Violinist.com

For the Record, Op. 404: Tak�cs Quartet, NOVO Quartet, Darragh Morgan

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 22:00:40 GMT

By Laurie Niles: Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening! Click on the highlighted links to obtain each album or learn more about the artists.

The Tak�cs Quartet. Photo by Chet Strange.

Mozart: String Quintets K. 515 & 516 Tak�cs Quartet Edward Dusinberre, violin Harumi Rhodes, violin Richard O�Neill, viola Mihai Marica, cello Timothy Ridout, viola

Track 2 NOVO Quartet Kaya Kato M�ller, violin Nikolai Vasili Nedergaard, violin Daniel Sledzinski, viola Signe Ebstrup Bitsch, cello

Spin: New music for Violin & Orchestra from Northern Ireland Darragh Morgan, violin Ulster Orchestra Irish violinist Darragh Morgan presents world premiere recordings of four concertos written for him over the past two decades by four Northern Irish composers who are each longtime friends and collaborators: Bill Campbell�s "Swim"; Brian Irvine�s "� mon seul d�sir"; Ryan Molloy�s Violin Concerto; and Frank Lyons�s "Spin 3." This portrait of Northern Ireland�s contemporary sound world was made possible by Morgan�s receipt, in 2024, of a Major Individual Artist Award from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The works were premiered by Morgan with the Ulster Orchestra under the baton of various conductors between 2006 and 2025. BELOW: III. Geantra� from the Violin Concerto by Ryan Molloy. If you have a new recording you would like us to consider for inclusion in our "For the Record" feature, please e-mail Editor Laurie Niles. Be sure to include the name of your album, a link to it and a short description of what it includes. You might also like:

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Finalists Announced in the 2026 Wieniawski International Violin Competition

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 20:48:11 GMT

By Laurie Niles: Three Finalists were announced Tuesday in the 2026 Wieniawski International Violin Competition, in Poznan, Poland. They are (click on each name for an in-depth bio):

SooBeen Lee, 26, of South Korea
Jinzhu Li, 19, of China
Bohdan Luts, 21, of Ukraine

Finalists in the 2026 Wieniawski International Violin Competition. Photos by Bartek Barczyk; collage by Violinist.com.

The Gala and Prize-Winner Concerts will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Watch all the performances here on the Wieniawski Competition's Youtube Channel. (You can find previous performances there as well.) BELOW: Jinzhu Li's performance of Sibelius's Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 with Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Lukasz Borowicz BELOW: SooBeen Lee's performance of Sibelius's Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 with Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Lukasz Borowicz BELOW: Bohdan Luts' performance of Dvor�k's Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53 with Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Lukasz Borowicz. During Thursday's Grand Final the three violinists will perform one of Henryk Wieniawski�s two violin concertos. Jinzhu Li and SooBeen Lee will perform Violin Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op. 14; and Bohdan Luts will perform Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22. Jurors for the 2026 Wieniawski Competition are chairman Bartlomiej Niziol, Liviu Prunaru, Gerhard Schulz, Andrea Obiso, Alexander Sitkovetsky, Akiko Suwanai, Agata Szymczewska, Vera Tsu Weiling, Sungsic Yang and Nancy Zhou. * * *

Phoenix Symphony To Lay Off Its Musicians Starting Nov. 2

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 15:00:41 GMT

By Laurie Niles: The 66 full-time musicians of the Phoenix Symphony will lose their jobs effective Nov. 2, according to a statement issued Monday by the Phoenix Symphony.

The Phoenix Symphony. Image courtesy of the Phoenix Symphony.

The statement said that the Phoenix Symphony will "suspend the remaining 2026�27 performances and programs following its scheduled performance on Sunday, Nov. 1. The suspension will affect musicians, staff, subscribers and community programs. Unpaid layoffs of musicians will take effect Monday, Nov. 2." The statement continued, ""The Symphony does not have the financial resources necessary to continue the season. Despite increased revenues, ticket sales and philanthropic support, ongoing operating deficits have left the organization with substantial financial obligations that make continuing the season untenable." The announcement, issued a little over a week after symphony's opening weekend, came as a shock to the musicians. "The Musicians of the Phoenix Symphony are shocked and heartbroken over the Board of Directors' decision to suspect the 2026-2026 season and to lay off all musicians, effective Nov. 2," wrote the musicians on their Facebook page. The symphony's statement said that although the Board has suspended the season (and promised to lay off the musicians), it has not canceled it. "The goal is to reopen as soon as possible. However when, or whether, performances will resume is not yet known." Founded in 1947 as a part-time orchestra, the Phoenix Symphony achieved full-time status in 1972 when it hired conductor Eduardo Mata and moved into its newly-built Symphony Hall. Since 2014 Tito Mu�oz has served as its Music Director. In March the symphony hired Chilean conductor Paolo Bortolameolli as its next Music Director, serving as Music Director Designate this season then taking on the full role in the 2027-28 season. The orchestra's season opened Oct. 9 with three concerts featuring the orchestra's newly appointed Music Director Designate Paolo Bortolameolli, with a performance of Prokofiev�s Symphony No. 5 and Olga Kern performing Rachmaninoff�s Piano Concerto No. 3. "This is the most difficult decision this Board has faced, and we did not make it lightly," said Mo Stein, Chairman of the Board of The Phoenix Symphony. "We have diligently pursued measures to close the gap between operating costs and revenues, and our efforts have not yet been enough. Continuing the season without the cash flow to meet our immediate obligations would put the institution's future at greater risk. Our responsibility now is to minimize further losses, create a robust restructuring plan and build a financial foundation that will last." "We know the consequences of this decision on musicians and staff will be profound. They are the heart of the Symphony, and their artistry and dedication have deeply enriched this community," said Peter Kjome, President and CEO. "We also understand the disappointment for our subscribers, students, concertgoers and many community partners. It has been an honor to share our love of music with this community for nearly 80 years. Now our responsibility is to pursue every reasonable opportunity to preserve this institution for the future." The musicians who will lose their jobs include 66 full-time musicians, including musician who recently relocated to Phoenix in order to join the symphony as well as five married couples. In addition to full-time musicians are the temporary contract and local free-lance musicians who play in the symphony. "We have dedicated our lives to our craft and want nothing more than to contineu to make music for the Phoenix community," said a statement by the musicians. "Our season may be suspended, but we aren't going anywhere." * * *

How to Find a Violin Teacher Who Is Good for You

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:31:50 GMT

By Laurie Niles: Let's face it: the violin is one of the most difficult instruments to learn to play, and the same goes for viola, cello and bass. At a certain point, most violin students -- whether they are beginners or advanced students, children or adults -- find they need some dependable guidance. That is why it is so important to find a good teacher, and to choose that teacher thoughtfully.

How do you go about finding a good violin teacher, asking that teacher for lessons, and then getting set up? Here are some guidelines to help you through that process; thoughts and ideas that I've gathered from nearly 30 years running Violinist.com and 40 years as a violin teacher. I hope you find them to be helpful! Finding a teacher: Your first task will be to gather a list of some names of potential teachers for your child or for yourself. These days, we tend to turn to the Internet for answers, and this can give you some leads, but don't neglect to explore your local "real world" when looking for a violin teacher or other kind of private music teacher. This is also your opportunity to get a feel for a teacher's reputation: who comes with the highest recommendations from students, parents and other teachers? How well is a teacher is respected in the community? Here are some suggestions of places to look and people to contact to help you get recommendations and ideas:

Local college or university music program
Local symphony orchestra, or the closest in the area
Local music stores
Ask fellow parents, especially those whose children already take music lessons
Ask any musicians that you know personally (the music world is small, a pianist or trumpet player may know a violin teacher or at least be able to give you a lead)
Ask the music teacher at your child's school
Local music schools
Our Violinist.com Teacher Directory (Teachers who want to register on this page, see this page for instructions)
Suzuki Association of the Americas Find-a-Teacher Page

How much should lessons cost? This is a very local question, and it greatly depends on the cost of living in your area as well as the reputation and expertise of the teacher. Remember, the lowest-cost, most accommodating teacher may seem like a "great deal," but may not actually be the wisest use of your time and money. A good teacher is going to cost some money, because that person has invested a great deal of time and money in becoming an expert at both playing and teaching. A good teacher is also going to make some demands on you, such as: you will need to commit to attending regular lessons, you will need to practice daily, you will need to participate in recitals, group classes, etc. So expect that you will have to invest both money and time in order to make this work. What questions should I ask? Reviewing a teacher's credentials A good violin (or viola, cello, bass, piano, etc.) teacher has expertise in playing the instrument, has expertise in teaching the instrument, and has experience teaching. Of course, the degree of each kind of expertise will vary in every potential teacher: a younger teacher may not have as much experience; an elite performer may have an impressive performing resume but little formal education in teaching; a teacher who majored in education may have more pedagogy training than performing credits. These can all be great teachers, but you will have to decide what you value and trust most and go with that. It is very important that you trust in the expertise of your teacher, so you can fully commit to that teacher's plans and ideas for you. Here are a few questions to ask - and you may be able to answer these simply from looking at a teacher resume or online biography:

Does the teacher have a degree in music?
Does the teacher have training in teaching ("pedagogy")?
How long has this teacher been teaching?
What age group does this teacher work with? (Some will work with all ages, others specialize in certain age groups. If you want a teacher for your four-year-old, for example, you will want someone with training for this age!)
What level of students does this person teach? (Beginning? Advanced? A combination?)

Approaching a teacher Remember, when you are approaching a teacher, this is not the same thing as buying a consumer product such as a good tennis racket. Certainly, you need to balance quality with cost, and you need to see if a teacher's style and personality will work with you or with your child. But a good teacher will also be making a judgment about you - are you committed to learning and to practice? Will you work in good faith with a teacher? Are you respectful? The teacher-student relationship can often last for many, many years. Ponder this question, which goes both ways: "What are you doing every Wednesday at 4 p.m. for the next five years? Would you spend 30-60 minutes with me?" Here are some guidelines for your first correspondence with a potential teacher:

Identify yourself fully, with your first and last name.
Tell the teacher why you or your child wants lessons.
If this is for your child, mention your child's name and age.
Let the teacher know how you were referred to him or her.
Ask if you can audition for the teacher (if you already play) or talk further (if you are a beginner).
Ask about how much the teacher charges in a tactful way and toward the end of the e-mail, not first thing. (If you mention this first, it will sound very transactional, which can be a turn-off for a teacher who cares about good relationships.)
Provide your contact information, such as a phone number or e-mail address.

Meeting in person It is not always necessary to meet in person before committing to lessons with a particular teacher, but it can be helpful for both parties, to help get a feel for whether or not you are a good fit for each other. Obviously, neither student nor teacher can get a full picture in one meeting, but you can get a sense of each other's personalities and whether you communicate well and feel comfortable. Here are some ideas about what to do in an in-person meeting:

For a beginner: Have a conversation with the teacher about his or her teaching philosophy and style, expectations, scheduling, etc. Also share anything you wish to about your (or your child's) goals, learning style and/or special concerns.
For someone who already plays: audition or play for the teacher and see what course of action the teacher feels is best.
When it comes to children, you may or may not wish to have the child present for this meeting. In general, if you need to talk about behavioral issues, learning disabilities or special needs, it is best to have this conversation without the child present.

Deciding if a teacher is right for you After talking with a teacher (or with several), you'll have to decide whether or not you would like to commit to lessons with this teacher. Here are some questions to ask yourself, once you have gathered all the information:

Do you have confidence this teacher's expertise?
Does the teacher seem interested in you and your progress and goals?
Do you have any feedback from current or former students, and is it positive?
Are you inspired by this teacher?
Are you able to work out any scheduling issues?
And in the end: your gut reaction is a pretty good guide! Ultimately this is a teacher for you or your child, not for anyone else, so go with your own instincts.

The very young child (age eight and under) If you are considering lessons for a very young child, it is important to understand that this is a big commitment for a parent. Simply put, it's not easy. A child under the age of eight will need daily practice supervision, private lessons and group lessons. It is the parent(s) who will be making that commitment and supervising the fulfillment of that commitment. The most common method for starting very young students is The Suzuki Method; if you wish to read further about this, here is an article that explains the Suzuki Method in detail. I hope this helps you in your search for the best possible teacher for you or your child! Please feel free to share any further suggestions and ideas below. You might also like:

The Week in Reviews, Op. 572: Sergey Khachatryan, Matthew Lipman, Leila Josefowicz

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 18:32:15 GMT

By Laurie Niles: 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 Sergey Khachatryan.

Sergey Khachatryan performed the Khachaturian Violin Concerto with the San Diego Symphony and Rafael Payare.

Classical Music Daily: "It was an exciting performance that changed my view of the work....Khachatryan's approach made other interpretations seem almost polite."
San Diego Story: "Violinist Sergey Khachatryan...gave an impassioned, compelling interpretation of the work."
San Diego Jewish World: "Sergey Katchatryan gave a stunning performance of the exciting work..."

Matthew Lipman performed Walton�s Viola Concerto with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and Stilian Kirov.

Chicago Classical Review: "One could hardly imagine a more communicative or beautifully played rendering of this somewhat elusive 1929 work. The soloist drew an oaky, burnished tone from his 2021 custom-made Zygmuntowicz instrument. In the motoric central Vivo and fast sections elsewhere, Lipman�s passagework was immaculate, the young violist making the technical challenges look easy."

Leila Josefowicz performed John Adams� "Scheherazade.2" with the composer conducting the National Symphony Orchestra.

Washington Classical Review: "Adams wrote the solo violin part for Josefowicz, and her mastery of the work, played from memory, proved an essential element in the piece�s impact. With impeccable intonation and acrobatic virtuosity, she incarnated the indomitable spirit of the title character."

Anne Akiko Meyers performed Arturo M�rquez's "Fandango" Violin Concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Giancarlo Guerrero.

Chicago Classical Review: "Meyers remained a stunning solo protagonist throughout, bringing unremitting flair to this closing movement�s technical demands, supported by Guerrero�s sensitive treatment of the colorful accompaniment."
CBS Chicago (interview): AAM - "It's a very full-contact sport, playing the violin!"

Hilary Hahn and cellist Seth Parker Woods performed Carlos Simon's "Double Concerto" with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons.

Boston Classical Review: "Hahn and Parker Woods navigated their contributions urgently. The violinist sounds wonderful playing just about anything and hardly disappointed here. She brought clarity and light to her high-lying moments as well as rich soul to the bluesy fourth movement�s swooping melodicism. Parker Woods was no less impressive when his instrument projected."

Itzhak Perlman performed with pianist Rohan da Silva at the Music Center at Strathmore for Washington Performing Arts.

Washington Classical Review: "...he best parts reminded one of the wisdom that comes with time."

Olgu Kizilay performed Ilyas Mirzayev's Violin Concerto No. 2 with the Antalya State Symphony Orchestra and Nikos Haliassas in Turkey.

Turkiye Today: "The three-movement concerto explored themes of inner conflict, the search for freedom, love and compassion. Its second movement featured a lullaby dedicated to Kizilay's newborn daughter, Dafne, bringing an emotional element to the performance."

REDCAT and Wild Up performed a concert called "Democracy Sessions: Order and Its Others" at CalArts Theater.

San Francisco Classical Voice: "...violinist Adrianne Pope('s) playing transcended all bounds; her violin became a sound effect machine, a human voice, and then a fiddle as an Americana folk melody emerged masterfully from the percussive ostinato underneath it."

Johan Dalene performed the Brahms Violin Concerto with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Nathalie Stutzmann.

EarRelevant: "Dalene offered an expressive, finely detailed interpretation, balancing technical command with a persuasive sense of musical conversation."

Please support live music in your community by attending a concert or recital whenever you can! You might also like:

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Semi-Finalists Announced in the 2026 Wieniawski International Violin Competition

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 22:44:44 GMT

By Laurie Niles: Semi-Finalists were announced Sunday in the 2026 Wieniawski International Violin Competition, in Poznan, Poland. They are:

Jooha Choi, 25, of South Korea
Anna Im, 27, of South Korea
SooBeen Lee, 26, of South Korea
Jinzhu Li, 19, of China
Bohdan Luts, 21, of Ukraine
Meng Zou, 24, of China

Semi-finalists in the 2026 Wieniawski International Violin Competition. Photos by Bartek Barczyk; collage by Violinist.com.

The Semi-Finals begin on Tuesday and continue through Wednesday. Find the schedule here, and watch all the rounds here on the Wieniawski Competition's Youtube Channel. (You can find previous performances there as well.) The semi-finalists will perform a violin concerto with the Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Lukasz Borowicz, chosen from concertos by Sibelius, Dvorak, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Beethoven or Karlowicz. Three Grand Finalists will be named a few hours after the last performance in the semi-finals. During the Grand Final the three violinists will perform one of Henryk Wieniawski�s two violin concertos -- Violin Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op. 14 or Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22. The Grand Final will take place on Thursday. Jurors for the 2026 Wieniawski Competition are chairman Bartlomiej Niziol, Liviu Prunaru, Gerhard Schulz, Andrea Obiso, Alexander Sitkovetsky, Akiko Suwanai, Agata Szymczewska, Vera Tsu Weiling, Sungsic Yang and Nancy Zhou. * * *

For the Record, Op. 403: Nikki & Timothy Chooi; Patkop; Rachel Podger; Mar�a Due�as; Chiaroscuro Quartet

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 19:31:16 GMT

Violinists Nikki and Timothy Chooi.

