Selected Recital, Festival and Competition Review Excerpts 2002-2009 Recital at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, April 20, 2006 The New York Times, April 22, 2006 “His (Mr. Soukhovetski’s) reading of Scriabin's dense Sonata No. 3 struck a good balance between the clear and the blurry, structural coherence and mystical intoxication… Mr. Soukhovetski ended the evening with a fiery rendition of Schumann's Sonata No. 1 that brought the audience to its feet. He spared no indulgence in the final two movements, though the slower Aria made a stronger impression through his softer pearly tone and more nuanced sense of the music's elusive poetry.”
Recital at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, April 20, 2006 www.theatrescene.net, April 21, 2006 “After the intermission, in an unusual and confident move for someone so young, Mr. Soukhovetski addressed the audience directly and told how he had been moved by the opening scene of the film The Hours… Mr Soukhovetski seemed to stretch the expressive possibilities of this charming composition, infusing the piece with emotion and he himself seemed to be taken by the arpeggiated G-minor chords and the musical expression of frustration in the end of the piece… Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp Minor, Op. 11 by Robert Schumann was just plain exciting. The intensity of passion and exultation of the piece were admirably contained and controlled without ever stopping the flow. Mr Soukhovetski's approach and identification with Schumann's Sonata was so organic that at times the player and the instrument seemed almost interlogged. His proficient technical skills were in full service of the music. The distance between the composer, the performer and the audience seemed to disappear. A truly delightful moment.”
Recital at Central Baptist Church, February 22, 2009 Knoxville News Sentinel, February 23, 2009 “Russian pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski presented a concert at Central Baptist Church… that was a combination of dreamy interpretations and bravado…With equal aplomb, he then played Percy Granger's "Ramble on Love," based on the Love Duet in Richard Strauss' opera "Der Rosenkavalier." The lovely moments meant to mimic chimes that represent sparks of love were beautifully executed….After a brief break, Chopin's "Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise in E Flat Major," Op. 22, was presented with glistening, fluid arpeggios and a committed romanticism.”
Recital at Central Baptist Church, February 22, 2009 www.mostlyclassical.blogpost.com, February 23, 2009 “Russian-born pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski is quite the storyteller. In fact, his performance style draws one along in much the same way a master storyteller is able to use dynamic extremes and subtleties, construction of images, pacing, anticipation, and …surprises… I single out two pieces in particular for special note. First-- an arrangement by Percy Grainger of Richard Strauss' Last Love Duet from his opera Der Rosenkavalier… Soukhovestski rendered the emotion and drama of the scene with extremes of dynamic subtlety that was thrilling. Second-- the Sonata No. 4 in C Minor, op. 29 of Sergei Prokofiev, is a workout and a test of extremes, probably best not left till last on a program. On the other hand, it ends so exuberantly, it is practically impossible not to feel hopeful, if not optimistic.”
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 op.18 with Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and maestro Timothy Muffitt River Center Theatre for the Performing Arts, February 12, 2009 “…Performing the Rachmaninov Concerto (#2, op. 18), Konstantin Soukhovetski…proved an especially engaging guest artist. Soukhovetski plus the Baton Rouge Symphony plus Rachmaninov equaled music to swoon by…His playing particularly sparkled in the keyboard’s upper register, enough to be the equal of piano in 3D. The concerto’s less volatile second movement, marked adagio sostenuto, gave the soloist ample opportunity to demonstrate his knack for making the piano sing with beautiful clarity and expression…Soukhovetski achieved transformative reverie at the piano. More magic followed in the concerto’s brilliantly active finale as the soloist with the exceptionally fluid touch and the orchestra again served Rachmaninov, the great melodist, so well.
Mozart Concerto # 23 K. 488 with Acadiana Symphony Orchestra and maestro Doron Salomon Ducrest-Gilfry Auditorium, Angelle Hall , January 25, 2009 Lafayette’s The Advertiser, January 30, 2009 “…Souhkovetski proved himself to be a master interpreter of Mozart's music (concerto #23, K. 488). He demonstrated a maestro's touch in portraying each of the subtle moods that the Austrian wunderkind penned into his music. I especially appreciated the second, Adagio, movement because the Russian refused to allow the music to become melancholy or even morose, two moods that lesser musicians become entrapped in their performance of that mood. Again, I simply sat back, closed my eyes, and let the pianist's gossamer touch present a broad palette of musical visual imagery.”
