Biography
Virtuoso Natasha Korsakova, of Russian-Greek decent, is one of most popular violinists of her generation. The German Süddeutsche Zeitung describes her ability to play the violin as a "sinfully beautiful listening experience". The young violinist who speaks five languages is currently a coveted guest for national and international orchestras, music festivals and concert events. The artist stands for “Perfect technique, bold stylistic sense and musical intuition (FAZ) as well as for a charisma that without equal.
Her repertoire includes ca. 60 Concertos for Violin and Orchestra as well as numerous chamber-music works.
The award-winning violinist has appeared in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls such as the Wigmore Hall in London, the Auditorium di Milano, the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, the Martinu Hall in Prague, Tokyo's Santory Hall, the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, the Alte Oper in Frankfurt etc.
Among the international festivals are Uto Ughi per Roma, the Ludwigsburger Festspielen (Germany), Incontri Asolani (Italy), the Schleswig-Holstein Festival (Germany), Music in Country Churches (UK) and the Lockenhaus-Festival (Austria). Upon invitation from Mrs. Irina Schostakowitsch, Natasha Korsakova appeared in Paris as part of a festival concert honoring Dmitri Schostakowitsch, together with pianist Kira Ratner.
She has co-operated with renowned conductors such as Mstislav Rostropovich, Alain Lombard, Stefan Vladar, Alun Francis, Steven Byess, José G. Flores, Leif Bjaland, Charles Olivieri-Munroe and David Wiley.
Natasha Korsakova plays with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano G.Verdi, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, the Tainan Symphony Orchestra, the Regina Royal Symphony, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Dutch Radio Broadcasting, the Mainz and the Duisburg Philharmonic, the Orquesta della UNAM (Mexico), the Queretaro Philharmonic (Mexico), the Cape Cod Symphony, the Orchestra Filarmonica di Verona, the Evansville Philharmonic and many others.
She is also an enthusiastic chamber musician.
The violinist was the first musician to receive the "Russian Muse" Prize.
In 1998, she became “Artist of the Year” in Chile.
In the year 2004, she performed the Tchaikovsky Concerto in Berlin for the 15th anniversary of the fall of Berlin Wall.
Since 2008, Natasha Korsakova developed a particular connection to Italy, where she was awarded the «Premio Sirmione Catullo» and became «Artist of the Year». Recitals followed in Palazzo Quirinale and at the famous Piazza Campidoglio in Rome, both concerts were in the presence of the Italian State-President.
Natasha Korsakova is a cultural ambassador of "Fondazione Sorella Natura" in Assisi, Italy.
In the connection with the Audience for Fondazione Sorella Natura, she played for the Pope Benedict XVI at the Sala Nervi in Vaticano (2011), together with the outstanding swiss violinist Manrico Padovani.
A passionate communicator, Natasha followed the invitation to the International Conference "21minutes Knowledge of Excellence" in Milan. Among participants David Gross (Nobel Physics Prize 2004), Woodrow Clark (Nobel Peace Prize 2007), Susan Polgar (Chess Grandmaster), Mario Brunello (Violoncellist).
She is often invited for guest-appearances at the Italian TV-transmissions and talkshows for programs RAI and SKY.
Internationally renowned composers such as Daniel Schnyder and Robert Vinson have written and dedicated Ms. Korsakova the Violin Concertos “Mozart in China” and “Concerto in F – Tribute to G. Gershwin“.
The violinist was born into a music family in Moscow and began playing the violin at the age of 5. Her first teacher was her grandfather Boris Korsakov. He was followed in her musical education by her father, the well-known Russian violin virtuoso Andrej Korsakov. Her mother is the pianist Yolanta Miroshnikova-Caprarica. After the early death of her father, Natasha Korsakova studied under the tutelage of Prof. Ulf Klausenitzer in Nuremberg and then later with Prof. Saschko Gawriloff in Cologne.
Natasha Korsakova plays a precious instrument made by Jean Baptiste Vuillaume (Paris, 1851).
Concert Reviews
The concert featuring works by Vivaldi and Piazzolla (Four Seasons plus Four Seasons) that was held this past week at the Orchestra Verdi concert hall with Natasha Korsakova as violin soloist and Jader Bignamini conducting was a resounding success and perhaps the best concert of this season in Milan.
A trifecta of magnificence. Magnificent Vivaldi, magnificent Piazzolla – plus the conductor and soloist: he, with his superb elegant gestures and, above all, the magnificent sound he obtained from the orchestra; and she, the height of elegance in a black gown (which did not escape the notice of Mr Bignamini when he came out for the first piece on the program).
Ms Korsakova was simply outstanding, particularly in the Piazzolla, in which she played the sensuality card… Bignamini and Korsakova’s rendition of the Vivaldi was lively, with a velvety sound, but not in the least taciturn: vibrato was in evidence, but was used sparingly.
As for the Piazzolla, the musical quotes were magnificent, as were the lexical citations (but not of the harpsichord, which was “suspended” at the end of the Autumn and Spring movements), and the extraordinary originality of a piece that is at once charming and intriguing.
Two realms, two worlds, and the various seasons look at each other, touch each other, dialogue with each other, and try to melt into each other.
The Piazzolla seemed to “stand out” a bit more, the overall magnificence of the concert notwithstanding. And in the Winter movement from the Four Seasons, the “play” that Bignamini and Korsakova endowed the first movement with was simply unforgettable…
Eight seasons were on the programme of this week’s concert, which was conducted by Jader Bignamini and featured Natasha Korsakova as violin soloist. She is no stranger to the Verdi orchestra (I heard her play Shostakovich two years ago). The audience at Largo Mahler hall went wild over Ms Korsakova’s performance, and she graciously gave two encores.
(…) Natasha Korsakova is a world class violinist. She was in peak form last night and played wonderfully. She played the truly challenging passages in the Vivaldi with great aplomb, without excess baroque improvisation, which she used well in appropriate places. As for the Piazzolla, she played it masterfully, to perfection.
I’m very partial towards Ms Korsakova, whose playing features just the right kind of concentration; but she also clearly enjoys playing – a fact attested to by her frequent smiles while she performs. I also feel that she’s a genuinely nice person, a quality that is pretty rare among today’s musicians, who tend to focus solely on their work and are overly sensitive and narcissistic.
Ms Korsakova played two encores, by Bach and Vivaldi, brilliantly, in response to the thunderous applause with which the audience greeted her performance. In short, her performance was a genuine triumph.
"OperaClick", Milano
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Requiem for the Titanic
"… God may be merciful, but not the ocean. The Titanic went down in April a century ago, a tragedy commemorated by the Bayreuth Philharmonic Choir in a Remembrance Sunday requiem to the one and a half thousand lives lost. This was a premiere for the audience with German composer Bernd Wilden's interpretation of Miserere as an expressive and poetic composition for choir and orchestra above and below the waves, purveying the horror of the disaster from the depths of the sea and the past using today's methods.
But that was not the end of it – the dual-facetted requiem in the civic centre continued with a lively and solid violin concerto, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Op. 80 that also fell victim to that archetypal shipwreck – the score to premiere on that fatal maiden voyage also went down with the ship.
The symphony orchestra conducted by Arn Goerke boldly played the reconstructed opus, even setting off to a bombastic start. Natasha Korsakova gave the piece a new sense of noblesse in her violin solo with aristocratic demeanour that would almost certainly have been travelling First Class on the Titanic. The much applauded virtuoso gave a soulful performance with cultured sensitivity, great technic and natural expressiveness in her refined, ennobled passion with runs, trills and coloratura in a euphonious yet solid rendition void of tremulousness – the performance of a virtuoso that knows neither fear nor trepidation; on the contrary, a operetta-style performance with the gusto you might expect in the music salon of a luxury liner …"
"Nordbayerischer Kurier", December 2012
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A star in the violinists' sky
Heavenly sounds from Natasha Korsakova's violin in Beethoven's Fourth Symphony Concerto with the Westphalia New Philharmonic
She left an audience utterly astounded with her skill – "You can't play it any better than that," sighed a wistful listener after the last note in Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major. The acclaimed violinist's name is Natasha Korsakova.
The Russian-Greek soloist delivered the sterling performance of a virtuoso together with the Westphalia New Philharmonic in Beethoven's Fourth Symphony Concerto. This young violinist has mastered her instrument to perfection and with visible ease, effortlessly playing three quarters of an hour of crystal clear, mellow music, her technique rising from her deep understanding of the composition's musical architecture, her spellbinding solo in the slow movement. Together with the inspired orchestral rendition under the leadership of Music Director Heiko Mathias Förster, the charismatic soloist leaned again and again into the overall performance as she picked up pace at the allegros and eased back into adagios.
Natasha Korsakova responded to cheers of enthusiasm with an encore in her interpretation of the first movement from the Eugène Ysaÿe's Sonata No. 5 for solo violin.
WAZ Gelsenkirchen, December 2011
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Violinist Natasha Korsakova before an enthralled audience
"… Forget all the shooting stars you'll find in every area – one-minute wonders posing in water and dressed in their translucent tops, decorating the record sleeves in an attempt to jack up sales – you'll still find a number of highly skilled violinists.
One of them took the audience by storm at Lippstadt in a symphony concert hosted by the city's music association. Natasha Korsakova, the soloist in Beethoven's grandiose Violin Concerto in D major op 61, lives and breathes music; music is what she does naturally, without striking a pose.
The life she breathes into the music, this richness of colour, this artistic sophistication, her contribution to the whole performance – particularly important in Ludwig van Beethoven's concert – comes to the fore in her intensive, yet unassuming dedication, her excellence in technique, and her encore with a sonata by Eugene Ysaye…
Gushing aside, musical experiences such as these are what we mark our calendars for. Nobody can reduce this natural and charming, thoroughbred musician to outward appearance for the sake of quick marketing. Her attractiveness and charm come as a bonus.
But what would have come of her performance if the New Westphalian Philharmonic hadn't played at this same level of distinction? Musical director Heiko Mathias Förster achieved such a level of harmonious and arousing orchestral sophistication as to produce a multi-faceted chamber music-style performance… "
"Patriot", December 2011, Germany
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Straight No-Frills Beethoven
Natasha Korsakova captivates the audience Strictly speaking, Beethoven's only violin concerto is a symphony with a solo violin obbligato. Listening to a violinist with the expressive force of Natasha Korsakova, you can easily forget that Beethoven was ahead of his time in composing the equivalent of a modern virtuoso concerto.Solo violinist and orchestra played in perfect harmony with the violin finally leading one of the main movements, which is unusual as it is; it was not only the solo violinist's finely tailored Laura Biagiotti dress that gave the Ruhr Valley's great concert hall a glamorous touch, her lively interplay with the Westphalia New Philharmonic under Heiko Mathias Förster's harmonious leadership was a perfect rendition.Natasha Korsakova's performance rose to ethereal heights in her exuberant rendition, the much acclaimed violin soloist delicately performing a sound of unearthly beauty without self-indulgent romanticism on her precious Panormo. This was straight Beethoven without the frills – a soft elegy in gorgeous and hauntingly lyrical phrasing that you could see from this phenomenal solo violinist and her dedication and excellence.
Recklinghäuser Zeitung, December 2011
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Violin Concerto – a feast for the eyes and ears
Tumultuous applause for Russian-Greek soloist Natasha Korsakova
… A skilled doctor prescribing a symphonic concert for therapy would be well-advised to order an evening of Beethoven performed by the Westphalia New Philharmonic…
Beethoven's Violin Concerto will fill up any modern concert hall; Kamen's Konzertaula was no exception in an evening perfected by the orchestra's excellent choice of soloist, Natasha Korsakova, a style icon in musical and visual terms. In a black evening dress from the Laura Biagiotti Ready-to-Wear collection, she took to the podium and sought eye contact with the conductor and orchestra. What followed was musical bliss, the soloist and orchestra giving each other the space for both to develop into a spectacular performance that the audience gratefully acknowledged with thunderous applause – and the soloist with a Bach encore.
Kamener Zeitung, December 2011
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A taste of infinity – with Natasha Korsakova
“… The second program highlight recalls the tragedies of those times – the Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor by Shostakovich … Young violinist Natasha Korsakova revives the spirit of this musical masterpiece, with full vibrato and sophisticated bowing techniques turning the tragedy into a painful story told from the depth of her soul …”
Corriere della Sera, November 2010
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Four exciting 'B's open season of Tupelo Symphony Orchestra
„… But the real fireworks began to pop when violinist Natasha Korsakova appeared onstage to solo in Max Bruch's enchanting Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor.
What an artist! Korsakova, it seems, has everything: intense musicality, stunning beauty, electric charisma, a fabulous 19th-century Pressenda violin, plus aristocratic descent from the great 19th-century Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
And what a concerto! Completed in its present form in 1867, the G Minor was an immediate hit, but contains technical difficulties still capable of daunting any violinist brave or foolish enough to attempt it. Korsakova tossed off these intricate, unruly passages with a blend of mystical meditation and fiery passion that instantly confirmed her reputation as one of Russia's supremely great contemporary violinists.
The third movement, with its scintillating double stops and ever-accelerating conclusion, can create the kind of musical wonder that leaves an audience breathless with amazement and delight. So it was with Natasha Korsakova and the TSO…“
“Mississippi Daily Journal”, November 2010
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Sounds like heaven – with Natasha Korsakova
A successful debut for Arn Goerke – Beethoven in the superlative – resounding applause for Russian violinist
“… Now an internationally experienced violinist, Natasha Korsakova put Webern into the past as she then performed Beethoven’s Violin Concert in D major op. 61, sounds of paradise emanating from her violin….
Natasha Korsakova showed technique and control to match or even surpass virtuosos such as David Oistrach or Yehudi Menuhin, creating beauty and depth of sound to melt hearts.
Spontaneous applause erupted the moment after the end of the third movement – even from the orchestra. She surpassed herself in a challenging encore after mastering the cadences of the first and third movements to perfection …”
“Vogtland Anzeiger”, May 2009
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Back to the roots of Italian dance – delightfully jazzy, and a little eccentric
Armando Trovaioli’s Puppet performed by the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto conducted by Maffeo Scarpis at the Teatro Salieri in Legnago, Italy.
“… Natasha Korsakova cast a spell on her precious eighteenth-century Panormo violin with her perfect performance. The excellent acoustics of the theatre hall together with the orchestra, always keeping subdued to a respectful background, provided an excellent stage for Korsakova to deliver the full beauty of her own sound, conveying a great depth of feeling and expression. Natasha’s artistic performance has been ascending into more ambitious realms ever since we had the fortune to see her play in the Milan Auditorium for the first time two years ago. Natasha Korsakova is a musician well worth listening to – at the very next available opportunity…”
“Il Foglio”, February 2010
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Annapolis Chamber Orchestra bring “Praise and Majesty” to stage
„… Under music director J. Ernest Green, the Annapolis Chorale and the Annapolis Chamber Orchestra presented a transcendent program of joyous masterpieces titled "Praise and Majesty" to open their 38th season.
Green delivered a pre-concert lecture, introducing extraordinary musical talent in Korsakova.
Brahms' "Violin Concerto" presents a number of well-known challenges and demands great technique – which Korsakova has in abundance. She played with a poetic expressiveness that was most notable in the shimmering melody begun by a solo oboe.
Korsakova was sensitively accompanied throughout by the orchestra in this powerful lyrical work. Her arms became an artistic visual element when paired with the glowing sound of her instrument. From the opening passage of the first movement, Korsakova played with a lyrical singing approach that was beautiful. Green's accompaniment was sensitive and well-shaped…
Another musical highlight was provided by Korsakova's gorgeous "Meditation" from Massenet's "Thais." This was given the most moving interpretation I have ever heard…”
“CHICAGO TRIBUNE”, October 2010
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Opening Roanoke Symphony concert is rich, heartfelt!
