A L E X A N D E R   J A N I C Z E K 
R E V I E W S 

"What jaunty lightness and suppleness, what precision and elegance. Alexander Janiczek thrilled the audience at the festival on Herrenchiemsee in the Hall of Mirrors with the solo part in Bach’s concerto for violin and orchestra in a-minor"    

Festival on Herrenchiemsee - Georg Fuechtner, Oberbayerisches Volksblatt, 26 July 2014    

"...an absolute master of his chamber music craft...electric performance by Janiczek and Higham ... fantastic interplay between these two fabulous musicians outlined precisely Ravel's musical argument that beauty need not be soft-centred. Another fine night for chamber music.
West End Festival, Alexander Janiczek/Philip Higham, Cottier's Theatre, Glasgow, 19 June 2014 - Michael Tumelty, The Herald

“Alexander Janiczek, who was guest conductor and principal violinist, is an inspirational performer. He integrates with the music with such passion eliciting the most exquisite sounds from his violin you could see how the musicians would be utterly motivated to emulate his expertise – and indeed they were, for the performance was full of the delicate nuances Dvorak had obviously intended for this piece...the orchestra, under the guidance of Janiczek sounded superb...Under the influence of Janiczek’s conducting and passionate playing the concert concluded in a rousing finale.”

SCO & Llyr Williams, Edinburgh Queens Hall, Oct 2013 - The Edinburgh Guide, Oct 2013

“There’s something quite striking about the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s sound when its players perform without a conductor – as they did in this energetic, engaging concert, directed by violinist Alexander Janiczek from the concertmaster’s desk… vivid, highly characterful accounts that sparkle with freedom and confidence. It paid off magnificently…”
SCO & Llyr Williams, Edinburgh Queens Hall, Oct 2013 - David Kettle, The Scotsman, Oct 2013


“…the concert opened with a warm caress, closed with a bracing and explosive firecracker….a mesmerising performance…a blazing, bristling experience in the hands of this majestic outfit…”
SCO/ Alexander Janiczek, City Halls, Glasgow - Michael Tumelty, The Herald, 15 April 2013

"…a self-generated electricity that feeds performances with a sense of immediacy, even an element of danger, as players engage actively with each other…the robust thrusting energy of the opening movement, the prolonged expressiveness of the Larghetto, the brutal concision of the Scherzo, and that teasing firecracker of a Finale.”
SCO/ Alexander Janiczek, City Halls, Glasgow - Ken Walton, The Scotsman, 13 April 2013

..."brilliant, witty and characterful..."
Alexander Janiczek/SCO,Gruber's Nebelsteinmusik - Michael Tumelty, The Herald, 26 March 2012

…a sparkling performance that manages the trick of catching the inexhaustible melodic invention in Mozart's music of this period. It has an attractive sense of being under perfect ensemble control from violinist and leader Alexander Janiczek.
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, CD: Mozart, Divertimento K. 334; Oboe Quartet K. 370 - James Manheim, allmusic.com, 23 January 2012

“Assertively led by Janiczek, Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) was a tour de force of deep, heartfelt understanding of this classic masterpiece … It was a no-holds-barred approach from Janiczek, leading to an exhilarating result, infused with bright, bold radiance.”
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, St Magnus Festival, Orkney - Carol Main, The Scotsman, 24 June 2011

“The nuclear precision of Kurtag's music, a visceral illumination of Kafka's piercing aphorisms, was powerfully expressed in this high-powered performance, almost exclusively a result of the sharp-edged partnership between the two performers… Janiczek's playing was dazzlingly brilliant.”
Hebrides Ensemble, ‘Kafka Fragmente’, The Arches, Glasgow - The Scotsman, Kenneth Walton, 03 June 2011

“Violinist Alexander Janiczek matched with raw, impulsive and extraordinarily dexterous handling of the fiendishly skittish writing. Between them, it is a profound and powerful achievement.”
Hebrides Ensemble, ‘Kafka Fragmente’, The Arches, Glasgow - The Guardian, Kate Molleson, 02 June 2011

A perfect match, they are driving with a dense dark and seductive light music ... Marston and the musical ensemble reflect the intimate theater with a correspondingly intimate dance language
Camerata Bern & Bern Ballet; "Flight of Gravity"- der bund, May 2011

The Camerata Bern and excellent soloists Alexander Janiczek (violin) and Robert Kolinsky (piano) hold the pieces together. By the intensity of their gamethey can dance in the emotional charge and enhanced. ... a most touching piece.
Camerata Bern & Bern Ballet; "Flight of Gravity" - berner Z May 2011

Whenever [Janiczek] joins the ensemble as guest leader there is a palpable surge of energy as his large and generous sound prompts a response from those around him.”
Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Janiczek: CL@Six (Haydn, Drum Roll Symphony) - Peter Cudmore, Musical Cristicism, February 2011

“…in terms of gleeful relish, and in the abundant proof that here was genius, it won hands down."
Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Janiczek: CL@Six (Haydn, Drum Roll Symphony) Conrad Wilson, The Herald, 03 February 2010

Alexander Janiczek conducts the Chamber Orchestra of Europe in supple and persuasive performances (...) Janiczek and the COE capture this mood better than I've heard it done elsewhere. (...) As with Apollon, the performance by Janiczek and company is a revelation.
CD: Stravinsksky, Apollon Musagète & Pulcinella Suite, Chamber Orchestra of Europe - Phil Muse, Audio Video Club of Atlanta, 15 November 2010

