News and Reviews
News
July 27th, 2007
Tamsin and Gregorio’s finest hour
Despite the atrocious weather that saw audience figures plummet from over 200 to just 60, the sheer professionalism, dedication and joy in playing of Tamsin Waley-Cohen (violin) and Gregorio Nardi, (piano) was exemplary.
Charles Ives’ descriptive music of boyhood memories of "Decoration Day In America" was intensely moving.
Tamsin painted a reflective heartfelt picture of sorrow and celebration with snatches of bugle calls and American marched clearly heard before a slow quiet coda proclaimed evening twilight.
Written in 1892 but first published in 1977, Frederick Delius’ "Sonata in B Major" begins like a new dawn-fresh-with a flowing melodic line and full rich piano accompaniment.
Ethereal tunes continue throughout with a distinctive tickling piano motif beginning the third movement and both instruments equally dominant in the finale.
Tamsin beautiful tone, perfect vibrato and intense feeling would have won the admiration of Delius himself a talented violinist.
Keen interest in jazz influenced Maurice Ravel’s "Sonata" with its central movement of using Blues idioms and rhythms.
Unbroken shivering semi quavers on the violin and jazzy waltz of the piano have equal expression to both artists in the third movement.
An encore if Huw Watkins’ "Romance" with tender violin passage and controlled gentle piano playing demonstrated that these performers perfectly complimented each other.
Gloucestershire Echo, Jill Bacon
May 30th, 2007
After conducting Tamsin in Tchaikovsky's violin concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall, renowned conductor Jose Serebrier wrote a few days later "I am still mesmerized by her performance which moved me enormously. Her performance showed great sensitivity, sense of beauty and communication."
March 26th, 2007
Tamsin wins the J&A Beare Solo Bach Competition with her performance of Bach's D Minor Partita. J&A Beare Solo Bach Competition
March 1st, 2007
Tamsin now has the wonderful 1720-21 Stradivarius violin which used to belong to maestro Lorand Fenyves; it was purchased by a US-based trust which has allocated it for her indefinite use. Tamsin and the violin are now in the process of getting used to each other, and during the coming months, she will start to play it at concerts.
Reviews
May 22nd, 2006
“I've had one glorious escape this week, hearing the violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen playing with an Italian pianist, Gregorio Nardi, and dealing with Brahms and Mozart as if she had the emotions of someone twice her age. She's 20.” James Naughtie, The New Statesman
April 4th, 2006
“Tamsin Waley-Cohen first came to my attention in the 2005 Royal College of Music String Player of the Year concert, and I was impressed with her playing, so it came as a welcome opportunity to hear her again in the more expansive context of Bruch’s first violin concerto.Her reading seemingly began in media res with the first solo statements hinting at glimpses of the eternal that Bruch extends to great effect as the work continues. If early on there was a slight tendency for some phrases not to be given their full due, this was quickly overcome as confidence and passionate advocacy of the solo line took hold. With playing that emphasized inherent musicality over the display of virtuoso technique for its own sake Waley-Cohen proved a persuasive and enchanting soloist. Particularly pleasing was her willingness to inflect the part with shadings of piano playing without making the effect seem anything other than natural. In respect of the tone Waley-Cohen produced, this was possessed of an unforced singing quality that was notable in the higher register, which contrasted well with the rich chest voice of her instrument’s lower ranges. The second movement was memorable for the direct simplicity of her playing and phrasing, whilst the third movement was imbued with a rousing bite to the phrasing.” Evan Dickerson, Seen and Heard International.
February 9th, 2006
“The soloist, Tamsin Waley-Cohen, is only in her second year at the RCM but already has an impressive tote of competitions to her credit and, on the evidence of this concert, is clearly a name to watch out for.” Douglas Cooksey, www.classicalsource.com