news
Los Altos string musicians perform at international festival
August, 27, 2008,
The Daily Journal (San Mateo, CA)
Links
Storm and Sunshine in the Redwoods
September 25, 2010
Classical Voice, San Francisco, David Bratman, music reviewer
“...Waarts stunned the audience with his dark, mature tone and his assured and confident approach to the music. He has an artful sense of pitch, which came out particularly gracefully in the glissandos. He wrote his own first-movement cadenza, a good pastiche of the Paganini style. No mindless trick performer, he brought out such beauty in the melodic line as could be found, with a rich sound especially in the double-stops. He wisely played to his strength by choosing another virtuoso piece thick in double-stops for his encore, one of Henryk Wieniawski’s Op. 18 caprices….”
Links:
http://www.sfcv.org/reviews/redwood-symphony/storm-and-sunshine-in-the-redwoods
Does it matter if the Menuhin Violin Competition exploits young musicians?
April 27th, 2010
Telegraph, Michael White, Music Critic
“But that said, my vote would have gone to a West Coast American of the same age called Stephen Waarts who didn’t have such obvious platform presence but nonetheless struck me as the most engaging (and curious) figure in the whole competition.
From the first bars of the Chausson Poeme, his chosen grand finale test piece with orchestra, it was blindingly clear that this small boy – and he too is seriously small, thin and waif-like – was something special: not just the mechanical wonder that some of his fellow entrants were, running through a repertoire of immaculately learnt tricks, but a soul. Which I guess is why he chose to play the Chausson (not a natural competition winner) as opposed to the flamboyant Sarasate Zigeunerweisen or Ravel Tzigane that most of the others chose.
Waarts came second which was no dishonour. And he can take comfort from the history of the Menuhin competition, which suggests that coming second, third or lower gives you greater likelihood of success in later life that coming first. Tasmin Little never made it beyond second, Likewise Isabelle van Keulen. And Nikola Znaider only managed fifth.”
Links:
Los Altos Eight grader to appear on From the Top
February, 24, 2010
Episode airs on KDFC Sunday, March 7.
Links:
More information, audio, video, pictures
San Francisco Conservatory of Music Students Sweep the 2009 KDFC Classical
May 12, 2009, SF conservatory press release
“In the Youth Category, Stephen Waarts, Preparatory Division violinist, performed Glazunov’s Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op.82, 1st and 4th Movements: Moderato and Allegro. A stand-out among a field of amazing young performers, Waarts won top honors and received judges’ comments such as “heartfelt, vulnerable…I stopped noticing his playing…what soul!” Stephen took home a $1,500 cash prize and an invitation to perform at the Festival del Sole at the Jarvis Conservatory in Napa, Sunday, July 19. “
“KDFC Classical Star Search received hundreds of video entries and narrowed them down to 10 semifinalists in each category – Adult Category (age 21+) and Youth Category (age 10-20). Three adult and five youth finalists were chosen to advance to the Grand Finals and performed for the audience and judges at the Conservatory’s Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall on Monday, May 11th 2009. “
“The celebrity judges for this year’s Finals competition were Donald Runnicles (Music Director and Principal Conductor of the San Francisco Opera), Zuill Bailey (renowned cellist), and KDFC’s midday air personality Dianne Nicolini.”
Link:
Front page from Moscow Newspaper
June 2, 2009
Carmen Fantasie, Waxman
Stephen Waarts, violin soloist
Kostroma Symphony Orchestra with Conductor Pavel Gershtein conducting
Grand closing concert of the festival "Moscow meets friends festival” organized by Vladimir Spivakov.
Moscow State University
Link:
KDFC radio announces Classical Stars
May, 13, 2009, Diane Peterson, Press Democrat
“KDFC’s Classical Star Search has announced its Bay Area winners for 2009, with a 12-year-old violinist nabbing the youth award from a field of five semi-finalists that included Sonoma violinist Nigel Armstrong, 19.”
“Violinist Stephen Waarts of Los Altos won the youth division for his heartfelt, soulful playing of Glazunov’s Violin Concerto in A minor. Waarts was awarded a $1,500 prize and invited to perform at the Festival del Sole in Napa Valley this summer.”
The judging took place Monday night during the Grand Finals at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Conductor Donald Runnicles of the San Francisco Opera, cellist Zuill Bailey and KDFC’s on-air personality Dianne Nicolini served as judges.
Links:
Concert to showcase competition winners -
Los Altos resident Waarts among those to perform with PA Philharmonic
May 13, 2009
“The six young winners of the Pal Alto Philharmonic Association’s Competition - including Los Altos resident Stephen Waarts - are scheduled to perform3 p.m. Sunday at the philharmoic’s Family concert”
Links:
Making it to Carnegie Hall
November 25, 2008, Keith Kreitman
“As winner in the Fifth American Arts Festival for the young, he (Stephen Waarts) was invited to perform there in a winner recital,,”
“Stephen mounted the stage in his :Back Obama” cookl mode. The with a not to his excellent accompanist, Akiki Chiba” he launched in the Waxman’s “Carmen Fantasie”.....
Links:
Young virtuoso to play famously tough work -
It’s Silicon Valley Symphony’s opener
November 3, 2008, Heather Zimmerman
“The silicon Valley Symphony opens it season with a concert that offers quite a twist on the term “child’s play. The program features 12-year old violinist Stephen Waarts as guest soloist, performing Tchaikovsky’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestrai in D amjor, Op.35, a work so difficult then few adult virtuoso can master it.”
Links:
A virtuoso Violinist - And he’s only 12:
Los Altos’ own Stephen Waarts amazes with outstanding talent
November. 5, 2008 By Rie Nakanishi
Interview with Stephen Waarts
Links
Stephen Waarts wins at 2010 Menuhim Competition Oslo, Norway
Winner, 2nd place, Junior Group ages under 16
Winner Special “Ole Bull” award for best Ole Bull performance
Links:
Stephen Waarts wins 6th International LOUIS SPOHR Competition for Young Violinists, Weimar, Germany
Winner, 1st place, Junior Group ages under 15
Special award for the best interpretation of a romantic concerto (all age groups)
Links:
Remembering Music@Menlo 2008
August, 12, 2008, Keith Kreitman
The Daily Journal (San Mateo, CA)
Links
Symphony concert figures to be a classic - 11-year-old violinist soloist featured
April 15, 2008, Dick Sparrer
Saratoga News (CA)
Links
Sein Hertz hangt am Violinspiel - Stephan Waarts reiste aus den USA an
October 30, 2010, Jon Kressig, TLZ Weimar (Germany)
Links:
A chance to see a true musical prodigy
May 31, 2011, Ketih Kreitman, The Daily Journal, San Mateo
Links:
