Beauty of precision: Sayaka Shoji's London recital debut

By Nahoko Gotoh, 13 November 2015

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“Although she wears her virtuosity lightly, she has a brilliant technique”

Reviewed at St John's Downshire Hill, London on 9 November 2015

Schumann, Violin Sonata no. 1 in A minor, Op.105

Ravel, Violin Sonata no. 2 in G major

Franck, Violin Sonata in A major

Bartók, 6 Romanian Folk Dances, Sz 56

Sayaka Shoji, Violin

Matan Porat, Piano

In Memoriam Friedemann Weigle

Stefan Pillhofer, 12th December

Nach dem Verlust ihres Bratschisten Friedemann Weigle im Juli dieses Jahres ist das Artemis Quartett nun auf Tournee „In Memoriam“, um Seiner zu gedenken.

****1

Full symphonic grandeur from Salonen and the SF Symphony

Lois Silverstein, 6th October

Sayaka Shoji and Salonen remain in close dialogue in a riveting performance of Shostakovich's First Violin Concerto.

****1

Brahms gets a welcome airing in Singapore

Chang Tou Liang, 1st August

Sayaka Shoji performs Brahms' popular Violin Concerto with the Singapore Symphony and Hans Graf.

****1

Turning heads, moving hearts: Kahchun Wong and the BBCSO

Christopher Woodley, 9th February

Richly-coloured performances from Kahchun Wong and the BBCSO evoke powerful expressions of personal resolve.

****1

Ashkenazy and Shoji brings effortless profundity to London

Young-Jin Hur, 28th November

Where great things take effort, truly great things happen naturally. Shoji's Brahms was the highlight of the evening.

*****

Schoenberg sells out in Tokyo

Robert Markow, 19th November

Who would think that a symphony concert featuring Schoenberg and Dutilleux would sell out? Well, it did – in Tokyo. Bravo to the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra for its daring programming.

****1

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Nahoko Gotoh

Nahoko is a UK-based Japanese music journalist with a background in musicology. She writes regularly for various Japanese media including Ongaku no tomo and Mostly Classic magazines.