The reviews are in from this past Sunday's performance by mezzo soprano Magdalena Kozena and pianist Yefim Bronfman. If you came, we'd love to hear what you thought!

Here are the reviews:

Baltimore Sun - Tim Smith

"Vocal recitals are rare enough in Baltimore that even a program of familiar lieder would qualify as a novelty. A program of way-off-the-beaten-path songs? That's beyond cool." Read More Here

Washington Post - Charles Downey

"The things that make a good song recital happen can be as elusive as alchemy. Part of it is the choice of songs, part is the singer’s ability to narrate in music as if simply reciting poetry, and part is the pianist’s ability to set the scene. All three of these elements came together in the recital by Magdalena Kozena on Sunday at Shriver Hall, the Czech mezzo-soprano’s first in the area since 2009." Read More Here

Baltimore Sun music and theater critic Tim Smith's review of Marc-Andre Hamelin's Jan 27th concert at Shriver Hall Concert Series begins:

From the very first chord, there was no doubt that Marc-Andre Hamelin's recital Sunday evening for the Shriver Hall Concert Series was going to be compelling…That chord, which launched a transcription by Tivadar Szanto of Bach's G minor Fantasia and Fugue for organ, was articulated not just with terrific force, but a delectable richness of tone as well.

He goes on to say,

Rachmaninoff also figured prominently on the recital. Hamelin tore into the Second Sonata with a blend of startling bravura and white-hot lyricism, creating an action-packed tone poem…

Read the entire article here: 

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/classicalmusic/2013/01/pianist_marcandre_hamelin_give.html

Today's Baltimore Sun features a preview of Marc-Andre Hamelin's debut performance at Shriver Hall Concert Series. Sun critic Tim Smith opens the article by saying

There is no shortage of pianists with pristine techniques today. There is even a decent supply of polished pianists who possess the rarer attribute of musicality. But Marc-Andre Hamelin still stands out from the pack.

Critics have been known to sound more like fan club presidents when describing Hamelin performances, tossing off adjectives like "legendary," "fearless" and "electrifying," or even giving him the title "piano superhero."

Read the entire article here: http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bs-ae-arts-story-0125-20130124,0,5285349.story

In a December 16, 2012 post Ionarts critic Jens F. Laurson covers a performance by pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin in a program almost identical to the one he'll play for Shriver Hall Concert Series on January 27, 2012. You can read the full review here and a few excerpts are pasted below:

"The Debussy meanwhile was full of shades and softly subtle tones (Reflets dans l'eau), regal (Hommage à Rameau), and of a seamless rhythmic back-and-forth (Mouvement). L'Isle joyeuse was similarly sumptuous."

"Hamelin still pulls out the crazy virtuoso stuff, tough, as he did after intermission with his own Paganini Variations, a marvelously ridiculous work and just the thing for those who love him for Godowski-Chopin Étude outbreaks and Alkan acrobatics."

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/ionarts-at-large-marc-andre-hamelin-at.html

We may be slightly biased, but we love it when our concert’s get great reviews. Thanks to Tim Smith of the Baltimore Sun for this lovely review of this past Sunday’s performance by Europa Galante. Of course we’d love to hear what you thought as well – so please post your comments!

"Also on Sunday, Europa Galante, the brilliant early music ensemble from Italy founded and led by violinist Fabio Biondi, gave a performance for the Shriver Hall Concert Series.

It is amazing to think back to the first wave of period instrument groups a few decades ago, when things could be so musicologically strict -- and, often, technically erratic. Today, once-outlawed vibrato is allowed to sneak in for expressive underlining, and tempos are allowed to breathe.

Europa Galante demonstrated terrific flexibility on such matters, while maintaining excellent intonation and smoothness of blend, in works by Vivaldi, Couperin and Mascitti on the first half of the program. Early music-making doesn't get much better than this.

Biondi's glowing tone and lively phrasing proved a constant delight, and there was beautifully nuanced playing from his colleagues, especially Giangiacomo Pinardi on theorbo."