PRESS
Bach, l’hygiène musicale de Kerson Leong
July 2024
“One of the musical events of summer classical music in Quebec: Kerson Leong’s first complete performance of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin at Domaine Forget. Let’s take a look at this violinistic tour de force, presented in two parts on Sunday afternoon.“ (originally in French) (Le Soleil)
L’humanisme mozartien de Bernard Labadie
July 2024
“He finds in Kerson Leong an ideal partner in the Violin Concerto No. 5. The Ottawa-born violinist also makes refined use of the wide dynamic range afforded by the deep piano and pianissimo nuances.“ (originally in French) (Le Devoir)
Hörgenüsse bei der Eröffnung des Beethovenfrühlings in Baden
May 2024
“He completely captivated the audience and played his way into the hearts of the audience with great sensitivity…“ (originally in German) (MeinBezirk.at)
Fulminanter Auftakt des Beethoven Frühlings in Baden
May 2024
“Then came the highlight of the evening: the grand performance of Canadian violin virtuoso Kerson Leong, one of the most sought-after soloists in the world.“ (originally in German) (Nön)
Broken-footed violinist gives Beethoven concerto a gold-standard performance
Feb 2024
“Sitting, standing or standing on his head, Leong, the second of the orchestra’s two “Artists of Distinction” this season, produced what for me will be the gold standard going forward for this masterwork.“ (The Arkansas Democrat Gazette)
OSQ guest violinist Kerson Leong gives a stunning performance
Feb 2024
“Violinist Kerson Leong thrilled the audience with his extraordinary performance of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 on Jan. 31.“ (The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph)
Kerson Leong’s Dazzling Musical Resonance: A Remarkable Performance with Orchestre symphonique de Quebec
Feb 2024
“…Violin virtuoso Kerson Leong…smoothly stepped into the spotlight on January 31 and February 1, 2024, filling in for the ailing Baiba Skride in performances with the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec (OSQ). Embracing the unexpected opportunity, Leong showcased his musical prowess by delivering a captivating rendition of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, the very piece originally scheduled for Skride…“ (Opera World)
Die Kammermusikreihe Spectrum Concerts Berlin: Von der Kunst des Zuhörens
Jan 2024
“…Kerson Leong, whose outstanding playing Frank Dodge is enthusiastic about. Leong will perform together with long-standing members of the Spectrum musical family such as Hartmut Rohde (viola) and Torleif Thedeen (cello).“ (originally in German) (Tagesspiegel)
Delicious drama from virtuoso Leong and maestra Okisawa
Dec 2023
“Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 19 was an ideal showcase for his blazing artistry. Displaying supreme control, his poised playing eschewing any temptation towards histrionics, the virtuoso immediately dug into its ethereal opening movement, Allegro, as his solo line ascended with the grace of a meadowlark.“ (Winnipeg Free Press)
After Years of Popularity and Interpretation, the Ysaÿe Violin Sonatas Turn 100
Nov 2023
“Kerson Leong, the acclaimed Canadian violinist who recorded his own interpretation of the six Ysaÿe sonatas in 2021, has given these pieces a great deal of thought throughout his career…“ (Strings Magazine)
Kerson Leong triumphs and bewitches the audience
Nov 2023
“Kerson Leong simply stole the show with his breathtaking playing. Clear and powerful, we could see him live through his music…“ (originally in French) (PAN M 360)
Une soirée enlevante et mémorable aux Violons du Roy !
Nov 2023
“We now understand why Kerson Leong is well recognized here and abroad as an exceptional violinist who performs with the greatest on the best international classical music stages..“ (originally in French) (Les ArtsZé)
Intense Kerson Leong
Sept 2023
“The pairing of violinist Kerson Leong with his Guarneri del Gesu on loan from Canimex is truly extraordinary.“ (originally in French) (Le Devoir)
Notes on Recent Finds, No. 11 – Alpha Classics!
