Sound of Charlotte Blog
Why Gil Shaham Calls Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto “Iconic”
September 3, 2025
When Gil Shaham takes the stage with the Charlotte Symphony for our Annual Gala Concert on September 18, he'll perform one of the most beloved works in the violin repertoire: Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major.
Shaham has loved the piece since childhood, when he first discovered a recording by Isaac Stern. "I used to listen to that...over and over," he recalls. Today, he counts the concerto among the defining works of the violin literature:
Shaham has loved the piece since childhood, when he first discovered a recording by Isaac Stern. "I used to listen to that...over and over," he recalls. Today, he counts the concerto among the defining works of the violin literature:
"I think this piece qualifies as being iconic. I know that's a term that people overuse. But writing for the violin before Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, or after, there's a clear point of demarcation. Here is where things change." - Gil Shaham
When it was premiered in 1878, the concerto faced skepticism. The performance inspired one of the most scathing and infamous reviews in music history. For months after the concert, Tchaikovsky carried a copy of the review with him and could recite Eduard Hanslick's caustic words by heart:
"Friedrich Vischer once observed, speaking of obscene pictures, that they stink to the eye. Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto gives us, for the first time, the hideous notion that there can be music that sinks to the ear." - Eduard Hanslick
Yet within a few years, violinists like Leopold Auer and Mischa Elman championed the work's brilliance, and the concerto soon became a cornerstone of the repertoire.
What makes it so enduring? For Shaham, it's Tchaikovsky's unmatched ability to capture the full range of human emotion. "The expression and the emotion of the music was just on a different level of anything that was written before. He really felt that music can take you to all extremes of emotion. He was out there to push the limits."
What makes it so enduring? For Shaham, it's Tchaikovsky's unmatched ability to capture the full range of human emotion. "The expression and the emotion of the music was just on a different level of anything that was written before. He really felt that music can take you to all extremes of emotion. He was out there to push the limits."
Experience Gil Shaham's dazzling performance of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with Music Director Kwamé Ryan and the Charlotte Symphony in an all-Tchaikovsky program.
This post includes excerpts from "The Concerto That Changed Everything for Violinists," a WRTI Arts Desk feature by Susan Lewis.
Concertmaster Calin Lupanu chats about his 1857 Pierre Silvestre violin
December 13, 2018
Concertmaster Calin Lupanu plays on an 1857 Pierre Silvestre violin. He traveled to many cities - at least 10 - and says he considered about 70 different instruments before coming across the one he would eventually own.
"I knew the moment that I saw it that it was a special violin," says Lupanu. "It was in mint condition and was part of a lady's estate -- she had been a professional violinist and it hadn't been played in over 30 years." He bought the violin from John Montgomery Violins in Raleigh.
Prior to his purchase of the Silvestre, Calin says he performed on a loaner instrument. And, he says, he still has his violin from Romania, where he's originally from, which he plays at outdoor venues.
But he saves the Silvestre for the mainstage. Hear Calin play on his beloved instrument when we feature him, May 17-19, 2019, as a soloist on Ravel's Tzigane.... Read more
Meet our Guest: Sergej Krylov
October 26, 2018 | Effervescent musicianship, intense lyricism and beguiling tonal beauty belong to the qualities that have secured Sergei Krylov's place among today's most renowned performers. The Russian-born violinist directs breath-taking virtuosity to reveal profound expressive insights into the works in his strikingly broad repertoire. 'Krylov articulated concisely, with humour, sometimes incisive but never defiant,' observed DiePresse.com following a recent performance of Prokofiev's First Violin Concerto. Other commentators have praised the intelligence, imagination and intuitive power of his musicianship. In recent seasons, Sergei Krylov has become a regular guest with several major institutions and collaborated with many of the world's leading orchestras. |
Among the prominent personalities with whom he has worked, Krylov's friendship with Mstislav Rostropovich stands among the most important influences on his artistic life. Over the past decade he has collaborated with many leading conductors, from Dmitri Kitayenko, Mikhail Pletnev, Valery Gergiev, Andrey Boreyko, Vasily Petrenko and Vladimir Jurowski to Fabio Luisi, Roberto Abbado, Yuri Temirkanov, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Dmitry Liss, Yuri Bashmet and Michał Nesterowicz.
