“Violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky, like his accompanists, displayed an admirable technical facility and to this he added an incredibly clear sound blessed with a lovely silky sheen. Once more like the Tonkünstler, Sitkovetsky’s power and projection were striking – I don’t think I’ve ever heard the harmonics in the first movement cadenza ring so loud, full and true.”
–Seen & Heard (Claire Seymour), 2017
Read More“...and that’s just exactly where a mischief breaks though, the same way that Liebreich had previously hinted at in the miniatures "Arbor Cosmica". The Russian-British soloist Alexander Sitkovetsky picks that up with a heightened and always keenly direct sound, especially in the third movement where the wild position changes of the solo part soar above the jocular hurricane of pizzicato of the orchestra – a final clear chord sounding the end of the storm. Liebreich beams, the orchestra smiles, and the audience is rapturous.”
–Suddeutsche Zeitung (Rita Argauer), 2016
Read More“Alexander Sitkovetsky soloist made an unimpeachable case for the full concerto’s integrity. He handled the solo part with dashing brilliance as well as warmth. It’s always impressive to see a soloist who is really involved in the orchestral role as well his own – an earnest musician committed to the total work he was performing.”
–Isthmus (John W Barker), 2016
Read More“[Sitkovetsky's] tone in the second movement was a wonder, with finely shaded dynamic levels.”
–New York Classical Review (Bruce Hodges), 2016
Read More“Sitkovetsky brought great control of dynamics, a fine rubato and a powerful edge to his lovely tone with some wonderfully fleet passages as well as a beautifully shaped cadenza with moments of fine purity.”
–The Classical Reviewer (Bruce Reader), 2016
Read More“Alexander Sitkovetsky was sublime, coaxing note after awe-inspiring note from his violin and proving his very real talent.”
–365Bristol (Sarah-Jane Howard), 2016
Read More“Watching him for only the second time tonight he displayed a confidence and passion in his conducting and knows how to bring out the best from such a large ensemble [RNCM Symphony Orchestra]. Between the two of them [Jeremy So, Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.2], along with the venue, making the orchestra perform I think, probably the best I have ever heard them.”
–North West End (RNCM Symphony Orchestra), 2016
Read More“Passionate and exacting - knowing exactly how to ooze out every last morsel of dynamic from every single instrument. The soft passages were cotton wool, whilst the fortissimo was excellently controlled. His craft is undeniable and he was a joy to watch as he exuded both love and confidence.”
–North West End (RNCM Symphony Orchestra), 2016
Read More“This [Tchaikovsky's Fatum] was conducted by Harish Shankar, the Royal Northern College of Music’s present junior fellow in conducting, and he made a very impressive Hallé debut indeed. There was power and intensity in the opening and close, refinement and beauty in the more lyrical episodes, and electricity in tone and phrasing as the music grew to its climaxes. In truth it’s more like a ballet score without a ballet than a symphonic movement, but that gave scope for tension, drama and energy, and Harish Shankar’s style, economic on gesture but effective, gives an orchestra what it needs and nothing else.”
–Manchester Evening News (Hallé), 2015
Read More“The first work of the evening was entrusted to Harish Shankar [...]. On the evidence of his performance of Tchaikovsky’s Fatum his is a name to watch out for. It [Tchaikovsky’s Fatum] ranges through varying moods: as Harish Shankar pointed out in his pre-concert interview, fate encompasses light and cheerful aspects as well as more sombre ones, and there were plenty of lyrical themes to enjoy. The ending, however, was astonishing. The music veered into something very modern. One can understand why Balakirev did not like it. I loved it! The whole work was given a fine performance by the Hallé and our conductor in his debut with the orchestra.”
–Bachtrack (Hallé), 2015
Read More“[…] The Lucerne Symphony Orchestra makes for a grand musical impact, prepared with utmost precision by Clemens Heil. And the singers, who enjoy all the complexity of Ligeti’s music with ease. This premiere is a season-opening statement of metropolis calibre.”
–Concerti (Peter Krause) (Review on 'Le Grand Macabre'), 2017
Read More“Above all, the music – the precise Lucerne Symphony Orchestra under Clemens Heil – sharpens the Grand-Guignol-Play with glaring colours and gestures.”
–Luzerner Zeitung (Urs Mattenberger) (Review on 'Le Grand Macabre'), 2017
Read More“[Director] Herbert Fritsch…turns “Le Grand Macabre” into a loud and colourful clownery, decidedly supported by Clemens Heil, the Music Director of the Lucerne Theatre. The giant percussion set, which masters the car horn and doorbell preludes magnificently, and the keyboard-instruments are spread all over the stage, the trumpets of Jericho are thundering from the balcony, and the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra is going all out with muscular brilliance.”
–Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Peter Hagmann), 2017
Read More“Strong contrasts and frequent changes in temperature are predominating, it requires daunting abilities of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, the musicians excel themselves under the brilliant baton of Clemens Heil. […] Nono’s difficult avantgarde-keywork as part of the repertoire at an opera house of this size at such high level – a real coup!”
–Deutschlandfunk (Luigi Nono: Prometeo), 2016
Read More“Musically, this is a performance is at stunning high level. The fact, that most parts are cast from the house’s own ensemble show, that even such a complex work as “Prometeo” can nowadays be mastered by highly motivated forces of a medium sized theatre. The chorus and the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Clemens Heil are delivering an exceptional performance.”
–Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Luigi Nono: Prometeo), 2016
Read More“That is the new Music Director at the helm of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, who created an outstanding, shattering sound experience and also managed to existentially convey the tiniest changes, the micro-intervals, the extraordinary dynamic differences from a tenfold pianissimo to a catastrophic explosion and the movements in space.”
–Neue Musik Zeitung, 2016
Read More“But the most dramatic performance of the evening belonged to pianist Alessio Bax, who skippered the remarkable dynamics within Faure’s “Piano Quartet No. 2 in G Minor, Opus 45.” From the tossed sea sensibility immediately conjured for the opening Allegro movement to the similarly sudden conclusion to the third Adagio non troppo movement that triggered an audible audience gasp a few rows behind me, this was perhaps the most fully realized and openly emotive performance so far in the festival.”
– Lexington Herald-Leader (Walter Tunis) (Faure’s Piano Quartet No. 2 in G Minor, Opus 45 at the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington), 2017
Read More“(…) pianist Bax was impressive. This relatively young artist eschewed overly dramatic gestures of the crowd-pleasing sort and channeled all his considerable energy into the music, demonstrating complete mastery of the demanding writing.”
–Cleveland.com
Read More“Bax is a true storyteller, using the piano as his voice, and Gabetta reminds us through these selections why the cello was created – as an instrument of raw emotion to reflect our own capacity for feeling. This concert was a wonderful showcase of two talented artists.”
–The Independent
Read More“Throughout the evening, pianist Bax proved an inspired partner for Bell. The two ably prodded each other, especially in the night's sonatas. In the Brahms, particularly, Bax's account of the keyboard part was notable for its tonal warmth and excellent textural balance.”
–Telegram
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