„…Violinist Natasha Korsakova helped Maestro David Stewart Wiley and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra inaugurate their shiny new 2010-11 season Monday night at the Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre.
The soloist, who was a hit in last year's season opener, played the 1843 Giovanni Francesco Pressenda violin that's on loan from an Italian collector.
….When she and the orchestra got a few bars into Dmitri Shostakovich's great Violin Concerto No. 1. Like other Russian violinists before her, Korsakova tapped into the mystery at the core of this haunted work. The eerie first-movement nocturne was weirdly powerful. She was in command during the viciously difficult Halloween dance that is the second movement scherzo. The sad grandeur of the third movement passacaglia was heartbreakingly beautiful.
I've heard more virtuosic readings, but Korsakova played with the most intense commitment. She and Wiley deserved the standing ovation they got…“
“The Roanoke Times”, October 2010
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Rich romantic Expressions from Cape Cod Symphony
„… Her interpretation of Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto Nr. 1 was sensitiv and passionate. Ms. Korsakova has been playing the piece for many years now, but performed it with a freshness and intensity it demands. The Concerto begann softly, slowly, with a solo violin cadenza, drawing the listener in, as the orchestra gathered strenght. Ms. Korsakova was graceful and controlled on stage; her involvement in the music was visible… Adagio featured slow, delicate high melodies, tenderly played, and richly expressive lower notes, bringing out the soulfulness of music. The Finale was intense, accelerated, and fiery, to the enjoyment of all…“
„Falmouth Enterpreis“, November 2010
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From I Mostri to Ciao Rudy – the original Trovaioli

Passionate applause in Legnago for the music of a famous Roman composer
“… A skilled musical interpretation by Russian-Greek violinist Natasha Korsakova, pianist Alessandro Cesaro and the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto conducted by Maestro Maffeo Scarpis. The Teatro Salieri’s programme included a piece of absolute music by Armando Trovaioli, the “Puppets” Scherzo as well as the Serenata per Giuditta transcription for violin and strings so admired by Salvatore Accardo, performed to excellence by Natasha Korsakova.Crystal-clear, confident sound emanated from Korsakova’s violin with a pleasant hint of pathos unspoiled by any form of exaggeration. Korsakova overwhelmed the audience in every stroke of her bow with complete control of her violin in a precise and lively rendition …”“
L’Arena”, February 2010
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Violin soloist wins bravos from audience
Brahms Konzert with Roanoke Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Stewart Wiley
“… A lot of American symphony orchestras would have loved to be in the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra’s collective shoes Monday night.At a time when many big-name orchestras are wondering how to keep the doors open, the RSO had ist biggest opening night ever.A capacity and record crowd of about 1,600 concert-goers showed up at the Roanoke Performing Arts Theater for a programm that spotlighted a beautiful young violin soloist whoes genealogy includes the great Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.…Natasha Korsakova played with authority beyond her years, handing in a performance that was by turns urgent and powerful and rhapsodic. In an era when there is no shortage of young performers with technique to spare but nothing to say, Korsakova played with mature insight and eloquent lyricism.
She played with a warm sumptuous tone and in the difficult passages filled with double stops, she played precisely and with great clarity.
Korsakova got an immediate standing ovation and was returned to the stage several times by an audience that was whilstling and shouting bravos. RSO membres shuffled their feet and stamped their approval, and Korsakova returned the gratitude with an encore of the „Giga“ movement from Bach’s E-Major Partita for Solo Violin…”
„The Roanoke Times“, USA, October 2009
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Beethoven’s Violin Concert with the Zwickau-Plauen Philharmonic Orchestra
“… Is it that aura of enthusiasm that makes her play so well, or does her enthusiasm come from the harmony she shares with her violin? That’s a good question in view of her latest symphony concert performance together with the Plauen-Zwickau Philharmonic Orchestra. Natasha Korsakova, guest soloist at Plauen’s Vogtland Theatre on Thursday and yesterday, soared high above the level of solid but uninspiring mediocrity at Ludwig van Beethoven’s Violin Concert in D major; rising to the challenge in those lengthy passages once thought to be technically unplayable, she delivered every single note to perfection with a quality of performance no longer expected from a soloist, while striking a relaxed but controlled pose throughout. Indeed, this native Muscovite has not just kept her enthusiasm for music, but also that finesse and musical culture she learned in her studies …”
Zwickau, Germany, Mai 2009
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Tchaikovsky Concerto with Aachen Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Marcus Bosch
“… A tribute to Tchaikovsky, Natasha Korsakova – a young, acclaimed virtuoso on the violin gave a brilliant, impassioned and wholehearted rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Op. 35 violin concerto in D major, in the spirit of her father, Andrei Korsakov, at the glittering grand finale of the Kurpark Classix – the first time for a fourth event to be held at the Kurpark musical round.
… Marcus R. Bosch, his soloist and the orchestra were received with well-deserved applause for their excellent performance at the firework display under a star-studded sky – a marvellous end to an electrifying event!”
“Aachener Nachrichten”, August 2008
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Lalo “Symphony Espagnol” with Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi, conducted by Giuseppe Grazioli
“… The young artist and daughter of the muses, Natasha Korsakova, made E. Lalo’s Spanish Symphony, a work which rarely features in the orchestral repertoire, shine brightly – more by her intricate, delicately poised virtuosity than noisy “Ispanidad” style; with pleasing phrasing, supported by pureness of tone, and with the utmost precision in the speed of her left hand … Korsakova undoubtedly belongs to the elite circle of brilliant violinists.”
Milano “Il Sole 24 ore”, April 2008
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“… It was a total success and the jewel in the crown, thanks to the infectious enthusiasm that Korsakova learned from Milan’s Giuseppe Verdi Symphony Orchestra. The soloist, Natasha Korsakova, simply transported the concert audience into raptures of delight – (and what makes her talent so unique) – by the depth and structure of her animated performance, she showed extraordinary technical skill combined with gentleness of tone, and the intelligent and sophisticated interpretation.”
“Il Cittadino”, Monza, April 2008
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Philharmonic State Orchestra of Mainz accompanied by Mainz Ballet
“… Antony Tudor’s choreography for the 1936 ballet classic, “Jardin aux Lilas”, to Ernest Chausson’s “Poème” appears entirely different, more intimate and individual. Donald Mahler, one of Tudor's former pupils, has created a new version of the “Lilac Garden” and Thomas Ziegler has designed a neo-romantic set with full moon, lush forest foliage and bright costumes.