Highlights of Sergei Krylov's 2017/18 season included Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Vasily Petrenko, Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto with the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin and Dmitri Kitayenko, and performances with the Russian National Orchestra, Prague Radio Symphony, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Turin's Rai Orchestra, and the Orchestra of the Teatro San Carlo, Naples.... Read more
How a Violinist is like a Pro Athlete
September 4, 2018If you've ever seen Joshua Bell perform live, you'll understand just how much stamina and sheer power goes into every performance. Here, we pick Joshua Bell's brain on the athleticism behind his performances.
 | First of all, we've heard that you lose weight every time you perform? Yes! I'm quite physical when I play, so it's quite good exercise. I probably lose at least a couple of pounds after a two-hour performance. It almost makes up for the fact that I tend to celebrate afterwards with a huge meal! Almost. That sounds like a good workout plan. Do you exercise off-stage, too? Well, not as much as I used to, but I still love to play tennis and basketball, and I always seem to be running through airports to catch my plane! |
You also have children you must run after quite a bit?
Yes, three. Three young boys, 8-year-old twins, and an 11 year-old. I'm trying to teach them tennis, so hopefully they will help me stay in shape.
We also hear you're a foodie.
Yes! I love food. It's one of the great joys of traveling. I love tasting foods from different regions of the world. Recent highlights were eating at Noma in Copenhagen, The French Laundry in Napa, Au Cheval in Chicago wow, what a burger! I also just got back from Asia, including Thailand, which has some of my favorite food in the world.
So what's the greatest parallel between an athlete in competition and a violinist on stage?
There are so many similarities. To excel in either, it always helps to have started young, and both require excessive training. Whether it's playing basketball or playing the violin, one must have extreme focus, and must have confidence which comes from great preparation and also from learning how to conquer ones fears and doubts under pressure - always trying to get "in the zone."
Also, as a soloist with an orchestra, you're part of a "team" effort in the presenting of music.
Absolutely. As with sports, making music is almost always a team effort. One must react to others, and know how and when to lead and when to follow. An orchestra is a lot like a football team, all with separate tasks but working toward a common goal, and the soloists job, I suppose, is to be part quarterback and part coach! (OK, maybe I've taken the analogy too far!)...It is no coincidence that I happen to love football season, and I always try my best to keep my Sundays free to watch as many games as possible! Go Panthers!... Read more
6 Things about Joshua Bell
August 23, 2018He was a child prodigy.Joshua Bell was born in Bloomington, Indiana, on December 9, 1967 and began taking violin at age 4. His parents had noticed that he had stretched rubber bands across the handles of his dresser drawer to try to replay music he had heard her play on the piano. |  |
A teenage symphonic debut.
By 14 Bell had appeared as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Riccardo Muti. He studied violin at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and went on to receive an Artist Diploma in Violin Performance from Indiana University in 1989. By 17 he had debuted at Carnegie Hall debut with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.A champion of new works.Like the Charlotte Symphony, Bell is a fan of promoting new works. Having premiered Nicholas Maw's violin concerto, which is dedicated to Bell, in 1993, he won a Grammy Award for his recording. He will kick off our 2018-19 season at Opening Night, where he'll perform the Brahms Violin Concerto and we'll debut a commissioned work by Nkeiru Okoye in celebration of Charlotte at 250. |  |
Fate and a 300-year old Stradivarius.
Bell's instrument is a storied 300-year old Stradivarius violin, the "Gibson ex Huberman," made in 1713. The instrument survived war, theft, and much more, and we'll hear it live on September 21. Read the story in Bell's own words, here.Oscars, etc.
Bell performed the violin solos for the Oscar-winning soundtrack for 'The Red Violin' and was also featured in film scores including 'Ladies in Lavender', 'Iris' and 'Defiance'.
A man of other talents.
On May 26, 2011, Bell was named Music Director of the British music ensemble, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Selected by the orchestra members, he is the only other person to hold this position following the great Sir Neville Marriner, who founded the orchestra in 1958.... Read more| Older Posts » |
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