Aug 2023
“There is a lot of competition in the catalog for performances of this music: Heifetz, Stern, Francescatti, Kyung-Wha Chung, Midori, Erica Morini, Ricci… But Leong more than holds his own amongst these other great performances.“ (Positive Feedback)
Un ospite speciale
Aug 2023
“Leong is thrilling in bringing home every detail brilliantly, climbing the lowest string, handling the diabolical double stops and unleashing a very warm sound, to fall in love with.“ (originally in Italian) (Salto Bolzano)
Gli applausi per il Ciaikovskij di Leong hanno messo a dura prova la stabilità di Sant’Andrea
Aug 2023
“Leong was overwhelming…but, mind you, it wasn’t just a question of virtuosity even if at levels from the top of Everest, but of an interpretation of boundless musicality enriched by an impressive variety of nuances…making Leong one of the best violinists of today.“ (originally in Italian) (TG Vercelli)
60 best albums of 2023 – music reviews
Aug 2023
“It’s a splendidly expressive and committed recording…“ (The Week)
Enchantements pour violon
July 2023
“His playing is without a doubt one of the most lyrical in the entire discography… “ (originally in French) (Classica)
Classical review: Britten & Bruch
July 2023
“It’s a struggle to think of a lovelier and more romanticized reading of the slow movement than the one here… “ (The Sunday Times)
BRITTEN; BRUCH Violin Concertos (Kerson Leong)
July 2023
“…I can’t recall a better account of the piece than this.“ (Gramophone)
Editor’s Choice: July 2023 | The best new classical recordings
July 2023
“Excellent Bruch is coupled with a truly impressive account of Britten’s Concerto, Kerson Leong exploring its paths and power with sheer panache.“ (Gramophone)
Apart—Yet Together: Pärt, Bach, & Applebaum
June 2023
“Indeed, Leong, a superb Canadian violinist, is in his much-deserved ascendancy.“ (The Boston Musical Intelligencer)
The Strad Recommends: Violinist Kerson Leong: Britten, Bruch
June 2023
“Leong has the required flair and technique, but everything speaks – as throughout the disc – with sincerity and without exaggeration.“ (The Strad)
Kerson Leong records Violin Concertos by Britten and Bruch…
June 2023
“…his virtuosity all-encompassing and serving a gripping rendition that gets inside the profound contemplation and ‘warnings’ within the music…Leong is expressive and intense, at no point the empty peddler of meaningless note-spinning.“ (Colin’s Column)
Kerson Leong et le Concerto de Britten
June 2023
“And it’s love at first sight: it’s been a long time since you’ve felt such an emotion. The performer: Canadian violinist Kerson Leong, remember his name, you won’t soon forget it…No one had played like this since Perlman: a solar way of playing, both fleshy and elegiac, in reality beyond words, where each note reaches you most deeply.“ (originally in French) (La Jaune & La Rouge)
Kerson Leong, un gran violinista
June 2023
“The program, of course, cannot be carried out satisfactorily by just any artisan, one must be a true artist and this is the case.“ (originally in Spanish) (Scherzo)
Livres, disques, télés : nos choix de la semaine
June 2023
“…he carries the two works in the same spirit of generosity and lyrical virtuosity.“ (originally in French) (Les Echos)
Kerson Leong/Philharmonia Orchestra; Patrick Hahn dir. – Britten/Bruch: Violin Concertos
June 2023
“Yes, Kerson is one of the great violinists of his generation, on a global scale.“ (originally in French) (PAN M 360)
Session Report: violinist Kerson Leong on Britten and Bruch
June 2023
“Canadian violinist Kerson Leong speaks to Tom Stewart about recording an unusual pairing of two very different concertos“ (The Strad)
Double Review: Violin Concertos by Bruch, Britten & Price – Goosby, Leong
May 2023
“…he evokes a raw pathos that allows the instrument to take on a convincingly human quality.“ (The Classic Review)
CD review: Britten & Bruch
May 2023
“The Canadian is without a doubt one of the group of top musicians who knows how to captivate and bind the audience.“ (originally in Dutch) (Opus Klassiek)
Sélection albums : Benjamin Britten et Max Bruch, etc.
