Press - Reviews

"AMG - All Music Guide": CD/Album Review "Volodja Balzalorsky Live in Concert Vol.3 - Live in Maribor"- New Cantabel Productions Release
by James  Leonard
...Balzalorsky is an intelligent artist with sweet tone and a smooth technique. In this 1989 issue from the International Chamber Music Series of Maribor, Balzalorsky's Dvorák Sonatina is delightful and soulful, his Debussy Sonata is light and ethereal, his Paganini Cantabile is ripe and tender, and his Srebotnjak Sonata No. 1 is powerful and persuasive.
With the sympathetic accompaniment of German pianist Christoph Theiler, Balzalorsky's performances are easily in the same league as many of the better international performances of the past 20 years and well worth hearing...

"New York Concert Review - Januar 2007": Amael Piano Trio at Carnegie Hall, June 2 2006
Amael Piano Trio is a very fine group. The stringplayer's intonation is impeccable, their tone is rich, beautiful and homogeneous and can vary from floating delicacy to vibrant full bodied sonorousness...
A large multi-national audience rewarded the performers with warm approval and prolonged ovations.
Edith Eisler

"New York Concert Review - Januar 2006": Volodja's performance at Carnegie Hall in September 2005
Volodja Balzalorsky in a performance of Janacek, Skerjanc and Brahms:
Finally we heard the soloist whose musical lines seemed to go somewhere, finally some exiting music making.
Harry Saltzman

"Le Monde": Volodja Balzalorsky et Christoph Theiler, un duo aux qualités complémentaires
by Jacques Lonchampt
Volodja Balzalorsky et Christoph Theiler, un duo aux qualités complémentaires, au jeu tés fin, aux interprétations intelligentes et sensibles...

Volodja Bazalorsky and Christoph Theiler complement one another well, with very subtle playing, intelligent and sensitive interpretations...
Jacques Lonchampt - Le Monde


"Outstanding violinist Volodja Balzalorsky scores a splendid success"... a brilliant, powerful and inspired interpreter...
"Vecerne Novosti" - Slobodan Turlakov
"Outstanding violinist Volodja Balzalorsky scores a splendid success"... a brilliant, powerful and inspired interpreter...
Volodja Balzalorsky is passionately devoted to violin, inspired by the flame which distinguishes the most refined and authentic violinists capable of building the dramaturgy of musical works in the most natural and persuasive manner. His interpretation calls for an exalted and compassionate listener, which is the distinction of rare and predestined musicians.

An extremely fine artist...a gifted musician...
"Bassa Romagna" - Salvatore Grillo
An extremely fine artist...remarkable technique and strength of sound...an eloquent sensitivity and an interpretative character of great force, makes him one of his country?s best - known violinist. A gifted musician, but blind to the temptations of star - like behaviour.

Volodja at 12th Kromeriz Fest presenting Slovenian music
"Composer USA" and "Opus Musicum" by Jan Grossman
Two lively and outstanding Slovenian artists, violinist Volodja Balzalorsky and pinist Marina Horak.
Very interesting also was the probe into Slovenian composer's work performed by two lively and outstanding Slovenian artists, violinist Volodja Balzalorsky and pianist Marina Horak. All compositions were composed with invention and skill, and of course rendered excellently.

"DNES-Mlada fronta", Prague: by Wanda Dobrovska
Volodja with Percussion Plus Project in Prague:
Volodja Balzalorsky performed Fiser's "Crux" from memory, thus bringing to the performance an impulse of experienced, virtuoso immediacy...every thing that he attempts is entirely concentrated in the moment...

"Music.download.com": It's a brilliant bit of retroaction that gives the works a new vitality and presence
Editor's Reviews: about recordings of Volodja and Amael Piano Trio at download.com:

"Music.download.com 2006"
Forgoing the silken tone oft used for Debussy or Brahms in favor of a fuller, rangier fiddle sound, Balzalorsky brings the rambling violin of the fin-de-siecle Eastern European composers back to the 19th-century Westerners. It's a brilliant bit of retroaction that gives the works a new vitality and presence

"Music.download.com 2006": about Amael Piano Trio
This award-winning Slovenian group plays its renditions of 19th-century German and Russian luminaries with a masterful cross of red-blooded force and delicate restraint. It's that balance of vigor and vulnerability that distinguishes these works, this trio hits all the right notes.

"Music.download.com 2005"
Slovenian concert violinist Volodja Balzalorsky puts his instrument front and center to beautifully interpret classical works from the Romanticism and Impressionism eras. With only piano as accompaniment, he elevates the material with his intuitive and refined technique.


