The New York Times

The New York Times (June 20, 2008) -- The New York Times
ALLAN KOZINN
Published: June 20, 2008

...The program’s main draw was the New York premiere of George Tsontakis’s Violin Concerto No. 2 (2003), for which Mr. Tsontakis won the $200,000 Grawemeyer Award in 2005. A compact, eventful score, it makes good use of the orchestra’s resources — particularly woodwind and percussion timbres that create an otherwordly shimmer and sparkle — and treats the violin as both a distinctive solo voice and an essential strand within the ensemble texture.

In its solo passages the violin often projects an old-fashioned rhapsodic style, which was magnified by Yevgeny Kutik’s rich, sweet tone. The orchestral writing often had a sharper harmonic edge and used the solo violin more assertively and with an earthier sound. George Rothman led a thoroughly prepared, energetic performance...