The violin soloist, Natasha Korsakova, like goddess of destiny Parcae, stands slightly to the left of this intimate scene in this meta-universe between orchestral pit and dance stage, being both observer and string-puller … Korsakova’s violin solo is the fragile thread linking the plot on stage and the ballet’s deep underlying psychological structure. She spins her thread with mastery, reaching top notes with extreme delicacy, and with highly homogeneous alignment to the movements both on stage as well as in the orchestral score…”
“Das Orchester”, Mai 2008
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“… This in itself distinguishes the work from Antony Tudor, whose “Jardin aux Lilas” was chosen by the Mainz Ballet, to commemorate the occasion of his 100th birthday anniversary. Choreographed by Tudor specialist, Donald Mahler, the 1936 piece is even more astonishing. On the one hand, this is because in his work, the 28-year-old choreographer captures his four protagonists’ emotional pain as suggestively as he does sensitively. On the other hand, it is because he listens so precisely and hears his drama in the music. It is as though Ernest Chausson wrote his “Poème” for violin and orchestra exclusively for Tudor, and naturally, too, for Natasha Korsakova, who, with Catherine Rückwardt as conductor, makes her violin sing in the hearts of the audience. Korsakova is visibly positioned on a stage that Thomas Ziegler has designed like a leafy cave …”
“Stuttgarter Nachrichten”, March 2008
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Brahms Concerto with Iceland Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Neschling
“… The biting cold wind that swept through Reykjavík’s west city on Thursday evening did not deter the above-average influx of visitors to Háskólabíó Concert Hall. This was definitely thanks to the evening’s main attraction and solo artist, Natasha Korsakova. In the end, it is a familiar experience that young top international musicians attract audiences more than any other performers. Besides, there was hardly any reason not to see this virtuoso Russian violinist and descendant of composer, Rimsky-Korsakov, who is an author in her own right. Korsakova was due to perform the Brahms violin concerto… Frenetic applause, at last, spontaneously erupted towards the close of the concert and was still audible when Korsakova performed her encore which was the challenging first movement of Ysaye’s solo violin sonata No. 5. Korsakova conjured up this work off the cuff, playing with supreme elegance, grace and poise. But the main attraction was still Brahms’s popular and well-known Concerto. Given the concert hall’s poor acoustic, Korsakova’s approchement was probably too generous and delicate in touch. In a more appropriate acoustic setting, this style of approach to the orchestra would naturally have been more effective. All in all, however, the solo violin was played with astonishing beauty and the long cadence in the first movement was carried off with almost effortless grace.”
Reykjavik, January 2008
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Rousing musical performance
Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt at "Wiener Klassik" BREMEN, Grosser Saal der Glocke
"… When playing the two romances for violin and orchestra by Ludwig van Beethoven, Natasha Korsakova convinced with an incredibly vivid, sensuous and intelligent interpretation which was able to give a gestural character to even the most trivial musical phrase. Refreshingly tight tempi were being chosen. What was convincing was the unsentimental approach, neither orchestra nor soloist were bathing in shallow beauties of melodic characteristics…"
Weser Kurier, March 2006
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Karol Szymanowskis violin concerto with Kiel Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Charles Olivieri-Munroe
With a passion for tonal brightness
"… With Natasha Korsakova one could see a soloist whose charisma was directly communicated. The russian-greek violinist delivered an interpretation of Karol Szymanowski's 2nd violin concerto op. 61 to her audience which was touching at every moment. It was fascinating how she gave different contours to the tone of her instrument, changing from roughness to delicacy, from delicacy to lavishness. The singing character of her play remained as constantly as the attraction of her interpretation. Often the soloist herself seemed to be astonished by the content of the score…Great applause for exciting twenty minutes – and the violinist thanked it with a polished sample of Johann Sebastian Bach's E-Major partita BWV 1006."
Kieler Nachrichten, January 2006
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Schostakowitsch Concerto No. 1 with Thüringen Philharmonie, conductor Alun Francis.
A soloist who is brilliant on her instrument and a successful journey into the East – what more do you expect from a concert
"… Natasha Korsakova fired the audience with D.Schostakowitsch's 1st violin concerto – not an easy piece of work, but played on this evening by the soloist with technical refinement without losing any of its expressional force. Already at the beginning when playing the g-string she felt a truly mystical atmosphere, and slowly she proceeded into the higher tonal space. Extensive melodic phrases, an enormous pressure on the strings – Korsakova's play was powerful and animated. She knew how to show the dark music in dark tone colours on her instrument (1st movement) or to excite with fast runs (2nd movement). The cadence was technically impressive. …"
Freies Wort, April 2005
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"… For the two Mozart works the virtuoso found this delicate mixture of an unpretentiously slender tone, musical warmth and an absolute precision of intonation only which makes Mozart's music become a true delight …"
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, June 2004
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What a bit of luck – here plays a happy violinist!
Natasha Korsakova plays A. Dvorak's violin concerto with the Klassische Philharmonie Bonn, conducted by Heribert Beissel, at the Musikhalle Hamburg.
"… The born Muscovite, girlishly dainty, does not play with a pained frown on her face, she does not show signs of hard work like a number of her violin playing colleagues, she plays with concentrated, almost serene cheerfulness. Eagerly she listens to the voices of the orchestra, she even smiles. An artist who obviously feels her profession to be a gratifying experience …"
DIE WELT, March 2005
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"… The internationally celebrated "Mozart-specialist" Natasha Korsakova played both Concertos with superb technic, tonal colorings and captivating interpretation …"
"… Natasha Korsakova played both works with technical brilliance, sure instinct for style and musical sensitivity, accompanied by the Bavarian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Ulf Klausenitzer, the ideal choice for Mozart, as the orchestra has demonstrated on earlier occasions …"
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, February 2005
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Young Virtuoso Violinist is inspirational at 4th Symphony Concert
"The young violin virtuoso, Natasha Korsakova, is now no longer a newcomer on the music scene. Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's violin concerto was played to perfection, with the violinist finding the piece's true aesthetic quality. Mendelssohn's violin concerto is justifiably regarded as the finest among his compositions. As elfin and light as the violin’s main theme sounds, so, too, the accompanying orchestration seems overpowering. And out of this apparent paradox, flowing melodies emerge in perfectly structured form."
Kronen Zeitung, January 1999
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"… Whoever believed to know Mozart and to have categorised him, following the collector's passion, had to realise that from time to time one has to reopen such pigeon-holes when people like Natasha Korsakova come and open completely new perspectives, who besides the serene cheerfulness of the surface sound the depths of the music which in everyday concert business easily fall into bad ways!"
Wertheimer Zeitung, 1998
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A Phenomenon
"… Now and then, there are such things as magical moments in the concert world, times when one scarcely believes one's ears. … Her Mozart interpretations – the D Major Violin Concerto, KV 218 and also in D Major, KV 271a, quite obviously reworked in the 19th century – were (and one hardly dares use the idea) – sheer perfection …"
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 1995
Recital Reviews
Violinist Natasha Korsakova Joins Triangle Artists for a Glorious Afternoon of Music
If one believes that art imitates nature, this recital served as the perfect example. Outside St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Raleigh, late afternoon light illuminated the leaves so the colors were spectacular. Inside the nearly packed sanctuary, music lovers listened to great music performed by a stellar group of players. Featured violinist Natasha Korsakova was joined by guest artists Kevin Kerstetter, organ, Ariadna Nacianceno, piano, and Katherine Kaufman Posner, soprano.
Natasha Korsakova has deep musical roots… With all this experience and training, Ms. Korsakova demonstrated a genuine ease on the stage. Engaging with her audience, she has the grace and charm of a fully developed superstar.
Korsakova's repertoire is impressive, and the afternoon's recital pieces were well chosen. She began with Tomaso Antonio Vitali's Chaconne, a piece greatly loved by violinists but with an uncertain authorship because of the unusual modulations. Heifetz, who played lots of arrangements, also performed it. This arrangement with organ worked particularly well in the sanctuary. I closed my eyes, imagining myself in Italy. Her instrument, made in 1765 by Vincenzo Panormo, sounded beautiful, particularly on the bass side. Her open G string is deep and rich. Notes on the E string shimmered. With flawless technique, Korsakova made the instrument sing. Organist Kevin Kerstetter played with great sensitivity until the very last variation (marked forte), where the organ overpowered the violin. The audience approved, however, and offered plenty of applause.
Vitali's work was just the warm-up for J.S. Bach's Chaconne for solo violin, one of the great works for the instrument. Korsakova marked it with her own style, playing the inner rhythms with speed and great clarity; like a master painter, she treated the perilous string crossings as if she were dabbing them with a brush. She smiled frequently as if to say, "I'm in love with this music." This piece can sound like a labored war horse on a violin with a modern set-up. Not so for this violinist!
Korsakova played two pieces with Adriadna Nacianceno: the famous Ballade and Polonaise, Op. 38, by the 19th century Belgian violinist and composer, Henri Vieuxtemps, and Astor Piazzolla's "Grand Tango," a piece Gidon Kremer made popular with his Hommage à Piazzolla (1996). The two artists played together like dancers, capturing the exotic feel of the tango. I was disappointed in their choice to close the piano lid, which squashed the beautiful overtones, especially from the upper registers. Nevertheless, I was impressed with their fine collaboration and sheer joy in performing together. I hope they do more.