May 2023
“For Kerson Leong, an exceptionally gifted violinist, it’s all about tension and torsion. In one case, his instrument has the propulsion force of an Olympic bow, in the other, the undulating capacity of a musical saw.“ (originally in French) (Le Monde)
Gegensätze ziehen sich an und befruchten sich auch
May 2023
“With a rounded big tone he gets right to the heart of the music.“ (Pizzicato)
Bruch et Britten. Concertos pour violon. Kerson Leong. Philharmonia Orchestra. Patrick Hahn.
May 2023
“A peak in the interpretation of this modern work, which takes on its full meaning today. For the musician, so young, but already great, it is a consecration. Nothing less.“ (originally in French) (Le Parnasse Musical)
Getting to know a Kerson
May 2023
“We spend the hour getting to know Kerson Leong, who brings his violin to the Peristyle as soloist for Béla Bartók’s Second Violin Concerto. Kerson leads us through the intricacies of Bartók’s music, and recounts his early interest in the instrument (that is, after his parents discouraged Kerson’s original choice, the double-bass – fearing transportation issues).“ (WGTE Public Media)
Virtuoso played violin solo with TSO
March 2023
“One would have sworn last Sunday that it was not a human hand on Leong’s Guarneri instrument producing sounds at the very height of human hearing. Nothing heavier than the tip of an angel’s wing could have sufficed.“ (Green Valley News)
Chiesti be cinque bis al prodigio Kerson Leong
Feb 2023
“The public literally went mad with enthusiasm, asking for (and getting) as many as five encores…“ (originally in Italian) (La Stampa)
L’Orchestre symphonique des Québec remporte un vif succès en cette matinée du dimanche 20 novembre
Nov 2022
“With an unparalleled assurance and musicality, he amazes with his playing which seems so natural to him. This complex symphony [Espagnole] is made for great virtuosos and Kerson Leong is of this caliber. The audience was speechless during this performance. Silent and admiring.“ (originally in French) (Les ArtsZé)
Un miracle grec à l’OSQ
Nov 2022
“One never gets bored during the performances of Kerson Leong, who gives his all every time…“ (originally in French) (Le Soleil)
Gemma New, Kerson Leong and the TSO
Sept 2022
“…it featured his fabulous tone, perfect intonation and confident personality, much as we heard in both the Concerto and the Poème.“ (Barzcablog)
Beethoven never sounded better
May 2022
“Leong’s sound soared over the orchestra, presenting Beethoven’s ideas with clear intent and deep musical understanding. Even the simplest musical ideas were played with grace and exquisite attention to detail.“ (Kelowna Daily Courier)
Kerson Leong et l’effet Philip Glass
Nov 2021
“…the performance of Les Violons du Roy and Kerson Leong was infinitely more colourful, varied, contrasted and nourished than on available recordings…“ (originally in French) (Le Devoir)
Review: YSAYE Six Sonatas for Solo Violin
Sept 2021
“The dark, rich sound he produces from his Guarneri del Gesù, the warmth of his phrasing, and his musical imagination result in a singularly beautiful recording.“ (Fanfare)
Review: YSAYE Six Sonatas for Solo Violin
Sept 2021
