Ein (Pfingst-)Brausen hub an, als Gustavo zu seiner Gitarre und der als „Teufels-Bratschist“ apostrophierte Wen Xiao Zheng zu seiner Viola griff. Das war extrem; derart, dass es nach der Zugabe des selben Duos – so gegen Null Uhr – nichts mehr obendrauf gab, …

MUSIKFESTIVAL CAPPENBERG Klassik trifft Improvisation 2012

 

….klare und präzise technische Fertigkeit im wohltemperierten barocken Etüdenstil.

Banz Neue Presse 2011

 

Sonorer Klang der Bratsche in höchster Vollendung: Die ganze Bandbreite technischer Raffinessen beherrschte der neue Stern am Bratscher- Himmel mühelos mit äußerster Souveränität und Perfektion. So meisterlich dargeboten begeisterte das Konzert die von weit angereisten Musikfans in der restlos ausverkauften Abtei
und sie wurden mit einer Zugabe von Joh. Seb. Bach belohnt.

Liesborn 2009

 

…mit seiner großartig gelungenen Solo-„Cadenza“ von Penderecki. Hier atmete er im Puls des Stücks, ohne forcierte Schnörkel, wie absichtslos, doch umso wirkungsvoller.

JOHANNES RUBNER, München SZ 2009

 

…….every bit as affable and musical, was the top prize winner (this year a second prize) and audience prize winner WenXiao Zheng from China. From silver-threaded Vieuxtemps in the first round, calm beauty and an immensely tasteful vibrato in the wistful, Moonlight Sonata-referencing Shostakovich Sonata for Viola and Piano op.147, to polished Hoffmeister, he finally arrived at Schnittke’s Viola Concerto in the final. Controlled, very confident, and boldly ugly playing (when called for) were the hallmarks of a minor triumph. Although a fairly obscure piece, and the performance being WenXiao Zheng’s first time on stage with a full orchestra, it had an immediate and lasting effect on the audience. The local record store – possibly the largest classical music store outside Japan – is still out of stock on the Schnittke Viola concertos. (A work closely associated with the ARD competition about which I will write more, next week.)

The young man who immediately charmed the audience with his quiet confidence, mildly pensive yet generous and friendly air, is ambitious and idealistic at once. “Music as show” is anathema to him, though he wouldn’t mind, he says with the right mix of self-deprecation and humor, being China’s Lang-Lang for the viola if that meant being able to bring the instrument to the wider appreciation he passionately believes it should have. The ARD victory might just have given him the opportunity to work on that goal for the next year and his performances suggest that he might well be successful.

2008 http://www.musicweb-international.com/Jens F. Laurson