In response to the enthusiastic audience cry for more, the duo returned for an excerpt of "Grand Tango." Their performance was, again, marvelous.
Korsakova and Kerstetter accompanied the wonderful soprano Katherine Kaufman Posner in "Erbarme dich" from J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion.
All told, it was a glorious afternoon of music.
Korsakova will travel to other destinations on the East Coast this month. On behalf of her friends in North Carolina, I wish her well.
November 2014
CVNC – Online Art Journal in North Carolina
Virtuoso Korsakova
Masterful command of the violin. Great performance from Gallardo too.
The young Russian violinist Natasha Korsakova's appearance at the last concert of the Gli Incontri dell'Accademia 2007 exhibition certainly struck a chord. The Sala Maffeiana was completely sold out, right down to the very last seat. And people's interest was duly rewarded. The concert violinist proved that she has several strings to her bow – both in terms of her innate musicality and her virtuosity.
With a perfect mixture of spontaneity and tenderness, the soloist demonstrated in the final section of the concert her exceptional command of the instrument, which she no doubt owes to her father Andrei's tuition, himself a famous concert musician. Under her command, the violin begins to sing, the sound is pure, authentic and so full of intimate expressiveness that the interpretation never once drifts into monotone and weak sentimentality. This rings particularly true in her interpretation of Mozart's Sonata KV 454 Andante and the Sonata, Opus 12 no. 1 variations by Beethoven, which she performs with great elegance and originality supported by the unusually powerful playing of her colleague, the Argentinean pianist José Gallardo.
Korsakova's enthusiasm is tangible and infectious – which is true for Gallardo, too. He accompanies her throughout with empathy and in perfect harmony.
And yet for Debussy's sonata in G Minor, the central part of her performance, she even seems to go one better. Her Très anime in the finale in particular – an absolutely unleashed Gigue, interpreted flawlessly with its emphasis of creative momentum and joie de vivre – is astoundingly good. The concert ends with a humorous – and, of course, perfectly executed – allusion to the popular Gershwin of "An American in Paris" (in an arrangement by Heifetz) and the fantasy of "Porgy and Bess" (in an arrangement by Frolov). With the famous Summertime theme, Korsakova scales the heights of her performance with great intensity and interpretive skill, Gershwin's music, however, always remaining centre stage.
Both artists received resounding applause and finished with an encore from Lehàr‘s "The Merry Widow".
L'Arena, 12 June 2007
All the colours of Gershwin on stage
First the music, then the text. In anticipation of the contributions from the organisers, guests and official artists, the violinist Natasha Korsakova and pianist José Gallardo created a seductive acoustic framework for the official presentation of "America!" on the stage of the Teatro Grande and whisked the audience away to the staves of the New World.
The short, powerful concert with Jascha Heifetz's arrangements where the violin has the challenging task of making Gershwin's melodies blossom in all their tonal shades, sketched what before was an unfamiliar picture of the composer George Gershwin.
They started off with five pieces from the opera "Porgy and Bess", five wise fragments hovering between European form and American rhythm, José Gallardo at the piano who embellished the tones Korsakova's violin had delivered in broad spans of volatile and enticing play abound with contrasts.
Sublime contradictions, the hallmark of Gershwin's music – elite and popular, light and refined at once – which strike a unique and wonderful balance in "Summertime", one of the better-known and frequently performed works of the American author. Korsakova's fiery lyricism and bitter-sweet play is irresistible.
Gershwin's music in "An American in Paris" immediately after, appears more high-spirited and less respectful. Originally composed as a symphony and colourful Aladdin's cave of acoustic invention, the work loses some power and subtle tonal richness in the version for piano and violin. At the same time, the acerbic self-mockery of the American's dissonant encounter with Europe is made clearer in the musical narration.
A brilliant performance with sparks of humour flying between strings and bow; the quaint sound effects are left up to the ivories.
The finale: two short preludes, fleeting water colours arising from the successful mixture of bright melodic brushstrokes and a constantly powerful, rhythmic bow.
Carried away in an intimate and pleasant tête-à-tête with the piano, the violin ignites with folk sounds, enlaced with classical reminiscences and pop echoes.
Finally, genuine applause for the artists and the musical magic of America.
Giornale di Brescia, 24 Nov 2007
Third Castle Festival Weekend: Impressive Finale for Musical Highlight
“… Four songs from “Much Ado About Nothing” by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, an inspirational stroke of genius to which the audience gratefully responded. The entire audience in any case glowed with radiant delight thanks especially to Natasha Korsakova and her violin. The Russian violinist gave a virtuoso performance of the four Korngold songs – attacking, yet tender, spellbinding and bewitching in her charm, and truly moving with her play. Her accompanist on the grand piano, Ira Maria Witoschynsky, also adopted an exquisitely consistent and subtle, relaxed style. All the musicians truly deserved the rapturous applause at the end …”
“Allgemeine Zeitung”, September 2007
Exotically Coloured Farawy Kingdoms, Sensual Encounter
Natasha Korsakova and Jose Gallardo Make A Convincing Duo with "Opera Fantasies, Grand Tango" in Höhenried
"… The narrative approach that Korsakova adopted to conjure her unique violin playing is probably explained by the fact that she is also a budding author. After the brilliantly contrived allegro, a delicate and yet passionate andante was unravelled that Gallardo embellished with richness of tone. It was a sheer delight to listen to the aesthetically pleasing technical accomplishment of the acclaimed and award-winning pianist… The allegretto and finale also developed into fireworks that were not showy, but full of bright flashes of light. They soon faded when Beethoven’s C Minor Sonata Op. 30/2 created a dramatic turning point. Here, too, an image of Greek plasticity was crafted, held with excitement and aroused emotion… Throughout the adagio, Gallardo unveiled sensitive warmth, within which Korsakova was able to define an intimate song culminating in a scherzo with a strong feel for emotional rhythm. Gallardo especially mastered the energetic and fiery dimension. But in Beethoven’s allegro finale, Korsakova also signalled the theme for the second half: bravado in all its diverse hues. Jascha Heifetz, the legendary violinist, had arranged the five fragments from "Porgy and Bess" by George Gershwin for a duet by violin and piano. Exactly as in Paganini’s famous piece, it was mainly about putting on show the full range of different virtuoso violin-playing techniques – and Korsakova achieved the same, although thoughtfully. She sought differentiation, not instant effect, and was in harmony with the magnificent piano part played by Gallardo …"
Süddeutsche Zeitung, 17.03.2007
Revelation in the "Back Room" – Natasha KORSAKOVA and Robert POBITSCHKA give a concert at Grosser Ehrbarsaal, Vienna
"… If you wish to experience world class, which you often bitterly miss at the great concert halls, you should from time to time cast a look at Wien's side scenes! A concert hall which has become more frequently a place of great surprises during the last few years is the Grosser Ehrbarsaal in Mühlgasse.