“Leong displays personality, virtuosity, and fearlessness in treacherous areas.“ (American Record Guide)
Review: Beau doublé pour Nicolas Ellis et Les Violons du Roy
26 July 2021
“With a smooth and magical tone, devilish precision of intonation and a variety of colours and nuances embracing the twists and turns and changing atmospheres of the composition, the Ottawa violinist almost hypnotized the audience.” (originally in French) (Le Devoir)
Toronto Summer Music is going virtual again this year, but the concerts will be as real as the musicians can make them
2 July 2021
“Leong, who is relatively new on the scene, has been memorably described by his fellow fiddler [Jonathan] Crow as not just one of Canada’s greatest violinists but “one of the greatest violinists, period”.“ (Toronto Star)
Review: Kerson Leong, le prophète d’Ysaÿe
1 June 2021
“Kerson Leong undoubtedly places himself on the highest peaks and stands shoulder to shoulder with the brilliance of Kremer, the freedom of Korcia, the sensitive finesse of Papavrami, the sovereign balance of Zimmermann, the spontaneity of Ibragimova, outclassing even the generosity of Mordkovich or the too tumultuous tensions of Zehetmair. More than a discovery, a real revelation.“ (originally in French) (Classica)
Review: YSAŸE Six Sonatas for Solo Violin (Kerson Leong)
1 May 2021
“His recording could be a happy first choice for any discerning listener.“ (Gramophone)
Review: Classical home listening: Vaughan Williams, Paganini and Ysaÿe
24 April 2021
“…the new disc by the Canadian violinist Kerson Leong for Alpha: dazzling and dexterous.“ (The Guardian)
Begeistert mit seiner Ysaÿe-Aufnahme – der Geiger Kerson Leong
24 April 2021
“With a keen interest in physics, the Canadian violinist Kerson Leong studied the behaviour of vibrating strings. With this knowledge, he optimizes his interpretations and reaches unimagined heights in his new Ysaÿe recording.” (originally in German) (RBB Kultur)
Review: Ysaÿe: la preuve par six
15 April 2021
“The Canadian violinist not only deploys awe-inspiring tone and dominates his subject matter, but makes his mark with impressive imagination, romantic fever and brilliance.“ (originally in French) (ConcertoNet)
Review: Un duc et un empereur au pays de l’oncle Sam
8 April 2021
“[Kerson Leong] was absolutely imperial in Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto, Opus 14, one of the great concertos for this instrument written in the 20th century. Dressed in a simple black shirt trimmed with gold, the musician is distinguished by an opulent sound, dream treble range, and an unsettling ease.“ (originally in French) (La Presse)
Review: L’OSM brise la glace (très mince) avec Barber, Still et le soliste Kerson Leong
8 April 2021
“…Kerson Leong showcases remarkable playing, undoubtedly of a world class. The mastery of tone colour, projection and articulation of the soloist are all his own.” (originally in French) (PAN M 360)
Review: Retour de l’OSM en présentiel à la Maison symphonique avec Barber et Still – sonorités américaines
8 April 2021
“His sensitive violin playing ultimately restored Barber’s image to me a bit, which is no small feat.” (originally in French) (Sors-tu?)