Janiczek and the orchestra opened with the overture and three scenes from Beethoven’s ballet “The Creatures of Prometheus,”...With just 37 members, the orchestra played with the robustness and power of a much larger band (...) Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides” Overture was the program’s shout-out to Scotland...It lent a painterly softness of the landscape....Here it was achingly expressed, full of longing.
Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Janiczek: Emory University - Pierre Ruhe, ArtsCriticATL.com, 03 November 2010

"Alexander Janiczek, conducting from the concertmaster’s chair in the Beethoven and the Mendelssohn drew a big, powerful, unified sound from the compact ensemble. The running string figures in the “Creatures of Prometheus” Overture were played with thrilling fleetness, and punctuating chords were loud, solid and razor-sharp."
Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Janiczek: 92nd Street Y, New York - Allan Kozinn, New York Times, 01 November 2010

“Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture and excerpts from Beethoven's Prometheus were directed from the leader's chair by violinist Alexander Janiczek, a bold and vivacious musician.”
Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Janiczek: Queens Hall, Edinburgh - Kate Molleson, The Guardian, 24 October 2010

"…There can be no doubt that the concentration demanded of the musicians by the lack of somebody waving a baton at them increases their rapport and, in this case, delivered an evening of supreme quality (…) Janiczek had the measure of Beethoven’s themes and the orchestra were inspired to follow his example, especially during an excellent clarinet solo from Maximillano Martin. The music was sublime (...) With Alexander Janiczek directing, this performance of [Mozart’s] Jupiter was flawless. The strings were precise, the wind provided the perfect foil and the distinctive tones of the natural horns and trumpets gave the sound such an exemplary character. “
Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Janiczek: Strathpeffer Spa Pavilion - James Munro, Hi-Arts, 12 July 2010

“At one end of the scale was a mega event in Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews – a collaboration between the Tallis Scholars, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Belcea Quartet and the specially formed East Neuk Singers…the SCO's glowing account, under Alexander Janiczek, of Richard Strauss's Metamorphosen for 23 solo strings was moving and engaging…”
Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Janiczek: East Neuk Festival - Lynn Walker, The Independent, 11 July 2010

“… music by Mozart, Gluck and Dvorak was delivered with summery zeal. Former SCO leader Alexander Janiczek directed with his Stradivarius tucked firmly under his chin and the rest of his body dancing to the beat of the music. The opening Gluck overture set a virile tone for an evening distinguished by playing that was raunchy but refined. And in Dvorak's Czech Suite, a racy combination of suavity and swagger took the room temperature to stifling heights. But it was in Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante that something very special happened (…) The pairing of Janiczek's silvery delivery with the seductive confidence of SCO principal violist Jane Atkins was a match made in Heaven. It struck that fine balance between individuality and synergy, between emotive display and intellectual constraint. The whole band picked up the vibes, supporting with intuitive spontaneity (...) In much the same way, Mozart's Symphony No 29 provided a sparkling finale to a delightful evening.”
Grand Hall, Stirling Castle: Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Janiczek Kenneth Walton, The Scotsman, 08 June 2009

“…in performances as refined as these, which are directed from the violin by Alexander Janiczek, they make a delightful…package. The whole thing is beautifully played by Janiczek and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.”
CD - Mozart: Serenade K203; Divertimento K251, Scottish CO/Janiczek (Linn) - Andrew Clements, The Guardian, Friday 2 January 2009

“The 2008 hybrid SACD by Alexander Janiczek and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe presents these ballets with great polish and charm, and the multichannel recording gives the performances credible presence, appreciable depth, and sonorities so rich in timbres and dynamics they will make audiophiles salivate…This album is highly recommended as one of the best of 2009.”
CD Igor Stravinsky: Apollon musagète; Pulcinella Suite - Blair Sanderson, allmusic.com, 2009

“Is it even possible for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to do less than a superb job with Mozart? Their follow-up disc to Symphonies 38-41 with Sir Charles Mackerras hits the spot again with crisp, cohesive playing, delivered with a proper sense of fun (...) The music exudes easy informality, bound together nevertheless with typical Mozartian precision, and that description just about sums up the orchestra’s playing under Alexander Janiczek. It also sums up Janiczek's lyrical violin playing in the concerto section, complete with his own cadenzas.”
CD Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Mozart Colloredo Serenade and Divertimento - Charlotte Gardner, BBC Online, December 2008

“… everything came together in the most magical way. One high point came in the small, white, sturdily beautiful Crail church, perched right above a rocky beach. Here pianist Llyr Williams, violinist Alexander Janiczek and cellist David Watkin gave a performance of Mendelssohn's D minor Trio that was almost ideal in its lightness and lyric grace.”
East Neuk Festival: magical moments at the edge of the world - Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph, 10 July 2008

“…Strauss's Metamorphosen…Under the invisible guidance of leader Alexander Janiczek, we witnessed the phenomenon of twenty-three musicians linked as telepathically as a quartet, one single body exhaling Strauss's great collective sigh.”
Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Royal Festival Hall, 5 November 2007 - Intermezzo, 06 Nov 2007
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