The Russian-Greek violinist Natasha Korsakova and the Austrian pianist Robert Pobitschka surprised the audience with a concert of exceptional class! In an ensemble play, carried by an inspired conception of themselves, the two artists hypnotized their audience from the very first note. Bach's Sonata No. IV in c-minor resembled in places a magic incantation, focusing Bach's nature like a beam into the hall: Bach is a composer made of flesh and blood! The following Sonata-Ballad by Eugene Auguste Ysaye for violin solo was captivating in the violinist's equally rhapsodic and transparent conception, her technical mastery was remarkable. Beethoven's Sonata op. 12 No. 1 seemed in some places to be slightly overdone concerning the tempi. But someone's heart, excessively full of artistic intention, can overflow a little from time to time! After the interval Robert Pobitschka's own composition "Kyrie" was played, dedicated to nature and having had its premiere at the United Nations in Vienna at the International Day of the Earth 2002. Pobitschka's work is a declaration of belief in love, but also an outcry in the face of the destruction of our planet. The composition is formally classical but doesn't shrink back from dissonances where these describe the state of the earth. The composer is always in search of a harmonic solution. The audience reacted both pleasantly surprised and amazed. The following Sonata in G-major op. 78 by Johannes Brahms was a great success of the two artists. The perfectly synchronous play of them was filled with burning passion and at the same time inscrutably deep, like the master from Hamburg himself might have been…"
Der Neue Merker, February 2006
Magnificent ensemble playing of an extremely talented duo
"Stylistically and technically as well as musically accomplished the duo Natasha Korsakova and José Gallardo showed the perfect, rousing range of their skill at their appearance in Olpe: The two young artists presented a daring range from classical Sonatas and filigreed music of the late romantics to a firework of the contemporary "Tango nuevo" – and convinced all along the line with this richly varied programme…. In the third movement of Mozart's Sonata B-major KV 378 the impression of Korsakova as a celebrated Mozart-interpreter was to be strengthended once and for all, because here she proved together with her partner a precise and jaunty play without becoming shallow or arbitrary…. Even more in their element the artists threw themselves into Beethoven's great Sonata c-minor. Dramatic in its conception this Sonata proves to be an enormously heroic and captivating piece of music especially in the first and last movement. There was a noticeable tension between the violinist and her accompanist during the mysterious first theme of the exposition, transmitting to the no less fighting second theme. In the great coda at the end of the Allegro con brio the interpreters emphasized the completely different colouring of this music in contrast to the rippling Mozart. But even here Gallardo restrained himself in spite of the full fingering of the piano score. And at what a marvellous price: The audience heard and saw an exceptional violinist who mastered this great Sonata!"
Westfälische Post, 26.09.2005
Castle Festival Season, with Stunning Finale
"… It was sheer brilliance: the violinist, Korsakova's contribution to the evening embraced the concert hall with her intoxicating charisma. Her mimicry was rapturous one minute, and resolute, even reserved the next, only revealing her extraordinary empathy and great presence. Her final piece, "D'un Matin de Printemps" by Lili Boulanger, was a sensational triumph. The Korsakova/Witoschynskyj duet outshone each other with their inspirational and captivating sense of drama, although they were also restrained, until they each finally raised the stakes, unleashing a stunning finale with unbelievable intensity. The two artists achieved unbelievable, almost perfect harmony, sheer excellence, and they are evidently also genuine and delightful personalities, who each deserved the audience's adoration, the cries of bravo, the encores, and the tumultuous applause. The final evening of the Castle Festival Season was a resounding success."
Allgemeine Zeitung, 13.09.2005
Great art with violin and piano
"… It is admirable how the depth of Brahms' emotional life was expressed: There was no slip into inappropriate drama or sentimental mawkishness – rarely has Brahms' very own sentiment captivated and touched me so much…. A completly different character had Beethoven's Sonata c-minor. In the first and last movement Beethoven's typical force changed with heartfelt vocal passages.Remarkable the pianist's sensitive rendering of semi-quaver passages and rumbling tremuli in the first movement. Here as in the fourth movement a convincing mastery of technique with an impressing faithfulness to the original were combined … Great art, an impressing, cultivated play."
Siegener Zeitung, September 2005
A truly special concert
"… The duo Korsakova – Gallardo enchanted the audience for about two hours with polished tonal variations of great masters: Mozart, van Beethoven, Brahms and Piazzola were being performed in symphonic perfection. Musical sensitivity, artistic ability of interpretation and perfect intonation combined on the highest level… Be it Beethoven's Sonata c-minor, Brahms' or Piazzola's "Grand Tango" – Korsakova and Gallardo managed to present these uncompromisingly demanding masterworks with such lightness that one might assume they had never done anything different. With unique elegance the violinist almost flew over the notes and transformed them as if mechanically into a melodious work of art that couldn't have been more moving. The audience thanked with thunderous applause for these impressing hours which were truly a special concert."
Westfälische Rundschau, September 2005
Natasha Korsakova, violin
Jose Luis Gallardo, piano
Caspary Auditorium The Rockefeller University
11.03.2005
"Natasha Korsakova is an exceptionally talented violinist. She performs with utmost insight into the works she plays, interpreting with a gift for feeling what the composer most likely felt and transmitting it to the audience. Those in attendance on March 11th were in awe of Korsakova's excellent technique, but even more enraptured and galvanized by her exquisite tone and great personality on stage. It didn't hurt that her pianist, Jose Luis Gallardo, was in perfect sync with her—both ensemble-wise and personality-wise. They gave consistently polished performances throughout their fantastic recital. In Beethoven's Sonata No. 8 in G, Korsakova played with a strong, velvety sound. Gallardo provided a light, but distinctive touch, bringing rhythmic excitement to the music without overpowering his partner. Their energy never lulled, a witty sense of humor prevailed throughout, and their phrases were rendered with elegance and finesse. The second movement in particular had an abundance of refined balances, color and tempo changes. The ritardando at the end of the second movement, for example, was perfectly timed—embellishment at all.In the solo work by Ysaye: L'Aurore from the Sonata in G, op. 27 No. 5, Korsakova sounded a bit more cautious, but she pulled off the tricky double stops and leaps without any problems. The following piece: the Heifetz arrangement of Gershwin's 5 Fragments from "Porgy and Bess" was brilliantly performed. Korsakova souped up the portamenti (slides) with both flair and taste. And she sounded as if she belonged on stage at the MET with the cast of the opera, as she sang Gershwin's inspired melodies on her fiddle with loyalty to the text of the original songs and the characters that sing them. She also belted out a big, lush sound. One of the reasons her beautiful sound projects so well is that throughout the program, she always applied a full bow—going from the very frog to the very tip. Naturally, she varied the degrees of the bow's speed and pressure, providing stylistic and coloristic contrasts that make her the interesting performer she is.The Gershwin was great, but it was amazingly topped by an electric performance of Sofia Gubaidulina's magnificent arrangement of Piazzolla's "Grand Tango". Their playing swayed, popped out and teased, but more importantly, it builded momentum from start to finish, with Gallardo adding climactic, virtuosic touches toward the end. He is a fabulous pianist and chamber music player—technically brilliant, yet both sensitive and energetic when he is not prominently on display. This fantastic pair of performers needs to come to New York again soon. Carnegie Hall, are you listening?"
New York Concert Review, March 2005
A stunningly beautiful listening experience
"In the play of the violinist Natasha Korsakova and the pianist José Gallardo resounds the fascination of strange worlds."…. This time it was the Russian exceptional violinist Natasha Korsakova and her congenial partner on the piano, José Gallardo, who set about blasting the concrete of firmly established opinions with an explosive programme of Tartini, Ysaye, Beethoven, Paganini, Saint-Saens and Franck.What appeared from beneath the surface was not only a stunningly beautiful listening but also an exciting aha experience. For when Natasha Korsakova caresses the strings of her violin, nothing remains the same. The grown-up child prodigy from Moscow gives composers and indivudual pieces of work back what the mechanisms of concert business all too often deny: their neglected, sometimes strange sides which are just as much their intrinsic nature. In this way ambivalence and transitions can be felt which are often being covered up by the standard nature of many concerts. The fruitful tension between baroque attitude, gallant embellishment and chromatic passion as it is expressed for example in Tartini's Devil's Trill Sonata. Natasha Korsakova does justice to all three facets of Tartini when she liberates him from the stigma of an Italian confectioner with an agreeably unpretentious Larghetto, interpreting him as a forfather of the musical Storm and Stress. It still has a moving, even touching mellifluousness, but it doesn't develop into cloying sweetness. Or Natasha's ingenious transformation of Paganini: Under her magic hands the diabolic ecstasy becomes a singing angel whose "Cantabile" reveals the incredibly sensitive, melancholic gracefulness of the Italian who all too often is being misunderstood as a technocratic exhibitionist. Similarly she deals with Beethoven's Sonata in G-major, the festive melody of which she intersperses again and again with a dance-like wink and demonstrates with polished position changes that the supposedly introverted misanthrope is also capable of smiling. That Natasha Korsakova time and again accomplishes such unconventional perspectives is of course also because of her wonderful partner. José Gallardo is an ideal of an accompanist, a gentleman pianist: calm, discreet and with the subtle but interpretationally rich art of reduction of the all-rounder he prepares a stage, no: a cosmos of possibilities of development for Korsakova, provokes a dialogue with her, but doesn't shrink from taking control from time to time. This was wonderfully audible in Cesar Franck's Sonata in A-major, that stirring drama of the senses in which formally severe toughtfulness and colourful impulsiveness of the musical language symbolically intensify each other.