Double Nikki Chooi, violin Timothy Chooi, violin Eunice Kim; piano

Patkop and Say: Prokofiev and Szymanowski Patricia Kopatchinskaja, violin Fazil Say, piano

Duologues Rachel Podger, violin Lucie Horsch, recorder Jane Rogers, viola Alex Rolton, cello

Halvorsen Violin Concerto Maria Due�as, violin Orchestre M�tropolitain, Yannick N�zet-S�guin conducting

Beethoven String Quartets Op. 59 No. 3, Op. 95 No. 2, Grosse Fuge Chiaroscuro Quartet Alina Ibragimova, violin Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux, violin Emilie H�rnlund, viola Claire Thirion, cello

If you have a new recording you would like us to consider for inclusion in our "For the Record" feature, please e-mail Editor Laurie Niles. Be sure to include the name of your album, a link to it and a short description of what it includes. You might also like:

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The Week in Reviews, Op. 571: Guy Braunstein, Nicola Benedetti, Siqing Lu

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 19:56:53 GMT

Guy Braunstein performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and Benjamin Zander.

The Boston Musical Intelligencer: "His cadenza featured exploration rather than ostentation, and it ended with Beethoven�s little surprise, the soloist not commenting on the second subject but now, for the first time, simply playing it."
Boston Classical Review: "Braunstein�s approach was clearly a choice, and the music could certainly handle it. If the finale was perhaps more brawny than beautiful as a result � the downbeats heavily emphasized, passagework dry � the concerto�s recurring first-movement runs were appealingly rhapsodic and the Larghetto�s mesospheric arpeggios unfailingly pure"

Nicola Benedetti performed Prokofiev�s Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor with the San Francisco Symphony and Karina Canellakis.

San Francisco Classical Voice: "Benedetti�s every note was in place and in tune, played with care and liveliness, making the performance feel neat and correct, though never quite inspired."

Siqing Lu performed his "East Meets West" concert at Boston�s Faneuil Hall.

The National Law Review: "From the tenderness of the (Butterly Lovers)� first meeting, through separation and struggle, to the final transformation into butterflies, Lu shaped the work with warmth, depth, sorrow, and romantic expression."

Acting Concertmaster Bing Wang and Principal Viola Ben Ullery performed Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, K. 364, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Kwam� Ryan.

San Francisco Classical Voice: "Wang and Ullery went through their paces stylishly and agreeably, neither getting in each other�s way, neither rising far above the orchestra in presence, with Ullery playing out more during the Andante movement."

Simon Zhu performed the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra and Henry Cheng.

EarRelevant: "Throughout all three movements, his performance was measured, brilliant, sensitive, exuberant� choose your own superlative adjective."

Isabelle Seula Lee and Nicholas DiEugenio performed Vivaldi�s Concerto for Two Violins in A minor with The Sebastians in New York.

New York Classical Review: "The Larghetto e spiritoso revealed them at their most intimate, their lyrical lines gently intertwining. In the concluding Allegro, Lee and DiEugenio conjured drama through fast, fiery, and precise interplay."

Justin Bruns performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the North Carolina Symphony and Carlos Miguel Prieto.

EarRelevant: "...he appeared entirely natural in his role as soloist, playing with great panache, sensitivity, and complete mastery of the technical requirements."

Violist Sara Ferr�ndez performed the Walton Viola Concerto with the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra and Josep Vicent.

Bach Track: "Her performance would surely havre convinced any sceptics about the viola as a solo concerto instrument. Ferr�ndez played with strength and beauty that were utterly captivating. "

Chloe Chua performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Hannu Lintu.

Bach Track: "Her tone is warm and generous, exhibiting excellent intonation, coupled with a winsome stage demeanour completely free of artifice."

