Soovin Kim Shines with National Philharmonic

Read my review published in the Style section of the Washington Post:

Charles T. Downey, National Philharmonic and Soovin Kim: Predictable Tchaikovsky
Washington Post, June 6, 2011

Tchaikovsky, Violin Concerto, J. Fischer, Russian National Orchestra, Y. Kreizberg [REVIEW]

The National Philharmonic has found a niche serving up chestnuts of the orchestral repertory. The ensemble even packages many of these programs of old favorites by composer, such as Saturday night’s “All Tchaikovsky” concert in the Music Center at Strathmore. What the idea lacks in programming ingenuity, it makes up for in predictability. It must have sold tickets, because the orchestra will perform a similar “All Tchaikovsky” program next season, too.

Violinist Soovin Kim was the highlight of the evening, a straight-backed, patrician virtuoso on the solo part of Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto. The winner of the 1996 Paganini Competition drew a golden tone from the 1709 “ex-Kempner” Stradivarius beginning in the first quiet measures, further impressing with precise, flashing finger-work and largely spot-on intonation, even in off-the-string and multiple-stop passages. The only real blemishes on a tour de force performance were a few scratchy, off-color high flautando notes in the first movement’s cadenza. [Continue reading]

National Philharmonic
With Soovin Kim, violin
Tchaikovsky, Violin Concerto and Symphony No. 5
Music Center at Strathmore

Soovin Kim should be on the radar of more concert presenters: I would rather listen to him than some violinists who appear regularly with many orchestras.

PREVIOUS REVIEWS:
Soovin Kim: 2009 | 2005
National Philharmonic: 2006