Midori plays Tchaikovsky violin concerto D major

I am in the middle of two posts and I'm behind on my postcard blog posts but I just had to share this. I just saw violinist Midori Goto in concert and she is   B  R  I  L  L  I  A  N  T !   I can't quite get over how fabulous she was. Additionally she was playing one of my favorite pieces ever: Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major, op.35. This is a great test of any violinist technical skills and boy did she ace it. Also, she is fascinating to see live (lucky me, I was in the eight row center so she was playing right in front of me). It's like watching a kabuki performance minus the costume. She is so expressive and dramatic in her facial expressions and movements - she uses her whole body and she's so mastered communicating through her 1734 Guarnerius del Gesu "ex-Huberman". No need for words, the music speaks for itself.

I'm on a high. I am constantly amazed at the beauty and restorative powers of music. When I'm down, I often turn to music. It never fails me! When I'm upbeat, music puts me in an even more positive mood! I wish I could play you a video of what I got the chance to see but I'll have to settle for these videos of Midori from YouTube (she's playing the same piece but I can't read the Japanese so I don't know when or where, she's not as expressive here I think). [ if you're reading from a feed, click to see videos ]


Midori plays Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major, part 1 (YouTube)



Midori plays Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major, part 2 (YouTube)



I was holding my breadth while she played, she is completely mesmerizing. She is all the more impressive as she continually uses her talent to do good. When she was just 21, she set up the non-profit group Midori and Friends which works to bring music education to underprivileged children in New York City. The UN Messenger of Peace has also founded other non-profit organizations in her native Japan and the US (Music Sharing and Partners in Performance) and community projects to bring music to people who would not normally be exposed to the arts.

This is a video from about 10 years ago about how her Partners in Performance work benefited the people in Randolph, Vermont. Midori talks about her project in the video.



Midori's Partners in Performance in Randolph, Vermont


In an interview with VIOLONetto (she was the magazine's Artist of the Year in 2009), Midori says: "I consider myself a learner for life. I have many ambitions, both musical and non-musical; there will always be new lessons and discoveries ahead." I love that attitude to life. Midori debuted with the New York Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta when she was 11. She's only 39 so there's plenty more to look forward to from her! She is based in the US, so if you live there, you may get to see her if you haven't already. She's well worth the money, folks!!


An interview with Midori (Classical Chops on YouTube)



Hope you enjoyed the music. Check out the links below for more inspirational stuff!


If you liked this post, please
♥ let me know in a comment
♥ link back.
You can get updates from this blog by
♥ subscribing in a reader
♥ following me (click on the Google Friend Connect "follow this blog" button at the top of my sidebar) or
♥ subscribing by email through this form.

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Related links
links to more Midori video interviews at Classical Chops
Midori videos on YouTube
Midori breaks E-string twice while playing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1986, age 14 (conductor Leonard Bernstein is said to have knelt in awe after her performance)
Girl, 14, conquers Tanglewood with 3 violins (abstract of July 28, 1986, New York Times article on Tanglewood)
Midori on Facebook

link to YouTube videos of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major, op.35

by liberal sprinkles