Laurie Niles

The Week in Reviews, Op. 477: Lisa Batiashvili, Stefan Jackiw, Martin Chalifour

The <a href="https://www.laphil.com/">Los Angeles Philharmonic</a> is in a state of transition, and theme of change and the passage of time were on full display on Tuesday night in a chamber concert celebrating concertmaster <a href="https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/artists/1027/martin-chalifour">Martin Chalifour</a>'s 30 years with the orchestra, which will conclude with his retirement at the end of this season. Among the many changes in store for the LA Phil: the departure of Associate Concertmaster <a href="https://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/20245/30001/">Nathan Cole</a>, who is now concertmaster of the Boston Symphony, and in 2026, the departure of Music Director <a href="https://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/20232/29515/">Gustavo Dudamel</a> for the New York Philharmonic. Tuesday evening's concert began with Chalifour at the microphone, sharing his thoughts and memories and expressing gratitude for the friends and colleagues who would be performing with him on the stage. The music began with

Anne Akiko Meyers Wins Latin Grammy for 'Fandango' Violin Concerto

Want to get some positive vibes going on Election Day in the United States? Consider bringing your instrument to a polling location and making some live music - you can sign up <a href="https://www.playforthevote.org/perform">here</a>, as part of "Play for the Vote." "Play for the Vote" is a non-partisan effort founded in 2020 by cellist <a href="https://www.mikeblockmusic.com/">Mike Block</a>, a Cleveland Institute- and Juilliard-trained multi-style musician known for innovation, collaboration and outreach. He's also just a really nice guy. <div align="center"><img src="https://www.violinist.com/art/2024/MikeBlock2024.jpg" width=500 height=500 alt="Mike Block"><br><i>Cellist Mike Block.</i></div> The idea came to him in his practice room at home, following a debate between Presidential candicates in the 2020 election. "It was the last month before the 2020 election," Block said last week in an interview with CelloBello (see that full interview <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/70-cICVZs7w?

The Week in Reviews, Op. 472: Patricia Kopatchinskaja; Paul Huang; Augustin Hadelich

The Week in Reviews, Op. 472: Patricia Kopatchinskaja; Paul Huang; Augustin Hadelich

I just put new strings on my violin, and it's such a nice feeling! It also gave me a chance to review my string-changing habits, as I keep a little card in my violin case where I write, in tiny handwriting, the dates when I change my strings, and which kinds of strings I put on my violin. In the last year, I've given my violin new strings four times - about once every quarter. This feels like a normal schedule. Looking back at my list, I can see that the pandemic caused quite a disruption - back around 2020-22 I didn't change my strings for what looks like an entire year, if my record-keeping was accurate! Certainly, I wasn't putting as much mileage on my violin during that time - but that's a long time. I normally would not go more than six months without changing my strings. I think there was also something about the isolation that played a factor! Certainly, the more you play your violin, the more often you'll likely want to change your strings, as the strings will wear out faster. How often h

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. <b>Gil Shaham</b> performed with Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Matthias Pintscher conducting the New York Philharmonic.<ul><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/13/arts/dance/review-new-york-philharmonic-matthias-pintscher.html">The New York Times</a>: "Difficulty of any kind appeared to be banished in Mendelssohn’s radiant violin concerto with the charismatic Gil Shaham as soloist."</li><li><a href="https://newyorkclassicalreview.com/2024/10/love-is-all-around-philharmonic-from-mendelssohn-to-pintscher/">New York Classical Review</a>: "Warmth arrived at last in the Andante, with its throbbing string phrases and gentle woodwinds supporting the violinist’s elegantly soaring line. The richness of his instrument’s lower register was also welcome."</li></ul>

On Monday Brett Yang and Eddy Chen - the wildly popular Australian comedy team that has been creating humorous violin videos and more since 2013 - posted what they called their "last piece of content as TwoSet Violin." <div align="center"><img src="https://www.violinist.com/art/blog/30162.jpg" width=560 height=315 alt="TwoSet Violin Brett Yang and Eddy Chen"><br><i>TwoSet Violin: Brett Yang and Eddy Chen</i></div> Their post, which went out to the 978,000 followers on their <a href="https://www.instagram.com/twosetviolin/">Instagram page</a>, said: "This will be the last piece of content we post as TwoSet Violin. It’s been a wild ride with you all for the last 11 years. We’ve all grown up together and it’s kinda surreal that we’re ending our chapter here. Thank you for all the laughs, the genuine encounters in real life and all the special moments we’ve had with you online and offline. Much love, Brett and Eddy" The content on their Instagram page had been reduced to just two posts: tha

In her final years, Los Angeles-area violist and educator Kay Pech was an octogenarian who could run circles around all the rest of us. I've been serving on the board of our local American String Teachers Association section (CalASTA-LA) for the last two years - and she had served for decades. Her death at age 84 earlier this month came as a shock to all of us because right until the end, she was making things happen. Kay was born at a time when attitudes were different - her college violin professor told her "this is all well and good, but you’re only going to get married anyway." She said that "at that time I could not have named one professional woman solo violinist, but that didn’t deter me." Kay Pech devoted her musical talent, administrative aptitude and tireless energy to music education on every level - teaching violin and viola students privately, creating and sustaining educational programs, and supporting her fellow teachers. She was also an advocate for chamber music and for women in mus