Ravel Concerto in G with Louisiana Philharmonic and maestra Rebecca Miller First Baptist Church, October 29. 2008 The Times-Picaqune, November 3, 2008 “…Konstantin Soukhovetski, returned to New Orleans on Wednesday to perform Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra… a work that embraces the driving jazz influences of George Gershwin and some bucolic oh-so-French melodies.Soukhovetski proved up to both challenges and got sterling support from the LPO led by Rebecca Miller. She drew out every detail in this complex score and kept soloist and orchestra perfectly balanced. When it was over, she nudged Soukhovetski back on stage for an encore: his own dreamy transcription of Morgen, the orchestral song by Richard Strauss.”
Prokofiev Concerto #2 op.16 with Asheville Symphony and maestro Daniel Meyer Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, May 10, 2008 www.cvnc.org, May 10, 2008 “Second on the program was the massive Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor. Guest artist Konstantin Soukhovetski’s palette of “orchestral” colors was fully utilized in service to Prokofiev’s fierce declamatory style. Toward the end the orchestra, silent for much of the time as though stunned, reawakens to conclude the movement. Unfortunately, by this time the piano showed it had been no match for the player, as several strings had been broken and its tuning blown. Despite this, the performance was a revelation of style and nuance. Rarely does one have the opportunity to hear this fearsome work performed live, and by such a young and prodigiously talented artist. The audience immediately leapt to its feet in a noisy show of approbation.”
Prokofiev Concerto #2 op.16 with Asheville Symphony and maestro Daniel Meyer Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, May 10, 2008 www.ashevillesymphony.org, May 10, 2008 “…Konstantin Soukhovetski … was every inch the dramatic and poetic performer. His comprehension of the formal layout of the concerto was a major factor in the success of his performance. Soukhovetski delivered the alternating quiet and virtuosic passages with evidence of genuine insight. As the varying character of the music proceeded, the suspense that Prokofiev built into the concerto kept listeners attention at a high level. It was a dashing, yet authoritative, performance.”
Saint-Saens Concerto #5 “Egyptian” with Louisiana Philharmonic and maestro Klauspeter Seibel Roussel Hall, Loyola University, March 29, 2008 The Times-Picaqune, April 5, 2008 “…Soukhovetski went deepest on Sunday, and he did it with the program's most delightfully frivolous piece: Saint-Saens' "Egyptian Concerto." The Russian pianist immediately established an organic relationship with the LPO and showed effortless power -- no wasted motion-- as he pecked out tiny rhythmic accents and shimmied through bravura syncopated passages that resembled ragtime. Every note got attention as he drew upon his infinitely varied touch to shape coherent musical phrases. Soukhovetski's skills were equally apparent in his solo outing at Roussel Hall on Monday. The highlights ranged from an explosive account of Chopin's "Scherzo No. 2" to a searching dark-hued performance of Mozart's "Fantasie in d minor, K. 397." The best part: Soukhovetski will return to New Orleans, dates to be announced, for another appearance with the LPO…
South African Tour in 2007 Die Beeld, January 24, 2008 “Music: People of 2007… The Russian /American pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski impressed once more during his tour in March – with the inclusion of Philip Glass’s film music for the hours, especially his interpretations of the Russian composers, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and Scriabin as well as Chopin’s B flat minor Sonata, Saint Saens’s Piano concerto no 5, the Egyptian which always attracts divertive opinions and is actually suitable for merely a handful of pianists, Soukhovetski’s rendering was dramatic and sparkling, with the inborn flamboyancy which the pianist possesses so lavishly.”
Recital at Baxter Hall, Cape Town, March 2007 Die Burger, March 2007 “…He started the main section of his program with three short works by Tchaikovsky “April”, “May” and “June”… I heard it several times…but never so bewitchingly beautiful as on Saturday evening. Scriabin’s Sonata #3 in F sharp minor Op. 23 has been described as an overheated work, but here the pianist could show his enormous technical facility, wide pallet of tone quality and his dynamic range which varied from a soft whispers to thunderous fortes. The best work of the evening was Schumann’s Sonata #1 op.11… The changing from the lyrical to more boisterous sections was mastered expertly by the pianist. Especially the aria which Liszt described as the most beautiful he knows was interpreted with inner expression. The encores were interesting: a bewitching transcription by Percy Grainger of an extract from Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier, a very fast rendering of Chopin’s Revolutionary study and finally Strauss’s Morgen which was played with great expression.