Please support live music in your community by attending a concert or recital whenever you can! You might also like:

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Interview with Noah Bendix-Balgley: a Klezmer Concerto in Germany

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:50:35 GMT

By Laurie Niles: Violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley has a fascinating perspective, between his American roots, his Jewish heritage and his 12 years in Germany as First Concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic. Bendix-Balgley is at the center of a new release from Berlin Philharmonic Recordings, which showcases his talents as a soloist and composer in a recording called Klezmer Concerto. The recording celebrates Jewish music, featuring his "Fidl-Fantazye" Klezmer Concerto, as well as other klezmer arrangements by Bendix-Balgley, performed with the Berlin Phil. It's a remarkable milestone, considering Bendix-Balgley's family history. Back in the early 20th century, Berlin was home to his paternal grandfather and great grandfather and their family -- before they had to flee to escape the Nazis. "It is poignant to be able to play this Jewish music in Berlin, in the Philharmonie," Bendix-Balgley said, "and to celebrate this Jewish musical tradition that was nearly lost." BELOW: an excerpt from the 1st movement of Noah's Fidl-Fantazye. Bendix-Balgley himself was born in Asheville, N.C. and started violin when he was four. His studies took him to Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and the Munich Hochschule, with his principal mentors being Mauricio Fuks, Christoph Poppen and Ana Chumachenco. He was a laureate of the 2009 Queen Elisabeth Competition and won top prizes at the Long-Thibaud Competition in France and the Postacchini Competition in Italy. Bendix-Balgley wrote his Klezmer Concerto 10 years ago, in celebration of his Jewish heritage, family traditions and lifelong personal connection with klezmer music. He premiered it with Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, where he had served as Concertmaster from 2011 until 2015. This recording features a live performance with the Berlin Philharmonic, in a Late Night concert in 2023 at the Philharmonie Berlin. Bendix-Balgley spoke with Violinist.com about his family, about connecting to klezmer music through his father, about his composing process, his observations about American and German symphony orchestras, and his new orchestral excerpt project with Henle.

Violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley. Photo by Nikolaj Lund

Laurie: Tell me a little bit about your upbringing, Jewish heritage and klezmer roots. Noah: I grew up in a Jewish family in Asheville, North Carolina. My parents truly love and appreciate music classical music, but are not musicians themselves. I remember that classical and folk music was always on in the house. Most often it was classical public radio station in Western North Carolina, but also albums from my parents� collections of classical and folk music. I do recall there being some Berlin Philharmonic recordings with Herbert von Karajan! My father Erik Bendix is a professional dancer and dance teacher who specializes in the folk dance traditions of Eastern Europe, so I heard a lot of traditional folk music growing up, music from Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, and also klezmer music from the Yiddish tradition.

BELOW: Erik Bendix demonstrates his choreography for Noah's Klezmer violin concerto.

