to quite a few great concerts in the past year, from hearing the Haydn Trio Eisenstadt in Vienna to seeing Dublin band Hoarsebox in Temple Bar.

What is the last book you read?
The last really memorable book was Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Where do you listen to music?
On the move mostly.

What radio programmes do you like?
I travel too much to follow particular programmes and my working schedule differs from day to day. I tend to listen to whatever’s on. It’s nice to have the variety!

What was the last recording you bought?
Brahms and Mozart piano quartets.

What other jobs have you held?
I spent two months one summer as the worst waitress in the world. It turns out I have appalling coordination.

What do you cherish most about Irish musical life?
The diversity.

What would you change about it?
It’s a shame the Irish classical audience is still so select. There’s such a wealth of fantastic musicians in the country at the moment all doing interesting and innovative things.

What would you like played at your funeral?
This one changes almost weekly! Currently the Andante movement of the Brahms C minor piano quartet. I’ll be playing it in a concert in Castleconnell with Ensemble Avalon and violist Cian Ó Dúill in September and I’m wearing it out listening to it.

If you could take a year off, what would you do?
Probably make a list of all the things I keep meaning to get around to, then ignore it as usual: Learning Spanish properly... finally learning to drive (and hopefully passing my test as a bonus!)... the list goes on indefinitely.

Give us a tune.
How about my funeral send-off?