Franck's message is also Natasha Korsakova's and José Gallardo's this evening: Under the surface of tradition and unambiguity always vibrates the fascination of unknown, strange worlds. Whoever wants to understand those needs courage – and good ears."
Süddeutsche Zeitung, October 1999
Natasha Korsakova and Oleg Poliansky in Wigmore Hall, London
"… Natasha Korsakova looks straight out of a painting by Augustus John, but there‘s nothing meretricious about her fastidiously sensitive playing. Opening with Bach‘s Chaconne, she brought out the grandeur and sweep of this daunting work – in which the violin must take on all the colours of the orchestra – with relaxed authority… After the interval, fireworks. Korsakova delivered Saint-Saens's bravura study, the valse Caprice, with impeccable precision and an impish smile. Ravel‘s sonata in G-Major made an exhilarating finale. They gave a Gershwin encore, and then a piece of Grapelli-style swing, as though the party was just getting into its stride. More, please! These charismatic performers should be brought back without delay!"
The Scotsman, March 1996
"… Natasha Korsakovas dynamic range, tone and intonation were worthly of the highest praise."
Yorkshire Post, 1996
Recording Reviews
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Various Composers: Opera Fantasies. This is the latest CD by Natasha Korsakova, and half of the 75-minute programme it contains is devoted to themes from Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin. The CD also contains pieces by Giuseppe Verdi, Gioacchino Rossini and Jacques Offenbach in appealing arrangements. Natasha is beautiful and friendly, and over the course of our brief talk, it is somewhat difficult to bring myself to look away from her. This violinist is only in her thirties but she is a major musician. Her formal training and the captivating sound that she is able to tease out of her instrument are the reasons why she is one of the best players of her generation. The violin she plays is her favourite: a wonderful Panormo instrument from 1765, lent to her by the Mannheimer insurance company. And there is no doubt that she has earned it. Only a few days ago, Natasha performed three concerts in a row at the Auditorium di Milano, together with the Giuseppe Verdi Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Giuseppe Grazioli. She played the Spanish Symphony by Eduard Lalo, a difficult piece which is only rarely performed in this country, to rapturous reception. "The young Russian violinist Natasha Korsakova, great-great grand niece to the composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, performs arrangements of well-known opera melodies. She plays adaptations of pieces from "Porgy and Bess", "Il Barbiere di Siviglia", "Les Contest d'Hoffmann", and "La Traviata" with stirring musicality, as if the melodies had originally been composed for the violin. With her exquisite sense of style and musical integrity, the beautiful Natasha plays with technical brilliance. This is quite an exceptional musical treat!" Pizzicato, February 2007 |
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| Arrangements Pass with Flying Colours
"The world of classical music is hardly complaining at the moment about a lack of young and talented female violinists – they certainly include Russian-Greek talent Natasha Korsakova, who is now destined to make a name for herself with her latest interpretation of arrangements of famous opera melodies. These virtuoso concert pieces are played to full effect. The precision timing with piano accompanist Kira Ratner is impressive. But Korsakova’s "special love" of George Gershwin's music is audible: the fantasia on "Porgy and Bess" shows her playful handling of sophisticated harmony, jazzy rhythms and singing melody." |
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| Natasha Korsakova: "Opera Fantasies"
"On her CD "Opera Fantasies" she both affirms and frees herself from her artistic roots: the CD tracks are not just a collection of showcase pieces for lighting fireworks on the violin. Instead, we are treated to a landscape tour through the art of witty adaptation of opera classics. Being a relative of a composer who himself once completed 15 operas, Korsakova approaches the pieces with perfect artistic dedication … Natasha Korsakova has mastered a highly differentiated sound and compositional repertoire, compelling her audience to listen attentively because of her uncompromising play that never once lapses into bourgeois sentimentalities. St. Petersburg-born pianist Kira Ratner is an ingenious accompanist to the young Russian. The disciplined and also highly sensitive playing by Korsakova awakens our curiosity about how she would tackle a piece such as Ravel's "Tzigane", which belongs to a similar virtuoso tradition …" |
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"… Young, outstanding violinists are truly not in short supply. Here is another artist who attracts our attention with her quite extraordinary feeling for the right note and the perfect phrase. Integrity is coupled with inspirational musicality. She is captivating and to the point, devious, and invitingly seductive (especially dazzling with Gershwin). Korsakova's weakness for designer fashion is certainly no PR stunt, but wonderfully complements her musical presence …" |
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| For the Music Lover
Virtuoso Violinist and Feminine Beauty Go Hand in Hand. "… She is a picture of beauty, a Russian who speaks six languages and was once celebrated as a child prodigy, and she has made the transition to a mature artist who is to be taken seriously. This is obvious from her impressive album "Opera Fantasies" (Sola Musica, SM 101), which features her playing opera arrangements together with her piano accompanist Kira Ratner. Ever since her first visit as a child to Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre, she has been fascinated by opera. Her special love of this music is tangible in every single recorded piece. The way that Natasha Korsakova knows how to play Gershwin’s music making it seem light, lyrical, dreamy and full of swing (one "Porgy and Bess" arrangement by Jascha Heifetz, another by Igor Frolov), or how full of passion and inspiration she plays Verdi ("La Traviata", "Ernani"), Rossini ("The Barber of Seville") and Offenbach ("The Tales of Hoffmann") shows that she knows how to make her violin speak – her talent is in a class of its own …" |
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| Recording One (two parts) Joan Sutherland turns 80: the best Arias from "La Stupenda"
"Opera Fantasies for violin … On the photos, Natasha Korsakova looks like a model. But the impression inside the booklet of her CD "Opera Fantasies" is deceiving. When the violinist starts to play George Gershwin's variations "Porgy and Bess", any trace of superficiality fades away. The piece arranged by violin virtuoso Jascha Heifetz flows from the Russian violinist's instrument as if it were her own voice, sounding like a stream of classical music, blues and cabaret. On this CD, even Verdi and Rossini sound as if they had composed opera arias only for the violin …" |
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| NATASHA KORSAKOVA: Opera Fantasies (Classical) Opera Melodies …
"… Opera Melodies (Verdi, Rossini, Offenbach, Gershwin) in transcriptions for violin and piano – that sounds like musical kitsch. Maybe some of it is. But when the young violinist Natasha Korsakova (piano: Kira Ratner) performs with such accomplishment, it becomes a delight to listen to." |
Discography