As a kid, I was often at my father�s workshops and festivals that he taught at. As I had started playing violin, I became interested in learning those folk music styles on violin, whether Greek, Bulgarian, or klezmer. And there were fantastic musicians and bands playing at these festivals. So I got to know great klezmer musicians from bands like Brave Old World and The Klezmatics and started learning the style myself. Laurie: What was your composing process for the Fidl-Fantazye? Did you improvise, and then write things down? Are there any direct quotes of particular klezmer tunes? Noah: The first question I had to address was whether to use traditional klezmer melodies that I knew and feature those in my piece, or to compose my own melodies. I chose the latter option, using my knowledge of the style and tunes I know as an influence, but making up my own melodies. To come up with ideas, I definitely played around and improvised first with the violin. So the composition came very much from a player�s perspective. I also worked at the piano, though my pianistic skills are limited! But it is essential for me to try out harmonies and ideas there. I then collaborated with the wonderful composer Samuel Adler, an important figure of American classical composition and education since many decades. He took my violin/piano version and orchestrated it, bringing color and atmosphere, and some seriously challenging licks for solo players in the orchestra! My concerto features a number of different dance forms from the klezmer tradition, for example "Khosidl," "Terkischer," "Hora" and "Freilekhs." These different dances are distinguished by their tempo, meter, and rhythmic groove. Of course when composing for example a Hora for my concerto, I had in mind the traditional Hora tunes that I know. The quotes I did use though were actually from Gustav Mahler: specifically from his Fifth Symphony. Mahler famously used klezmer style in some of his symphonies (most overtly in the third movement of the First Symphony). A couple of melodies from the Fifth Symphony have always sounded �klezmery� to me. The premiere of my concerto was paired with Mahler�s Fifth in June 2016, and so I decided to put in some Mahler quotes in the klezmer concerto, starting in the second movement. It was my answer to a fantasized idea that perhaps Mahler heard these melodies played by a klezmer band, and then put them in a classical setting! BELOW: Fidl-Fantazye, movement IIa. Doina � Nign. Laurie: It's been some 10 years since you premiered Fidl-Fantazye: A Klezmer Concerto - what has been the response? Has there been anything surprising? Did it feel different to play it with your colleagues in the Berlin Phil, vs. Pittsburgh? Noah: The Klezmer Concerto has been such a wonderful way to bring this style that I love around the world, and introduce it to classical audiences. It is always really fun to see how different ensembles get to know the piece and style and then really embrace the joy and emotion of it! I�ve been lucky to play it often - this season I think I�ll play it with the 20th different orchestra so far, from the U.S., to Germany, France, Austria, and China. Here is one little story that I think illustrates what I love about the experience: After the premiere with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the second place I performed the concerto was in Beijing, with the China Philharmonic in 2017. The musicians there didn�t know about klezmer music at all, but they were so receptive and really got into the style. A few of the musicians came up to me and said that they really like this music so much, and it reminded them of the folk music from Northwestern China, Xinjiang. The music there also uses mixed meters, with lots of augmented intervals - common features of Middle Eastern music. Of course Western China was at one end of the Silk Road, while the Eastern European Jews were at the other end. I thought it was wonderful how it connected to this other tradition and resonated with the musicians in Beijing! Every time I play it with a different ensemble, it�s a new adventure, and I like that. Because the piece allows for and encourages flexibility and some improvisational qualities, it�s great to see how different musicians take up that challenge. To play it and then record it with my Berlin Philharmonic colleagues was a real honor, because this is my musical family now, and I am inspired by my colleagues here all the time. Berlin was also the home of my father�s family (my grandfather and great grandfather) before they had to flee to escape the Nazis. So it is poignant to be able to play this Jewish music in Berlin, in the Philharmonie, and to celebrate this Jewish musical tradition that was nearly lost. Laurie: Tell be about the other work on your album, Odessa Bulgar. What drew you to this traditional piece, and what is it about? Noah: Odessa Bulgar is a klezmer classic, a tune I have played since I was a kid. I play it in a medley of tunes, starting out with an improvisation called a Doina, and then going to a beautiful slow Hora tune called "Der Gasn Nign," which means "The Street Tune," This was traditionally played as a processional through the streets on a wedding day. BELOW: "Odessa Bulgar" I had previously arranged these tunes for the septet I play in, Philharmonix. For the klezmer concert in Berlin, I rearranged it for orchestra, expanding the scale, and bringing in more instruments and featuring prominently the clarinet, trumpet, piano and solo cello. The close out the album, I play a solo violin tune called "Yismekhu." I learned this moving melody from the klezmer violinist and vocalist Michael Alpert, who in turn learned it from the legendary klezmer violinist Abe Schwartz. In this tune, you can hear clearly the krechtz of the klezmer violin. This ornament is quintessential to the klezmer style, and imitates the cry or wail of cantors when their voices break with emotion. BELOW: Noah performs "Yismekhu" for violin solo. Laurie: You are an American violinist, but you have been a leader in the Berlin Phil for a long time. How many years have you been there? With the orchestra performing in New York, do you have any thoughts on classical music in the two countries? What could we learn from each other in our approaches, both musically and socially? Noah: I have been First Concertmaster in Berlin since 2014. Time flies! This is a shared position - I have a wonderful colleague Daishin Kashimoto who is also First Concertmaster. Having a shared position is already a difference between German orchestras and American ones: in Pittsburgh I was the only one in the position. In Berlin, we do have a lot of flexibility with our schedule, since principal positions are shared. So when I am not playing in the orchestra, I can play solo concerts, play with my chamber groups such as Philharmonix and my Rosamunde String Quartet, or teach. The members of the Berlin Philharmonic really value the flexibility they have and relish the opportunity to pursue artistic projects outside of the orchestra, whether it is chamber ensembles, teaching, conducting or composing. I find that these "outside" artistic endeavors enrich the playing and atmosphere in the orchestra. When colleagues return to play orchestra after time away for other musical pursuits, they come back with new impulses, energy and ideas. The Berlin Philharmonic is a self-run democratic orchestra. This democracy can be messy and time-consuming, but I like that in the end we are masters of our destiny. The whole orchestra votes at the auditions, decides on tenure for new members, elects the chief conductor, and is involved all important decisions for the orchestra. That is a big difference with American orchestras, where there is unfortunately often a feeling among musicians that important decisions (including artistic ones) are made by management, and musicians can feel left out of the process. Just look at the ongoing situation with the Boston Symphony. However, I don�t claim that the German model could simply be transplanted to the U.S., since it is completely different. Most German orchestras are primarily relying on public funding, while for U.S. orchestras it is private funding. And U.S. orchestras can build amazing connections with their communities and audiences through the U.S. model, and they can be extremely creative and ambitious because of this. I do think the German model could (and should) take some elements from the U.S. one, and bring in some more private funding as well. That is becoming necessary too, as arts budget cuts are always a topic in Germany, even recently in Berlin. Laurie: I understand you have a new orchestral studies book published by Henle - please tell me about that. What inspired you to write it? Do you find yourself teaching or coaching violinists on orchestra excerpts? How is your book different from other such books? Is it just for violin, or for other instruments, too? Did you collaborate with other musicians on it? Noah: Young violinists often ask me for advice and tips about orchestral excerpts and auditions. I try to help and share what I can, based on my own experiences taking auditions, playing in orchestras and listening to auditions. But I have often found that this idea of "studying excerpts" drives young musicians into a smaller and smaller corner. Only these very short bits of music that are drilled and practiced over and over again in isolation, and all this pressure to "do it right" and in a way the committee will like. This seems to separate orchestral excerpts from music-making and from the wonderful orchestral repertoire that they are drawn from. I decided I wanted to address this properly and prepare a new orchestral excerpts book. The book will have two parts: the most common audition excerpts, presented as cleanly and accurately as possible (which has been a problem with past collections!). And an appendix, with those same excerpts, accompanied by short texts addressing the context of each excerpt, technical and musical aspects, as well as my suggestions for fingerings and bowings. And I will also have tutorial videos on all the excerpts. The Orchestral Studies series from Henle will eventually feature all the instruments of the orchestra. It is coming out on their newly announced �Horizons� series. We start however with strings, and those books will be published later in 2027, as well as on the Henle App. There are some fantastic other musicians involved in this project who I really respect: Wolfram Brandl will do the operatic violin excerpts: he is Concertmaster of the Berlin State Opera. For viola, we have Teng Li, principal Violist of the Chicago Symphony, and Milan Milisavljevic of the Metropolitan Opera. On cello, my Berlin Philharmonic colleague Ludwig Quandt, and Sennu Laine from the Berlin State Opera. And for bass, �d�n Racz, who is Principal bass of the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera. It is a big project, but one that I am so excited about! You might also like:

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Remembering Violin Maker Berl Mendenhall (1948-2026)

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 18:00:30 GMT

By Bruce Babbitt: When traveling south out of Zanesville, Ohio, the road predictably and historically takes you along the wide banks of the Muskingum River. One can see the present and the past all at once. Just as you get a glimpse of what was once one of the mighty locks, Rockeby, you�re at the workshop of the late violin maker, Berl Mendenhall.

Violin maker Berl Mendenhall.

Berl was a native of these Appalachian foothills. Born in Chesterhill, he was a descendent of Shaker traditions and sensitivities, growing up dreaming of being an artist. Not the first to be swayed by such dreams, the path twisted and turned and eventually manifested itself in violin making. He worked in a shop built by Amish craftsmen and surrounded himself with antique tools he had collected. The study of the violin took him around to many of the major cities of the U.S., to shops of violin makers and dealers alike. His instruments were an evolution of those many miles traveled, an educated eye, and an open mind to critique and change. He was driven by both desire and curiosity. His instruments attracted the admiration of many leading fiddle players and violin shops coast to coast. Besides his personal work, he was instrumental in the production of a line of violins labeled Mendelli Brothers, for beginner students. He was an individual that was always able to find something in common with everyone. Also, a great conversationalist and story teller. In the violin world, he had this opportunity during many visits to the auction rooms in Boston and numerous Violin Society of America Conventions. Probably not since the days of James R. Carlisle has a maker from Ohio gained as wide of an exposure, derived from such a variety of sources, as Berl Mendenhall. Berl is survived by his grieving family and many friends and acquaintances. More details can be found here. You might also like:

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