Review: Retour de l’OSM devant public à la Maison symphonique : un beau concert de découvertes
8 April 2021
“He demonstrates an excellent sense of phrasing, pure intonation, and flawless virtuosity in the third movement, presto in moto perpetuo, short but very thrilling, and demanding for the soloist. Bravo.” (originally in French) (Ludwig van Montréal)
Sélection albums : Eugène Ysaÿe, Harry Connick, Jr., Pierrick Pédron…
2 April 2021
“At 24, the young Canadian violinist possesses a natural command and a devastating charisma, a mixture of spontaneity and mastery, elegance, fantasy, intensity that makes his sound recognizable from the first notes.” (originally in French) (Le Monde)
Review: Diapason découverte – Ysaÿe: Six Sonatas for Solo Violin
April 2021
“He offers a vision not only of total command (impeccable intonation, bow technique of the highest order) but also full of inspiration. How not to admire the quality of performance, the homogeneity of style, the risk taking?” (originally in French) (Diapason)
Record of the Month: A journey into the soul of the violin
29 March 2021
“Leong plays with all his heart and captures the listener in his inner world. He overcomes the infernal difficulties of Ysaÿe’s solo sonatas and turns them into expressive power. Even in the most sophisticated double stops, chords, and virtuosic runs, there is always a perspective over the instrument – the will to tell a story.” (originally in Finnish) (Rondo Classic)
Review: Kerson Leong et les six sonates pour violon d’Eugène Ysaÿe
10 March 2021
“…Kerson Leong easily places himself among the most beautiful recent versions of these inexhaustible pages imagined by the genius of Eugène Ysaÿe.” (originally in French) (Crescendo Magazine)
Ysaÿe, ons monument, een standbeeld op schijf
8 March 2021
“Ysaÿe remains a story of the past and the future, of pride, intelligence and sensitivity. Kerson Leong is happy to tell you his story.” (originally in Dutch) (Cultuurpaakt)
Kerson Leong : un violon explosif
3 March 2021
“Canadian violinist Kerson Leong has just released Ysaÿe: Six Sonatas for Solo Violin (Alpha) on disc. I might as well tell you right away: it’s the bomb.” (originally in French) (Classique mais pas Has Been)
Review: Ysaÿes Solosonaten in den Händen von Kerson Leong
1 March 2021
“It quickly becomes clear that Leong, despite his young age, has absorbed and grasped this music very profoundly. His playing is so technically polished and so richly faceted and nuanced that one might wonder why others have difficulty with these works.” (originally in German) (Pizzicato)
Kerson Leong: Grundnahrungsmittel für Violinen
26 February 2021
“The Canadian violinist plays the solo sonatas by Eugène Ysaÿe with burning intensity and a characteristically sonorous tone.” (originally in German) (Rondo Magazin)
Review: Ysaÿe, “Six Sonatas for Solo Violin” door Kerson Leong, op het label Alpha. Grandioos!
15 February 2021
“A violin master “must be a violinist, a thinker, a poet, a human being, he must have known hope, love, passion and despair, he must have gone through the whole range of emotions to express them all in his playing”. Kerson Leong has understood this very well. He plays them ‘grandioos’!” (originally in Dutch) (Stretto.be)
Review: Une Carte Blanche à Kerson Leong, haute en couleur!
27 January 2021
“Kerson Leong y démontre une époustouflante maestria. Sa grande et patente dextérité, son imperturbable concentration, son investissement émotionnel, et son langage corporel sont remarquables.” (Atuvu.ca)
Review: Kerson Leong brille dans Brahms et Grieg
11 January 2021
“Nous avons maintenant affaire à un vrai artiste qui propose des interprétations personnelles et bien senties.” (La Presse)
Review: Prouesse de Festival Bach
30 November 2020
“Mais quel artiste! Ce programme idéal (2e Sonate, Partitas nos 2 et 3, plus la 2e Sonate d’Ysaÿe) nous montre que Kerson Leong est devenu le vrai dauphin de James Ehnes.” (Le Devoir)
Kerson Leong and Bach: Virtuosity, Intensity, Passion, Physics of Sound
24 November 2020
“…Kerson Leong is now one of the country’s elite classical violinists. His gifts have led him to an international career that has only just begun.”(PAN M 360)
Let the Strings Go Free: The Lyricism and Physics of Violinist Kerson Leong
27 May 2020
“When Leong was 13, he was selected as a competitor in Menuhin Competition Oslo where he won junior first prize. Around the same time, his father – both a music lover and a scientist – started teaching Leong about the physics of the violin.” (VPM)
Review: Eugène Ysaÿe en coffret
18 May 2020
“…the young Canadian Kerson Leong offers here an equally accomplished vision of this work of youth, opting for intensity and drama, contrasting dense sounds and fantasized touches.”(originally in French) (Crescendo Magazine)
Review: A Tribute to Ysaÿe
24 February 2020
“…in the Légende norvégienne Leong plays with rhythmic freedom, as if improvising…
…Guillaume Lekeu, who wrote a sonata for Ysaÿe, performed by Leong with passion and urgency.” (The Strad)
Review: Kerson Leong: Le violon rouge…une performance mémorable!
