The Week in Reviews, Op. 518: Geneva Lewis, Janine Jansen, Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider

September 23, 2025, 1:49 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 Geneva Lewis. Photo by Matthew Holler.

Geneva Lewis performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Utah Symphony.

Utah Arts Review: "She dove into the romantic passion of the first movement with fiery playing that was nevertheless tempered with tenderness.Lewis brought out the dramatic intensity of the music with playing that ran the gamut from the softest pianissimos to the most dynamic fortissimos."

Janine Jansen performed Britten's Violin Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra and Antonio Pappano.

Bach Track: "Janine Jansen, who always impresses in this concerto, communed throughout both with the score and with her fellow musicians, emphasizing the work’s Alban Berg connections from the outset through a plaintive, wispy opening statement that blossomed into aching colors, mostly tonal but never quite settled, that spoke of thwarted hope and pessimism."
Music OMH: " Jansen caught its nervy, volatile spirit from the outset. Her tone had a tensile strength that could thin to a whisper without losing focus, giving the first movement’s long melodic lines a sense of something barely held together."
The Arts Desk: "Janine Jansen faced the daunting solo role fearlessly..."

Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider and violist Teng Li performed Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Chicago Classical Review: "The playing of each musician was spirited, technically polished and cohesive in terms of timing, entrances and coordination."

Augustin Hadelich performed Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and John Storgårds.

Bach Track: "From the commanding opening solo to the brilliance of the finale, Hadelich was outstanding. The first movement had gravitas, then Hadelich’s beautiful tone and range of vibrato gave the second movement a beguiling cantabile quality."

Holly Mulcahy performed George S. Clinton's "The Rose of Sonora" with Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra and Henry Cheng.

EarRelevant: "Talented violinist Holly Mulcahy, currently concertmaster of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, proved to be an excellent conduit for providing the story. Throughout each movement, Holly’s performance offered a strong voice and a substantive sonic narrative."

Alisa Weilerstein performed the Dvorák Cello Concerto with the LA Phil and Rafael Payare.

San Francisco Classical Voice: "The physically hyperactive Payare was in vintage form on the podium for the opening of the Dvorák concerto, whipping up the Phil to the point where the violins produced an acerbic edge over the loudspeakers. The volatility extended to Weilerstein’s tempestuous opening notes, and the second theme nearly wept."

María Dueñas performed Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major with the NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo and Fabio Luisi in Suntory Hall, Tokyo.

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Christian Tetzlaff performed in recital with pianist Leif Ove Andsnes at Berlin’s Pierre Boulez Saal.

The Strad: "In Brahms’s D minor Violin Sonata, the duo achieved a profound unity of expression. Tetzlaff’s feathery, ruminative lines contrasted with passionate, full-bowed outbursts at climaxes. The music carried a tragic, almost resigned air, yet with flashes of vitality – as though Brahms were stepping back for the moment into the fray of life and love."

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The Week in Reviews, Op. 518: Geneva Lewis, Janine Jansen, Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider

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