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Violinist Ilya Kaler opens Distinguished Artist Series with Vivaldi, Beethoven and Kreisler

by Richard Lynde
September 30, 2019

The 2019-20 The Distinguished Artists Concert Series, founded and directed by John Orlando since 1984, now Emeritus Head of the Piano Department at Cabrillo College, opened this season’s performances with a splendid violin-piano recital at Peace United Church in Santa Cruz on Saturday evening, September 21st. The stunning program, featuring violinist Ilya Kaler and frequent pianist here, Alon Goldstein at the mighty Yamaha CFX concert grand gave a rousing performance “as advertised” –- in a word “sensational.” While Goldstein often deceptively appears as if in a meditative trance, Ilya Kaler strode out with his fiddle in an energetic, forceful stance. Yet the duo performed “as one.”  Kaler is the only violinist to have gold-medalled in all three of these huge international competitions: The Paganini (1981), The Sibelius (1985) and the Tchaikovsky (1986).  He continues to concertize all over the world and is currently on the faculty of the Cleveland Institute. Goldstein also is in demand around the world, and his Festival appearances include not only the Marlboro in Vermont but also the super-exclusive Verbier in the Swiss Alps.

This generous and varied program opened with the Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major (1709) by Antonio Vivaldi, a composer all but unknown until the early 20th century, when huge numbers of manuscripts began to be discovered. Kaler’s violin produced an exalted big sound, whereas in this interesting piece the piano part of Goldstein’s was quite recessive, more accompaniment than equals. The Prelude displayed Kaler’s power and intensity, the Corrente was full of sprightly running figures, and the Gigue was a jolly dance appropriate either for a gathering of peasants or aristocrats, This fresh and imaginative work was a welcome contrast to some of Vivaldi’s ‘wallpaper music.’   (Read more at http://www.peninsulareviews.com/2019/09/30/violinist-ilya-kaler-pianist-alon-goldstein-open-distinguished-artist-series/)

The return of Ilya Kaler 

The Russian-born violinist delivers a prize-winning Paganini

BY JOHN W. BARKER   APRIL 26, 2018

Kaler wowed the audience with a Bach encore.

Russian-born violinist Ilya Kaler made a stunning impression when he appeared with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra two seasons ago. Back then, Kaler presented a virtuoso performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.   On April 20, the WCO brought Kaler back to Madison, and the soloist outdid himself by playing a concerto by Nicolò Paganini; Kaler won the Paganini Competition in Genoa in 1981.    The Concerto No. 2 in B minor is known as La campanella, or “Little Bell.” The name derives from the final movement (which really includes a little bell), built upon a tune that both Paganini himself and then Liszt turned into a widely played solo piece.     As music, this concerto is not particularly distinguished, and its purpose is to provide a platform for the soloist’s fireworks. It was originally played by the composer himself and is now tackled by violinists with boundless technique and a lot of nerve. Kaler plainly has both. The technical demands upon the soloist are absolutely fiendish, but Kaler showed that he was totally in command. And he apparently remembered that Paganini was an Italian, and managed to bring to a certain warmth to his playing, amid all the showiness, especially in the slow movement.    The audience was appropriately wowed. As an encore Kaler gave them a beautifully nuanced Gavotte from Bach’s Violin Partita No. 3.

https://isthmus.com/music/russian-born-ilya-kaler-paganini-wco/

A rousing season opener
Violinist Ilya Kaler brings new life to Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto
by John W. Barker

Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra opened its season with a strong program and a magnificent guest soloist, Russian violinist Ilya Kaler.

Tchaikovsky’s famed Violin Concerto, was brought to new life by Kaler. This violinist has the work in his blood and his bones. He is able to make every note count, even the tricky ones, expressing freedom in rhythm and volume — not for vulgar display but for realizing the music in full. This was perhaps the work’s most extraordinarily beautiful and convincing performance I have ever heard.

For a change, the encore was as absorbing as a full concerto. Kaler played a movement from Bach’s Partita No. 3 in E for unaccompanied violin. He applied all his artistry to shaping Bach’s music into a beautiful gem.

This concert stands out for introducing us to Ilya Kaler; we must have him back.

Ilya Kaler’s Tchaikovsky – a cut above!

March, 2011

The most recent LBSO concert, Saturday night at the Terrace Theater in Long Beach, was subtitled “The Seductress, the Prince and the Princess,” no doubt a nod to the “Carmen” suite that took up much of the second half of the mostly – but hardly all – Russian program.