27 January 2020
“Indeed, the performance of I Musici and Kerson Leong, the guest soloist, was nothing short of breathtaking and memorable …” (originally in French) (Atuvu.ca)
Review: Les grandes échappées de Jean-Marie Zeitouni
24 January 2020
“The first work, John Corigliano’s Red Violin Suite, provided us with striking new evidence that violinist Kerson Leong has undergone a spectacular transformation from a child prodigy to a seasoned virtuoso and an accomplished artist. Each of his visits is an immense joy: purity of intonation, brilliance of the top register, power of sound, resonance of the G string are superior to what one hears from many established soloists engaged here.” (originally in French) (Le Devoir)
Kerson Leong performs: The Red Violin
22 January 2020
“Cherished by some, vilified by others, the fiery red wooden heroine of Francois Girard‘s 1998 movie: The Red Violin has certainly shaken up human passion by making her way through three centuries and passing into the hands of diverse owners from different ethnic backgrounds. Her journey will eventually lead her to an auction house in Montreal, ready for new adventures…
…Gen’s Delights had the pleasure of interviewing Kerson. From his answers, it is clear to see that he shares a very special bond with his instrument.” (Mountain Lake PBS)
Le Violon Rouge: Interpreted by Kerson Leong
13 January 2020
“Montreal’s i Musici starts 2020 with François Girard’s Le Violin Rouge interpreted and presented by celebrated Canadian violinist Kerson Leong.” (Montreal Rampage)
2019 Rewind | The Best Classical Music and Theatre Shows of 2019
28 December 2019
“Standouts were violinist Kerson Leong’s goosebump-inducing “Zigeunerweisen” (Sarasate)…” (Ludwig van Toronto)
Review: Lutz-Werner Hesse: „Ich habe Dich gewählt…“
18 December 2019
“Zu Beginn eröffnen Solopauke und Becken im zauberhaften Pianissimo dieses vor allem auch wegen der immensen technischen Anforderungen an den Solisten selten gespielten Solokonzerts. Bei der absteigenden Violinkantilene über rhythmisierten Quinten im Orchester tankt der Solist bei großem sonoren Ton quasi Energie für das technische Feuerwerk, welches später ausbricht. Souverän und cool beherrschte aber der junge kanadische Geiger Kerson Leong mit beherrschter Körpersprache dieses auch wegen seiner Satzfolge ungewöhnliche Konzert, in welchem ein virtuoser Mittelsatz zwischen zwei langsamem ausdrucksstarken Sätzen steht.” (Musenblätter.de)
Review: Lutz-Werner Hesses Partitur feiert umjubelte Premiere
15 December 2019
“Ein weiterer Glanzpunkt der Matinee war der junge kanadische Geiger Kerson Leong, der bereits während der letzten Spielzeit mit Béla Bartóks zweitem Violinkonzert eine ausgezeichnete Visitenkarte hinterließ. Nun hatte er Benjamin Brittens Violinkonzert in d-Moll (op. 15) mitgebracht, das einst die Geigenlegende Jascha Heifetz für unspielbar hielt und deswegen die Finger davon ließ. Auch heute noch spielen es nicht alle Violinstars. Leong hingegen meisterte selbst die vertracktesten virtuosen Stellen wie die Kadenz im zweiten Satz spielerisch leicht und faszinierte mit einer großen, sonoren, singenden Tongebung.” (Westdeutsche Zeitung)
Review: Playing Schumann’s violin solos as smooth as silk
5 August 2019
“Leong plays on a gloriously warm-sounding Guarneri del Gesu violin and the influence of his mentor Augustin Dumay was clear in his rich tone, fluid bowing and natural lines. At just 22, he displays remarkable mastery of the violin.” (The Straits Times)
Review: Classical Music All-Stars Shine At Toronto Summer Music Opening Night
12 July 2019
“The first half concluded with a barnburner, Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen, played by that wunderkind of Canadian violinist Kerson Leong. At 22, he’s no longer “promising” but has “arrived.” He also plays on a Guarneri del Gesu, not too shabby! One can’t help but be impressed by his jaw-dropping technique. That said, he’s no mere technician. Everything is executed with uncommon musicality and expressivity. I grew up on recordings of Heifetz, Perlman and all the greats, and one can get a bit jaded with this piece, but Leong was so superb that I found myself smiling the whole 9 minutes.