Volodja Balzalorsky und Christoph Theiler präsentieren sich als ideales Duo
"Fränkischer Tag", Germany: by Otto Feneberg
Volodja Balzalorsky und Christoph Theiler präsentieren sich als ideales Duo, bewiesen künstleriche Übereinstimmung und faszinierten beim Vortrag des gut gewälten Programmes.
...Ebenfalls aus Wien war der hervorragende Geiger Volodja Balzalorsky gekommen um mit erstaunlicher Interpretationskunst zu begeistern...Die Wiedergabe dieses inhaltsreichen Werkes (J.Brahms-Sonate Op.100) war eine Meisterleistung...Nach spontanem und langanhaltendem Beifall gab es noch zwei Zugaben: Es ertönte Scherzo in c-moll von Johannes Brahms und Sarabande von Jean Maria Leclair in andachtsvoller Schönheit...


Other Reviews: various languages with some translations
Fränkisher Tag, Neue Musick Zeitschrift, NÖ Nachrichten, Die Presse, CD journal Regio, Neuburger Rundshau, La voce del popolo, all Ribalta, Bassa Romagna, Il Resto del Carlino, Vjesnik, Vjecerni list, Politika, Delo, Dnevnik, Radio Slovenia etc.
"LA VOCE DEL POPOLO" - Radojka Sverko - Music Festival Pula
"Affascinati dal duo Volodja Balzalorsky e Jaksa Zlatar"
Affascinante e oltremodo musicale il duo violino e piano-forte, Volodja Balzalorsky e Jaksa Zlatar?.
Il programma presentato colossale nei suo insieme...
...splendidamente interpretati dai due musicisti... Abbiamo sentito ancora il bell Entre'acte di jacques Ibert  e la Sonatensatz di Brahms pure ineccepibilmente eseguite ed ancora due extra quali bis  a grande richiesta di publico...
...Un grande concerto, che ha dato lustro al Festival per lo charme, il virtuisismo terso oppure pieno di fascino, la grande competenza di due musicisti che operano su scala mondiale eppure cosi vicini e attenti alla sollecitazione del pubblico, alla gioventu musicale che seguono e alla quale prestano grande attenzione...


"ALLA RIBALTA" - Alberto Spano (Special Italian Music Magazin)
Non e piu il caso di parlare di interpreti o di promesse nel caso di Volodja Balzalorsky, violinista sloveno ascoltato nei ciclo "Musica con..." in duo col pianista tedesco Christoph Theiler in Dvorak, Debussy e Brahms: una cavata di eccezionale bellezza e dal timbro di particolarissimo colore, apparso a Bologna come una meteora con il suo bagaglio di emozioni, di languori, di virtuosismo e temperamento, seguito dalla tastiera prontissima di Theiler. Un pianista toscano molto promettente (bella mano, suono calibrato, ottimo curriculum) succedeva a Balzalorsky.


"OKO" - Zagreb
The brilliant violinist Volodja Balzalorsky focused the audience's attention on his stunning interpretation of Brahms, Bloch and Lipovsek.


"BASSA ROMAGNA" - Salvatore Grillo
Due vallidissimi artisti Volodja Balzalorsky il sloveno Volodja Balzalorsky ed il tedesco Christoph Theiler-Volodja Balzalorsky dispone di una tecnica raguarevolle e di potenza di suono, arricchiti da una sensibilita espressiva e da uno temperamento interpretativo di grande reliefo, che ne fanno uno dei violinisti piu noti nel suo paese. Il partner al pianoforte non era certamente da mano, in quanto a talento interpretativo e ad accuratezza esecutiva: Theiler e capace di alternare il suono scrrevole e nuance alle tempestose incursioni sulla tastiera.
L'insieme si fa apprezzare per la capacita di fondersi in un dialogo esuberante, ma emotivamente ben controllato, ove chiarezza e semplicita si intrecciano con dinamismo appasionato.


"NEUE MUSIC ZEITSCHRIFT" - Claus-Henning Bachmann
Georg Crumb Festival-European Month of Culture (Ljubljana 1997)
Das Finalkonzert, von Musikern (Ensemble Ouverture) exzellent musiziert, bot als Hauptwerk "Black Angels" (Volodja Balzalorsky, 1.violine, Irina Kovorkova, 2.violine, Svava Bernhartsdottir, viola, Igor Mitrovic, cello) eine wiederum anspielungsreiche, spirituell aufbereitete Reise der Seele als Auseinnandersetzung mit dem Vietnam-Krieg. Die Begrenzungen dieser Musiksprache waren unüberhörbar, doch eine kleine, von Crumb offenbar gut eingestimmte Gemeinde lauschte wie gebannt.


"DNEVNIK"- Ljubljana
"An important artistic event" throughout the evening, we enjoyed the masterly interpretation...an exceptional harmony of ease and authenticity of performance...


