Press Reviews Critical Acclaim

“ San Diego Arts ”

Pianist Victor Stanislavsky in All-Chopin Program

Youthful vigor and mature interpretation
By Kenneth Herman

“Sunday (February 7) at the La Jolla Athenaeum, San Diego…the young Israeli pianist Victor Stanislavsky played a sparkling, expansive all-Chopin recital. The intimacy of the venue...proved ideal for Stanislavsky’s supple, polished, and eloquent technique. His Chopin was intimate, but never precious; rhapsodic, but never exuberant at the expense of clarity.

Now that we are in the second month of the Chopin bicentennial year, San Diegans are anticipating a flood of all-Chopin recitals... Now if only the various upcoming Chopin programs match the fresh vitality of Stanislavsky’s approach, we will indeed have a bountiful season.
For his Athenaeum program, Stanislavsky chose later works of Chopin, opening with the probing, spiritual “Polonaise-Fantasie,” Op. 61, and closing with the “B Minor Sonata,” Op. 58, perhaps to underline that this 27-year-old performer has a mature grasp of the repertory. Whatever his motivations for the programming, his interpretive maturity came through conclusively.

For some recitalists, it is enough to master the formidable technical challenges of Chopin and simply glory in that achievement. What sets Stanislavsky apart is his consistent subjugation of technical flourish to cultivate the composer’s kaleidoscopic melodic invention against unexpected shifting harmonic colors and subtle transformation of textures, cardinal traits of Chopin’s improvisatory genius. In the “Polonaise-Fantasy” and the first movement of the Sonata, Stanislavsky captured the improvisatory character of these movements with winning confidence.

I was impressed with his soulful creation of the Sonata’s slow movement, which many consider to be Chopin’s great homage to the operatic style of his idol, Vincenzo Bellini. Even at the slowest tempos, Stanislavsky kept these sinuous melodies vital and compelling, sustaining the inner drama against outer repose. He imbued the “Scherzo No. 4 in E Major,” Op. 54, with a Schubertian playfulness, and his meticulous articulation of the “Three Waltzes,” Op. 34 displayed the aristocratic animation that Chopin employed to keep his wealthy patrons satisfied. Although the “Polonaise D Minor,” Op. 71, has a high opus number, it was actually composed before Chopin left Poland for Paris and published posthumously. Stanislavsky gave it a depth that raised it to the level of the more sophisticated compositions of the rest of his program.

Stanislavsky should go far in a solo career, his aesthetic choices in the confines of the Athenaeum were golden.”

“Ha’aretz”
By Noam Ben Zeev

“…This is the third year of “Ein Hod” festival and in its last day afternoon it presented young Israeli Pianist; Victor Stanislavsky, a breath-taking Virtuoso who chose two of the monumental pieces of the repertoire; the sonatas by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Stanislavsky, with unimaginable technique though with emotional restrain – left his mark…”

"San Diego Jewish World"

By Eileen Wingard

"...Stanislavsky is every string player’s dream..."

"Epoch Times"

"Marathon of all Beethoven Piano Concerti"

The Israel Chamber Orchestra, Soloist: Victor Stanislavsky.

Tel-Aviv Museum of arts.

By Zlila Avner Helmann.

"..Victor Stanislavsky played Beethoven's concerto no.3 with clean, strong, dramatic, emotional sound, all in the right places. Quite a while since I've heard a pianist who plays in a way that each note is heard separately and still all combine together to an exquisite melody and playing. A deep and impressive performance that well expressed the drama, outburst and the maturity of the piece while maintaining a remarkable dialog with the Orchestra. The charisma and power in his playing created an astonishing experience and brought the chamber orchestra to moments of elation. No wonder that the audience was excited and received the experience with enthusiasm and applause. From all the soloists - who all where good – I preferred him…"

"Jerusalem Post"

Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
All-Mozart Program, Jerusalem Theater

By Uri Eppstein

…"Victor Stanislavsky displayed a most pleasant soft touch in Concerto No. 22. He knew how to make the piano sing, being well aware that melodies of Mozart, an opera composer, should sound vocal even on the piano. In the slow movement, he appealingly captured its lyric mood, and the final one sounded sprightly, playful and elegant…In the Concerto for Two Pianos, the two pianists played in perfect coordination and with mutual attentiveness"…

“Dallas News”
2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition

by Scott Cantrell/Classical Music Critic

"Victor Stanislavsky (26, Israel). This Ukrainian-born Israeli was the most consistently engaging and musically satisfying performer so far. That was true even in Schumann's long and rambling Humoresque, in which he perfectly balanced the impetuous and the dreamily improvisatory. A Scarlatti sonata and the first movement of a Mozart B-flat major Sonata…both sparkled wittily. The Mozart's slow movement was as lovingly done as a great singer's aria. Two Capriccios by Hungarian composer György Ligeti finished off his recital with spiky exuberance"

" Maariv "

'Yesterday in Israel Festival - Marathon of Rachmaninoff's Music '

By Ora Binur

"..Victor Stanislavsky's performance of Rachmaninoff preludes was highly impressive and created a true fascination and intrigue on the highest level.."

"Reshet Bet, Voice of Israel"

By Dani Bloch

"..His performance was superb in every way, literally a 'star born' pianist.."

“Ha’aretz”

Israel Symphony Orchestra "Rishon le Zion", Soloist: Victor Stanislavsky

Herzlia Arts Center

By Noam Ben Zeev

"…Victor Stanislavsky: Energetic, creating sparkles under his fingers and full with enthusiasm and confidence .."