He then opened the second half with four pieces composed/arranged by Fritz Kreisler. The dazzling virtuosity of Leong’s playing took my breath away. Yes, I admit I’m easily impressed by prodigious technique, but in all honesty, I sense a true musical heart underneath all that razzle-dazzle.” (Ludwig van Toronto)
Review: A smiling summer night
11 July 2019
“Providing probably the most unalloyed joy in this satisfying evening was Ottawa-born violinist Kerson Leong performing five pyrotechnical bonbons accompanied by Rachael Kerr, a recent “graduate” of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio, who demonstrated a lively, razor-sharp approach to Mr. Leong’s astonishingly accurate, playful fingering. (Thanks to a patron he plays a Guarneri; this certainly helps produce his beguiling tone.)” (ConcertoNet.com)
Review: OSO, Kerson Leong offer program full of heart and virtuosity
3 April 2019
“Leong has matured into an intelligent, inquisitive young musician with a gorgeous sound and just the right amount of dramatic fire.” (Artsfile.ca)
Instagram au service des virtuoses
2 April 2019
“Soliste en résidence durant cette saison à l’OM, l’impressionnant violoniste ottavien Kerson Leong, 22 ans, est porté par le même désir de faire entendre la musique classique au plus grand nombre. « C’est un complément à ma personnalité artistique et créative, dit celui qui compte 22 800 abonnés Instagram. Une façon de faire découvrir cette musique magnifique à des gens qui ne pourraient le faire autrement. »” (La Presse)
Nous, le sang et l’île déserte
2 March 2019
“In this [Bartók] 1st Concerto, Kerson Leong confirmed that he is a great, with a smooth and forceful sound, an intense expression.” (originally in French) (Le Devoir)
Le son Kerson
1 March 2019
“Kerson Leong enjoys roaming in galleries and museums, sitting in cafes, observing and letting his mind wander in order to be filled with emotions that could become sources of inspiration. One needs this in order to play the violin like he does. With a mastery that never fails, a gravity free from heaviness, an immense depth, experience, and elegance.” (originally in French) (La Presse)
Kerson Leong spielt meisterhaft
16 December 2018
“Hier war es der junge kanadische Geiger Kerson Leong, der begeisterte. Lupenrein artikulierte er jede vom Komponisten penibel notierte Nuance. Vom Orchester erstklassig begleitet, meisterte er selbst die halsbrecherischsten Passagen spielerisch leicht und spielte leidenschaftlich das Variationswerk tief ausgelotet hochmusikalisch mit einem sehr emotionalen Gehalt. Gerade die für Bartók ungewöhnlich aufrüttelnde Tonsprache, Ausdruck seiner inneren Kämpfe ohne jede Zufluchtsmöglichkeit, verdeutlichte er allgemeinverständlich mit festem Zugriff. Außerordentlich lyrisch entlockte er dagegen seinem Instrument das sanfte Gesangsthema des Binnensatzes. Traumhaft schön gestaltete er zudem als Zugabe ein Andante von Johann Sebastian Bach.” (Westdeutsche Zeitung)
Rêveries | Une soirée enivrante et judicieusement intitulée
23 November 2018
“Kerson Leong, the [Orchestre Métropolitain]’s current soloist in residence, gave us a breathtaking demonstration of skill and high aerobatics. His performance earned him a standing ovation and an almost endless wave of applause.” (originally in French) (Atuvu.ca)
6 things to know about violinist Kerson Leong
7 September 2018
“Take a glance at violinist Kerson Leong’s engagements for the 2018-19 concert season and you might get a little overwhelmed. The 21-year-old Ottawa native will perform on stages from California to the Canary Islands (with many stops at home in Canada), playing works ranging from solo Bach to chamber music to full-blown Romantic concertos.