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L. van Beethoven |
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Pieces for violin and piano in collaboration with the spanish pianist and composer Manolo Carrasco. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/vive-la-pepa-1812-soundtrack/id554959394 |
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W.A.Mozart: Violin Concerto KV216 G-Major |
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Gershwin and more |
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Opera Fantasies On Themes of Rossini, Verdi, Offenbach and Gershwin Kira Ratner, piano |
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Luigi Boccherini: Sonata Op. 5 Nr. 1 in B-Major for Violin and Piano |
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Violin Sonatas by W.A. Mozart, Franziska Lebrun, Robert Kahn piano: Kira Ratner |
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Crescendo CD W.A. Mozart: Violin concerto B-major KV 207, 3rd movement: Presto Bavarian Chamber Orchestra Conductor: Ulf Klausenitzer |
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Baden-Baden CD, Volume 1 Natasha Korsakova, violin Francoise Groben, violoncello Ira Maria Witoschynskyj, piano Daria Witoschynskyj, flute |
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Baden-Baden CD, Volume 2 Natasha Korsakova, violin Ira Maria Witoschynskyj, piano Joachim Draheim, piano Jan Zácek, guitar |
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart CD – Violin concertos B-major KV 207, A-major KV 219 Bavarian Chamber Orchestra Conductor: Ulf Klausenitzer |
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin concertos KV 271, KV 218 Bavarian Chamber Orchestra Conductor: Ulf Klausenitzer
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Arrangements. Overture to the opera "The Magic Flute" (J. Wendt) Concerto d-minor for piano and orchestra (C. Czerny) Symphony g-minor (M. Clementi) Artists: Natasha Korsakova – violin; Kira Ratner – piano; Michael Faust – flute; Francoise Groben – violoncello; Ulrich Hartmann – viola; Claudia Kussmaul – viola |
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Registrazioni effettuate nella Sala Grande del Conservatorio G.Verdi di Milano F. Kreisler. Sincopy H. Wieniawski: Mazurka Yolanta Miroshnikova, piano |
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Adolf Busch: Concerto in a-minor Op. 20 Philharmonic Orchestra South-Westphalia Conductor: Georg Fritzsch Recorded live from Stadthalle Hagen (Westdeutscher Rundfunk) |
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Natasha Korsakowa – Andrei Korsakov W.A. Mozart: Violin concerto A-major KV 219 (N.K.), G-major KV 216 (A.K.) J.S. Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins d-minor Russian State Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Concertino |
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Vivaldi: "Four Seasons" Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 Russian State Symphony Orchestra Conductor: G. Rinkevicius |
Orchestral Repertoire
Johann Sebastian Bach
– Concerto Nr. 1 in A Minor
– Concerto Nr. 2 in E Major
– Concerto for two Violins in D Minor
– Concerto for Violin and Oboe in D Minor
– Concerto in D Minor
Ludwig van Beethoven
– Concerto in D Major Op. 61
– Triple Concerto for Violin, Violoncello and Pianoforte
– Romances in G Major and F Major
Alban Berg
– Concerto „Dem Andenken eines Engels“
Leonard Bernstein
– Serenade after Plato’s „Symposium“
Giovanni Bottesini
– Grand Duo Concertant for Violin and Double bass
Johannes Brahms
– Concerto in D Major Op. 77
– Double Concerto for Violin and Violoncello
Max Bruch
– Concerto Nr. 1 in G Minor
– Concerto Nr. 2 in D Minor
– Scottish Fantasy Op. 46
Adolf Busch
– Concerto
Ernest Chausson
– Poème
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
– Concerto G-Minor Op.80
– Legend
Antonin Dvorak
– Concerto in A Minor
– Romance in F Minor
Igor Frolov
– Fantasia on George Gershwins "Porgy and Bess"
Alexander Glasunow
– Concerto in A Minor
Philip Glass
– Concerto
Reynaldo Hahn
– Concerto in D Major
Julius Konus
– Concerto in E Minor
Erich Wolfgang Korngold
– Concerto in D Major
– 4 Songs from „Much Ado about Nothing“
Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov
– "Scheherezade" Symphonic Suite Op. 35
Josef Martin Kraus
– Concerto in C Major
Eduard Lalo
– Symphony Espagnol
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
– Concerto in E Minor
– Concerto in D Minor
– Concerto for Violine and Piano in D Minor
W. A. Mozart
– Concerto Nr. 1 in B flat Major KV 207
– Concerto Nr. 2 in D Major KV 211
– Concerto Nr. 3 in G Major KV 216
– Concerto Nr. 4 in D Major KV 218
– Concerto Nr. 5 in A Major KV 219
– Concerto Nr. 7 in D Major KV 271
– Sinfonia Concertante in E flat KV 364
– Concertone for two Violins in C Major
– Rondo in C Major
– Rondo in G Major
Arvo Pärt
– Tabula Rasa, Concerto for 2 Violins
Astor Piazzolla
– Four Seasons in Buenos Aires
Sergej Prokofiev
– Concerto Nr. 1 in D Major
Camille Saint-Saens
– Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
– Havanaise
Alfred Schnittke
– Concerto Grosso Nr. 3 for 2 Violins
Daniel Schnyder
– „Mozart in China“ for Violin and Strings
Dmitri Schostakowitsch
– Concerto Nr. 1 in A Minor
Franz Schubert
– Adagio and Rondo in A Major
Louis Spohr
– Concerto Nr. 8 in A Minor
Karol Szymanowski
– Concerto Nr. 2 Op. 61
Armando Trovajoli
– Konzert "Puppets"
– Serenade "Per Giudita"
Peter I. Tschaikowsky
– Concerto in D Major
– Meditation
– Serenade Melancolique
– Scherzo
– Melody
Henri Vieuxtemps
– Concerto Nr. 4 in D Minor
– Concerto Nr. 5 in A Minor
Robert Vinson
– Concerto in F (Tribute to George Gershwin)
Giovanni Battista Viotti
– Concerto Nr. 16 in E Minor
Antonio Vivaldi
– Concerto in G Minor
– Concerto in A Major
– The Four Seasons
– Concerto in A Minor da „L’Estro Armonico“ for 2 Violins
– Concerto in F Major for 3 Violins
– Concerto in B Minor for 4 Violins
Kurt Weill
– Concerto Op. 12
Henryk Wieniawsky
– Concerto Nr. 2 in D Minor
– Fantasia on Charles Gounods "Faust"
– Legend
Efrem Zimbalist
– Fantasia on N. Rimsky-Korsakovs "Le Coq d'Or"
Interviews
"Oggi" Magazine, Italy
January 2014
'L'affascinante Natasha Korsakova'
Foglio Italiano, June 2013
Monte Carlo Journal
Monte Carlo Journal, May 2013
Musizieren für den Tanz
Ballett am Rhein, b-N°3, December 2012
"Natasha Korsakova e la missone del musicista"
"Pubblicità Italia", August 2012
Klangkörperkult
General-Anzeiger, February 4th./5th. 2012
"Die ganze Zeit hielt er meine Hand"
General-Anzeiger, December 21st, 2011
Violinistin Natasha spielt für Papst Benedikt XVI.
Express, December 3rd, 2011
La Bella e il Violino, Tutto Milano (cover)
Natasha passionale (interview)
"Tutto Milano", November 20th, 2010
La Violinista Natasha Korsakova porta in Italia la sua Musica
"Il Sole 24 Ore", December 12th, 2010
Prêt-à-Porter and the violin
Frankfurter Rundschau
Le impossibili – Natasha Korsakova
Style Magazine / Corriere della Sera, October 2009
Natasha Korsakova – La Musica Nel Sangue
Diva e Donna, November 2009
Il Mio Sexy Violino
MAX, October 2009
Natasha Korsakova – Model Musician
Roanoke Times, October 2009
Personaggi 'Io e il violono, una storia d'amore e di Sacrificio'
Vivo, June 2009
L'Intervista – Natasha Korsakova
il Giornale, March 2009
Weill e Mozart, soprattutto
L'Arena, February 2009
La Parola Agli Artisti – Natasha Korsakova
Incontri Asolani, 2009
Natasha Korsakova – Le Mie Note Italiane
Diva e Donna, 2009
Mutters Erbe
Klassik am Sonntag, 18.03.2007
Klassik und Erotik? Warum nicht?
Top Magazin Bielefeld, Spring 2007
Hummel im Anflug
Focus, 26.10.2006
Photo Gallery
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