The Week in Reviews, Op. 498: Sirena Huang, Oliver Neubauer, Kronos Quartet

April 29, 2025, 2:36 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. Click on the highlighted links to read the entire reviews.

Violinist Sirena Huang. Photo by Raymond Huang.

Sirena Huang performed in recital with pianist Chih-Yi Chen at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall in New York.

New York Classical Review: "Sirena Huang, who topped the field at the 2022 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, superbly perform(ed) a culturally diverse, artfully constructed program with pianist Chih-Yi Chen in Carnegie’s more intimate Zankel Hall."

Oliver Neubauer performed in recital with pianist Janice Carissa in his Kennedy Center debut for Young Concert Artists.

Washington Classical Review: "Bartók composed his Sonata for Solo Violin for Yehudi Menuhin in 1944. Neubauer gave a nuanced, profound interpretation of this monumental work, which he played from memory."

The Kronos Quartet started its 2025 Kronos Festival in San Francisco.

San Francisco Classical Voice: "Kronos’s penchant for creative curation shone in the concert’s opening half. Riley’s curtain-raiser proved an entrancing romp, the music’s dance-like motion blending minimalist loops, ritual drones, and ecstatic violin riffs. This eclectic, folksy modernism is the ensemble’s bread and butter, and the new lineup already projects a tone that is warm, fleshy, exactingly precise, and seemingly effortless."

Lisa Batiashvili performed Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 with the New York Philharmonic and Iván Fischer.

New York Classical Review: "Batiashvili’s sound is exquisite, one of the more beautiful violin tones one has heard recently. She played the concerto, even in the rapid passages of the first and third movements, with such a relaxed feeling that it felt like her tempo was appreciably slower than that of the orchestra’s, even as she was right in sync with them."

Clara-Jumi Kang performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Andrew Manze.

EarRelevant: "Clara-Jumi Kang, a Korean-German violinist gaining international attention, brought her subtle interpretations and technical finesse to Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47, impressing the listener with a sonic grace reminiscent of Anne-Sophie Mutter."

Curtis Stewart performed his own 24 American Caprices and "Seasons of Change" with the Gateways Music Festival Orchestra.

Bach Track: "Vivaldi’s four concertos, with Stewart as soloist, were transformed into a call to action. The orchestration of familiar strains was admirably done, with heroic swells and subtle dissonances and sudden outbursts, including an abrupt, clapped rhythm suggestive of a folk dance."

Carolin Widmann performed Berg’s Violin Concerto with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Patrick Hahn.

Bach Track: "Soloist Carolin Widmann was first among equals, drawing her strength from the members of the orchestra and complementing rather than dominating them."

Christopher Vuk performed his Coldplay Electric Violin Concerto with the Powder River Symphony.

Gillette News Record: "Vuk partnered with Gillette’s Powder River Symphony for a night where the rock-and-roll energy met the bombast of the classical composition, showing off the World Premiere of an eight-part concerto with music adapted from the discography of alternative pop-rock band Coldplay...."

Leonidas Kavakos performed Korngold’s Violin Concerto with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Fabio Luisi (in February).

The Strad: "The violinist’s appealing tone (he plays the ‘Willemotte’ Stradivari, made in 1734) and chemistry with the ensemble were constantly on display. Throughout the work’s half-hour duration, the violinist was completely immersed, and often seemed directly engaged with the audience, smiling briefly at people in the front rows."

Nemanja Radulovic performed Bach’s Violin Concerto in D minor and other works with the Philharmonia Orchestra (in February).

The Strad: "Relaxed geniality and instrumental fireworks had marked the whole evening as, towering over even the standing upper strings in his four-inch platforms, the Paris-based Serbian violinist, hair flying, brought his hallmark musical electricity to three Bach concertos."

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