The Winter Salon Steinway Hall, The New York Winter Salon, New York, December 29, 2007 www.theatrescene.net. January 9, 2008 “…Then the Steinway concert grand enticed Mr Soukhovetski to explore the expressive possibilities of Rachmaninoff's Vocalise (arranged for piano by A. I. Siloti). How effortlessly and delicately that incomparable concert grand sang the piece! And with such deep feeling! There was not a trace of perfumed sentimentality. Bravo… At the Steinway Hall, we were fortunate to hear two world premieres by Mr Soukhovetski. In the first piece for violin and piano, which had been inspired by the last scene of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin, Mr Soukhovetski constructed a slowly developing subtext to Tchaikovsky's romantically melodic structure… This created an intense and exciting tension between violin, played by Dmitry Lukin, and piano… Soukhovetski's late-romantic Olympian Dream, for piano, soprano and dance, was based on Ovid's Elegy No. 2. In this collaborative and space-specific performance, soprano Victoria Cannizzo (wearing a red, spiky and kinky choker) sang the maiden's vocally demanding aria, addressing her sexually charged words directly to Zeus before she -- metaphysically -- surrendered to him. Carlos dos Santos, Jr. as Zeus danced his Martha Graham-inspired choreography seducing the maiden. Unfortunately, his work suffered from the restrictions of the postcard-sized stage. This exciting new piece deserves to be performed in a more appropriate space and I eagerly wait for its next performance.”
New Orleans Piano Competition Roussel Hall, Loyola University, July 25, 2007 The Times-Picaqune, July 26, 2007 “Konstantin Soukhovetski impressed in a different way on Wednesday. His account of 19 Waltzes by Schubert was uncommon fare for a competition…He used his heart and his head to reveal the scope of Schubert's vision, by crafting a suite from works spread across the composer's career. His selections unfolded like a picaresque novel, with witty interludes, oompah-pah dances, hymn-like melodies and much, much more. His playing was flawless -- not simply a matter of hitting the right notes, but of tracing a compelling narrative line through his brilliant collage.”
Saint-Saens Concerto #5 “Egyptian” with Johannesburg Philharmonic and maestro Gerhard Korsten South Africa, Linder Hall, March 21, 2007 Die Beeld, March 2007 “…There were very high expectations for this concert. Gerhard Korsten conducting the Johannesburg Philharmonic and the pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski as soloist both discerning highly exciting musicians…the flamboyant blond Russian before the Bosendorfer grand in a capacity hall tackling the seldom heard piano Concerto #5 by Saint-Saens. Soukhovetski’s performance of the exotic concerto was rapturous. Surely full of amazing finger works with the continuous exchanging sound gradations which the great romantic compositions demand from the soloist; the pianist must be able to judge his potential and man the piano with confidence… Soukhovetski’s ability to build up to a meaningful construction is to be wondered at. (In less capable hands the concerto could fall apart) … the soloist exploited the ripple and urgency of the piano score magnificently. In Korsten he found a soul mate with enough trust to do justice to an ecstatic performance with the JPO. The cheering audience was rewarded with an encore, Granger’s transcription of Richard Strauss’s Rosenkavalier duet.”
Saint-Saens Concerto #5 “Egyptian” with KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra and maestro Emanuel Siffert Durban City Hall, March 8, 2007 Artsmart.com, March 11, 2007
“…The concerto is melodious, brilliant, colourful. Konstantin Soukhovetski gave an exciting performance and was at his best in the beautiful and picturesque slow movement, the heart of the concerto. The work’s final flurry of dazzling octaves sent the audience into a foot-stamping rapture and the pianist supplied a lengthy and distinctly unusual encore: the “Ramble” by the mildly eccentric Australian-born composer Percy Grainger on the love duet from Richard Strauss’s Rosenkavalier.”
Opening Gala for Music Academy of The West Abravanel Hall, The Music Academy of The West, June 17, 2006 The Santa Barbara Independent, June 22, 2006
“…Konstantin Soukhovetski strolled onstage in white, looking like a character in a Chekhov play, gave us a gloriously lugubrious rendition of the “Love-Death” from Wagner’s Tristan (as arranged by Liszt).”
