Vadim Gluzman: A Most Gracious Encore
To say it’s thrilling to hear violinist Vadim Gluzman perform live is like saying his 1690 ‘ex-Leopold Auer’ Stradivarius is a “nice violin.” His recent appearance with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Aram Demirjian was an opportunity to be transported to the golden age of violin playing. The Brahms Violin Concerto seems woven into his musical DNA and it was nothing short of revelatory.
Violinist Vadim Gluzman with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Matthew Seaman, courtesy Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.
Gluzman’s performance deserved every second of the lengthy standing ovation that followed. I’ll leave the detailed critique of the concerto to the professionals. My focus is on his most memorable (and surprising) encore.
Before I describe that incredible moment, let me say that I had the chance to interview Gluzman prior to this appearance. (You can find that conversation here.) Several orchestra members had already told me what a joy it was to work with Gluzman, but the encore gave the audience a rare glimpse into his warmth, humility, and generosity.
When it became clear we weren’t going to stop applauding, Gluzman stepped forward and shyly said that he would be joined by “friends from the orchestra.” He added that we’d probably recognize the piece.
When five violinists from the first violin section stood up, I was completely caught off guard. And when Gluzman spun the opening theme, my tears started to flow. His encore was Danny Boy, in a stunning arrangement by violinist/composer Alice Hong. Gluzman was joined by KSO violinists William Shaub (Concertmaster), Gordon Tsai, I-Pei Lin, Zofia Glashauser, and Tobias Elser.
The encore's ending. Courtesy of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.
I’ve never seen a soloist share an encore with five other musicians – a gesture that spoke volumes about Gluzman’s largesse and sense of camaraderie. It was a magical moment that felt like a collective prayer. I truly believe there wasn’t a dry eye in the theatre.
Gluzman’s performance of the Brahms Violin Concerto was an opportunity to hear one of today’s finest violinists. But that encore? It will live in my heart forever. I told everyone attending the second performance to bring their tissues.
P.S. You can hear the complete piece and purchase the sheet music here!
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January 18, 2026 at 01:46 AM · I heard him play with the Colorado Music Festival, and for an encore he did a nice movement of a Leclair Sonata for two violins with the concertmaster, a young man who he knew from master classes or elsewhere.
He would walk around the concertmaster and when he passed him, they would immediately switch parts. It was pretty neat, and now that I think about it (and I'm playing that same Leclair), that doesn't seem like a trivial task.