"NÖ Nachrichten"
Ost-West Musik Fest: A. Vivaldi-Konzert für vier violinen:
Volodja Balzalorsky, Rusne Mataityte, Valery Oistrach und Gernot Winischofer leisteten ganze Arbeit. "Solisten Quartett" verstand es, die zahlreichen Zuchörer-circa drei hundert füllten das Und-Kloster fast zur Gänze zu begeistern.


"DIE PRESSE" - Walter Dobner
...Ausdruckvolle strömende Kantilene...


CD-Journal "REGIO",  Juliheft 2001
Freiburger Barocksolisten-Volodja Balzalorsky als Konzertmeister und Dirigent
"Geerdete Kraft und filigranes Spiel"
Diese CD ist im Rahmen der 53. Neuburger Barockkonzerte 2000 entstanden. Auch für Musikkenner lesenswert ist die ausführliche Beschreibung, die der CD beiliegt. Die renommierten Freiburger Barocksolisten (Künsterische Leitung- Günter Theis, Konzermeister und Dirigent-Volodja Balzalorsky) präsentieren Werke von Johann Sebas tian Bach (Brandenburgisches Konzert F-Dur). Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Konzert G-Dur für Quernöte und Orchester). Ludwig van Beethoven (Variationen über Mozarts ?Reich mir die Hand zum Bunde") und Johann Andreas Amon (Quintett G-Dur für Flöte, Viola und Streichertrio).
  Temperamentvoll, effektbewusst und frisch musiziert das Ensemble, man spürt beim Hören die Körperbewegungen der Musiker, den sanften Schwung - die Frei burger Barocksolisten spielen, wann immer möglich, im Stehen. Von geerdeter Kraft bis zum eleganten, filigranen Spiel ?auf den Zehenspitzen" ist alles im Gestaltungsrahmen des Ensembles möglich, und eine grö ßere Differenziertheit in den Details ist kaum noch denkbar. Da schlägt es elektrische Funken, wenn Amon über seine Marcia -Allegretto" schreibt, und das Adagio bei Bach ist von verträumter Selbstvergessen heit geprägt. Eine Art Verführungskraft wohnt den Interpretationen inne. Die har monische Finesse demonstriert überzeu gend die dreifache Meisterschaft der Frei burger    Barocksolisten    sowohl    in technischer Ausführung. Gestaltungskunst und Stilistik.


"NEUBURGER RUNDSCHAU"
Artikel am  22.09.2000
Als Konzertmeister füngiert im zweiten Jahr hintereinander Volodja  Balzalorsky, einer der führenden Geiger Sloweniens und Professor für  Violine an der Musikhochschule in Ljubljana. Mit Günter Theis verbindet  ihn mehrjährige gemeinsame Arbeit als Dozenten beim Walisischen  Musikfest in England.

"VECERNJI LIST", Croatia
The playing of Volodja Balzalorsky, the internationally renowned Slovene violinist and Christoph Theiler, the excellent German pianist, was very refined. In a perfect collaboration, Balzalorsky and Theiler articulated a tastefully - measured dynamic with the emphasis on perfect piano work, its cultured solo entrances perfectly clear. Everything sounded harmonious and peaceful under Balzalorsky's and Theiler's fingers. The concert was very well received and was rewarded with sincere applause from the large Zagreb crowd at the end.



Reviews about Amael Piano Trio performances:
New York Concert Review, Radio Slovenia, Vjesnik (Croatia), Music.download.com

"New York Concert Review - Januar 2007": Amael Piano Trio at Carnegie Hall, June 2 2006
Amael Piano Trio is a very fine group. The stringplayer's intonation is impeccable, their tone is rich, beautiful and homogeneous and can vary from floating delicacy to vibrant full bodied sonorousness...
A large multi-national audience rewarded the performers with warm approval and prolonged ovations.
Edith Eisler

"RADIO SLOVENIA"
...perfect symbiosis of intellect and passion...
Radio Slovenia 


"VJESNIK", Croatia
Pianist Tatjana Ognjanovic, violinist Volodja Balzalorsky and cellist Damir Hamidulin collaborate on an extremely high level of musical communication. These three excellent musicians, all of them masters of their instrument, amalgamate their respective expertise in a high-quality musical experience in Brahms the sound displayed luxury, power and temperament, confirming the high technical level, the accomplished interpretation and the excellent musicianship of this leading Slovenian trio.


"Music.download.com 2006"
This award-winning Slovenian group plays its renditions of 19th-century German and Russian luminaries with a masterful cross of red-blooded force and delicate restraint. It's that balance of vigor and vulnerability that distinguishes these works, this trio hits all the right notes.