A better title, if one was necessary at all, would have been “Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto and a Little More,” for it was the Tchaikovsky, in the more than capable hands of soloist Ilya Kaler, that was the centerpiece and even, if we must use French, the raison d’etre of the whole concert.

Kaler plays a Guarnerius violin and, like many an ancient instrument, it has a voice all its own. The Tchaikovsky is as well known as any violin concerto, and is usually played by an instrument of unsurpassed lightness of tone. Kaler’s instrument sounded a bit like it had just a touch of gravel in it, if that were possible, throatier and richer than other fiddles, fighting a bit against the constraints of Tchaikovsky’s music.

Kaler had every trick in his hands, from double stops to lightning changes from bowed passages to quick pizzicato and back, all without seeing any effort at all on his part. There were moments when his instrument’s voice was overpowered by the orchestra, but they were brief, and his passion and depth of feeling kept pace with all the technical brilliance.

Diemecke was nearly always in command of his forces and the work’s lyric and dramatic qualities were well-balanced. It was brilliant, but not just brilliant – technique was celebrated but not at the expense of musicality.

The audience gave Kaler three standing ovations: Diemecke has won them over to serious and lengthy pieces.

Violinist Kaler, symphony shine in performance of Tchaikovsky

March 5, 2010

By David Williams
For the Gazette-Mail

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The violinist Ilya Kaler’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major with the West Virginia Symphony drew a tremendous response Friday night at the Clay Center. That was from the orchestra, with players patting their legs and shuffling their feet on the floor, both time-honored ways of showing approval by players with instruments in their hands. Some even managed to balance their instruments on their laps and clap, vigorously.

The audience fairly went wild, showering Kaler with shouts of acclaim, a standing ovation and cries for an encore. After four curtain calls, Kaler did oblige with a bit of Bach, which drew more enthusiasm from the audience and the players. Tchaikovsky’s music is safe programming. Audiences still love it and turn out to hear it. I lean more to the view that Tchaikovsky’s music has started to wear out its welcome (although I will always love the Sixth Symphony).

But only the heartless could find anything to complain about in Kaler’s, and the orchestra’s, stunning performance of the Violin Concerto. His tone was creamy and rich and his passagework vibrant in the opening movement. The cadenza was all light-hearted brilliance with some impish humor. The slow movement dripped lyrical warmth. Kaler had arching lines of true sweetness. The finale bubbled with rhythmic vitality while his fingers flew around the strings. Gorgeous harmonics at the top of his range and a marvelously warm low register were exploited completely.

The orchestra was spot-on in support. The solo chairs in the winds, flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon played with lovely expression in little duets with the violin.

Violinist Kaler, Stradivari Society recital/Chicago

Feb. 17, 2010
“This performance was an inspired and inspiring clinic on great music-making and great violin playing. You are without peer among violinists of the past or present – meaning, you have found a way to combine all that is best among both “breeds” of artists: the one you described as “vanishing,” and the one that audiences demand today. You have the impeccable technical equipment to dazzle those who wish only to move from one dazzling experience to another, true children of the 21st century. But you have recovered the art of the earlier violin-playing geniuses who placed greater value on musicianship and communication than on mere technical display. And you do this without exaggeration or self-indulgence, always well within the boundaries of good taste and authoritative style. An hour of hearing you play makes all barriers disappear: the music prevails, time stands still and the experience is magical.”

Alan Heatherington, Music Director
Lake Forest Symphony

Peninsula Music Festival wrapped up: ILYA KALER ALWAYS DELIVERS

Aug 2009

Peninsula Music Festival wrapped up its three week concert series with an array of great music and three very fine soloists.

The Aug. 18 event was an all-Russian evening and featured the Khachaturian violin concerto with Ilya Kaler as soloist.

Kaler stepped in at the last moment to replace Valentin Zhuk, who was unable to appear. It was very unfortunate that governmental bureaucratic complexities prevented Zhuk, also scheduled to be concertmaster, from appearing. Not only was he to play one of his favorite works, PMF was using the occasion to honor his 75th birthday.

Yet, small miracles do happen. It was quite astonishing that on very short notice PMF was able to attain a musician of Kaler’s caliber who happens to have the work in his repertoire.

I found Kaler to be a no-nonsense violinist. He played Khachaturian’s sweeping melodies with expressiveness and eloquence. His delivery was confident, and he displayed total involvement with the orchestra. Kaler’s stage demeanor reminded me of the legendary Jascha Heifetz. The violinist played music of Bach as an encore.