Leong is living the dream — and putting in all the hard work that goes along with that — while raising the bar he already set so high for himself last season.
With so much going on, we contacted Leong to get the latest. Here are six things to know about the busy young violinist.” (CBC Music)
Review: Ottawa talent shines in Rutter retrospective concert
16 July 2018
“Leong has a confident mastery of this work. His playing was at times plaintive, at other times powerful and virtuosic. Rutter says he found his inspiration in the dark inside London’s Temple Church, surrounded by the graves of the Knights Templar. You certainly get that feel from the piece.
The audience leapt to their feet after the piece was completed and called Leong back to the stage where he played an effortless Andante movement from J.S. Bach’s second sonata for violin.” (Artsfile.ca)
Le violoniste Kerson Leong au centre d’authentiques réjouissances musicales
16 July 2018
“Le faciès remarquable d’expressivité émouvante, M. Leong m’a fait songer au
très jeune Itzhak Perlman (voyez le touchant film et éloquent documentaire
biographique en projection ces jours-ci au Cinéma du Parc) tellement son rendement
sublime de la musique est à la hauteur technique des plus grands violonistes de tous
les temps…” (Les ArtsZé)
Music and Beyond: Kerson Leong is a man on the move
11 July 2018
“It’s always worth catching up with Ottawa’s violin phenom Kerson Leong. ARTSFILE had an opportunity to do just that before the young soloist’s appearance at the Music and Beyond Festival on July 12. He’ll also perform a piece written for him by John Rutter in concerts conducted by the composer on July 15 and 16. But before these gigs, he had places to be.” (Artsfile.ca)
Kerson Leong et le miracle de Bruxelles
10 July 2018
“The musician we have in front of us now has nothing to do with the one we knew. Kerson Leong remains brilliant, but he has added this patina and, deep down, this class. He delivered an intense (in terms of sonority) but never syrupy version of Barber’s concerto, perfectly supported by the Metropolitan and Nicolas Ellis …” (originally in French) (Le Devoir)
Interpreting a new work by John Rutter
30 January 2018
“When I received the score, I was struck by the unadulterated lyricism and transparency of the violin part and the intertwining dialogue between my line and the choir’s. The music flowed very naturally under my fingers and I was moved to learn that John had moulded the piece to suit my specific playing style.”
– Kerson Leong (writing for Oxford University Press)
Kerson Leong, ou Beethoven à l’école de la rigueur
20 July 2017
“Kerson Leong is back. The Kerson Leong who dazzles us and amazes us because he seems to remain one step ahead.” (originally in French) (Le Devoir)
Interview: John Rutter on his new violin concerto
3 November 2016
“I wasn’t able to meet Kerson Leong in the flesh before I wrote for him, but I listened to recordings of him (there are not many, he is only 19) and I was deeply impressed not just with his formidable technique but equally with his beautiful range of tone colours and his thoughtful expressiveness. I sent him his solo part, asking if there was anything he wanted changed, and the answer was ‘not one note of it’, which was encouraging – then when we finally met in London for rehearsals, I was amazed at his insight into all the nuances I wanted but which are hard to put on paper. He just seemed to get inside my head, and I had almost nothing to say in rehearsal. The first performance was magnificent, and when the time came for the recording, it was more than just a courtesy to invite him to play – he absolutely had to be the soloist, and with much juggling of schedules we all got together in July and he repeated the miracle.”
-John Rutter (in interview with Presto Classical)