The Week in Reviews, Op. 205: Nicola Benedetti; Leila Josefowicz; Jennifer Koh

November 6, 2017, 3:39 PM · In an effort to promote the coverage of live violin performance, Violinist.com each week presents links to reviews of notable concerts and recitals around the world.

Nicola Benedetti performed the Marsalis with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

The Philadelphia Inquirer: "The music saunters and dances. A punchy circus-like atmosphere takes over for a bit, commented upon with short quips from the violin. The Blues hovers over the piece in various places."

Nicola Benedetti. Photo by Simon Fowler.

Leila Josefowicz performed works by Prokofiev, Saariaho, Wittenbecher and Zimmermann with pianist John Novacek.

Chicago Classical Review: "Like most of her concerts, her program Friday night at the University of Chicago’s Mandel Hall with pianist John Novacek was like no other, carrying as it did an invitation to her audience to join her on a mission of discovery."

Jennifer Koh performed the Barber with the Marin Symphony.

San Francisco Classical Voice: "Right from the start, with Koh unfolding the opening subject in a warm and confiding manner, an air of sensitive, nuanced responsiveness took hold."

Augustin Hadelich performed the Britten with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Nuvo: "His left hand dexterity is astonishing. Then there’s the infectious joy in his playing; he doesn’t just play his 1723 Stradivarius violin — he makes it sing."

Baiba Skride performed the Sibelius with the San Francisco Symphony.

Violinist.com: "The main draw was the Sibelius Violin Concerto, gracefully and sensitively rendered by Latvian violinist Baiba Skride, with Finnish guest conductor Osmö Vänskä leading the orchestra."
San Francisco Classical Voice: "Skride produces a marvelous tone that ranged from ethereal and fragile at the opening of the concerto, to more meaty and powerful as the technically demanding concerto progressed. Dressed in a lavish gown, Skride had an interesting story to tell, and she did so in a convincing way."

Ning Feng performed Jiping's Violin Concerto No. 1 with Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra.

The Philadelphia Inquirer: "Zhao Jiping’s Violin Concerto No. 1 — was played with great conviction by soloist Ning Feng, though this composer of film scores and works for the Silk Road Ensemble didn’t really assert his own compositional voice."

Will Hagen performed works by Saint-Saëns and Ravel with the Utah Symphony.

The Salt Lake Tribune: "...he demonstrated unimpeachable technique and keen musical sense in a stirring performance of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso."

Joshua Bell performed a recital with pianist Alessio Bax at Brigham Young University.