Recital at Baxter Hall, Cape Town, South Africa, September 10, 2006 Die Burger, September 13, 2006 “…pianist played Debussy’s Suite Bergamasque in the restful impressionistic style… Listening to the Prelude and Clair de Lune was like watching a painting of Manet or Monet. The sounds and beautiful legato were fascinating…(Chopin) Scherzo was a masterpiece played by a virtuoso. It is necessary to remark on the pianist’s staggering technique. May I just mention that he played the Scherzo with passion and overwhelmed the audience. Any pianist with finger facility can play percussive pieces, but only the most gifted can put his heart into his fingers and interpret Chopin in this way.”
Recital at Linder Hall, Johannesburg, September 3, 2006 and Recital at UNISA, Pretoria, September 4, 2006 South Africa Die Burger, September 5, 2006 “Soukhovetski…played Mozart as it should be played… clear, well-thought out in phrasing, and catching in musicality and virtuosity…For his Pretoria recital Sunday afternoon, …Konstantin…bewitched with Chopin’s music. What makes Soukhovetski’s playing special is his firm touch which lets out a stream of sound, but always with a soft grain. His articulation is magnificent and his lyricism distinctive. A young pianist who captivates!”
Mozart Concerto in D K.466 with KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic and maestro Francois Xavier-Roth at Durban City Hall, September 29, 2006 ArtSmart.co.za, September 29, 2006 “Konstantin… confirmed at this symphony concert in the Durban City Hall that he is a player of outstanding quality. In Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor…he displayed … an immaculate technique, a powerful left hand, an acute sense of the drama of the music and, most important of all, the ability to make the piano sing with a lovely full tone. A fine performance of a great work.”
Brunch-Recital at InterContinental Hotel, Cleveland, OH, December 4, 2005 CoolCleveland.com, December 5, 2005 “There are those who think that an Invitation to the Dance will lead you to a dance with the Devil (Mephisto Waltz). However, if the invitation is extended by the very capable hands of Konstantin Soukhovetski, you should definitely accept it. …Mephisto Waltz of Lizst…All of the depicted characters were so clearly delineated, one had no difficulty in deciphering just who was who. The pianist plays with grace and strength and intensity, but above all—beauty.”
Recital for Screening Stage of Val Cliburn IPC at Rockefeller University, NY, February 11,2005 Star Telegram, February 12, 2005 “Mr. Soukhovetski combined vigor and refinement…that pulled listerner to profound serenity. Wagner’s Isolde Liebestod moved him into the realm of virtuosity and drama. Mr. Soukhovetski disarmingly unpretentious and relazes…became a showman and a comic, as well as a virtuoso.”
UNISA International Piano Competition, South Africa, January 23, 2004 Pretoria News, January 27, 2004 “Konstantin Soukhovetski put on a mind-boggling act. The sounds he unleashed had the audience in raptures, the purists in shock. Mr. Soukhovetski charmed with Faure Nocturne (#1 op.11) and gave Schumann’s taxing Sonata #1 glorious treatment.”
Tchaikovsky Concerto #1 op.23 with Cleveland Orchestra and Jahja Ling at Severance Hall, Cleveland, OH Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 9, 2003 “Mr. Soukhovetski was most compelling in the intimate passages where Tchaikovsky sings in his most personal and heartfelt manner.”
Pianofest, Avram Theater, Southampton, July 14, 2003 The New York Times, July 20, 2003 “Mr. Soukhovetski brought coiled, explosive energy to the seldom-performed Sonata-Tragica by Medtner.”
Pianofest, Avram Theater, Southampton, NY Summer 2003 Southampton Press, July 2003 “Mr. Soukhovetski plunged into the Medtner like a house on fire, and probably gave it one of the best performances it had ever received.”
Ravel Concerto in G with Hilton Head Orchestra and Mary Woodmansee- Green at First Presbyterian Church, Hilton Head Island, SC The Island Packet, March 15, 2002 “Mr. Soukhovetski is a performer of uncommon intensity whose vibrant personality infuses every note. He uncoils energy easily, moving from nuance to thundering volume. Opposing emotional states were highlighted by unexpected dymanic shifts. ”
Cleveland International Piano Competition, OH, July 2001 Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 2001 “Mr. Soukhovetski made the most stellar impression….at 20 he has everything needed for a fine career – virtuosity, expressive vibrancy and infectious spirit.” |