“As for Tchaikovsky, one never outgrows his emotion-steeped melodies, especially as played by Batiashvili, whose freshness came from organizing the phrases in ways that made sense to her own ears — and thus to ours.

She played it as if it were the most important piece in the world…”

The Inquirer

“The second piece on the program was Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto in D Major” with soloist Lisa Batiashvili. From the very first notes of the Tchaikovsky, the orchestra seemed more comfortable with the music. This was clearly the type of playing that they do all the time, and they did not disappoint. The soloist made even the most complicated of passages seem simple, and as her playing increased in intensity, the orchestra matched her step-by-step. The audience could not help but applaud the end of the first movement though two movements were still to come. As conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin pointed out, this would have been standard practice during Tchaikovsky’s time.

The following two movements were similarly magnificent. The orchestra and soloist played with a level of intensity that demanded attention from the audience — it was impossible to sit passively throughout the performance. The finale, in particular, was breathtaking. Batiashvili possesses an effortless ability to take even the most difficult of passages and make them seem effortless. She soared above the orchestra, the upper strings responding to her every move and echoing her in kind. Nézet-Séguin and Batiashvili clearly enjoy working with each other, as they frequently smiled at each other and responded to each other in kind throughout the work.”

Michigan Daily