News
Promoted to Associate Professor at PSU
#1 program on Allegro HD TV in South America
New Articles on The Strad, AMT, NAfME and AST Journals
New Album
Over a dozen enthusiastic reviews on some of the most respected magazines such as BBC Music & Gramophone
“None of these pieces has ever sounded quite like this before.”
INFODAD.COM
“I was immediately impressed by their virtuosity and also their understanding of Piazzolla’s music. I was anxious to see them perform in person”
Gary Burton
“recreating the visceral charge of Piazzolla’s legendary quintet concerts and recordings”
South Florida Classical Review
“the brilliant musicians’ ability to shift tempos...gracefully wring emotion from heartbreaking ballad tempos or generate fireworks with breakneck riffs...”
DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE
“an extraordinary performance that can stand up against any other”
TEXTURA
“Cotik has a consistently brilliant violinism and warm, enveloping sound ”
GBOPERA MAGAZINE
“uplifting quality”
MusicWeb International
“The Piazzolla album is not just Cotik as brilliant interpreter, but also as creative mind.”
Musical Toronto
“Overall, these two discs featuring Cotik must be regarded as among the finest performances for their consistent artistry and idiomatic grasp”
Classical Net
“We encounter here an extraordinary violinist, with an overwhelming technique and a musicality; the results are excellent, with little or nothing to envy the greatest interpretations that could have ever been recorded.”
RITMO MAGAZINE
“The BBC Music team’s current favourites”
BBC MAGAZINE, Niel McKim
“conviction, commitment, diplomacy, and character”
The Strad
“I highly commend Mr. Cotik for his innovative interpretations and I hope many future audiences will experience his musical excellence”
Gary Burton
“Comparisons are inevitable; on my shelves are the Grumiaux- Haskil team, the Stern-Barenboim combination, Szymon Goldberg and Radu Lupu, and Zukerman and Neikrug readings. The Cotik-Lin duo can take its place among those earlier esteemed ensembles with heads held high.”
STRINGS MAGAZINE
“a work of high quality, for the originality of the arrangements and especially because he is an excellent instrumentalist ”
REVISTA RITMO
“outstanding from the very beginning”
Fanfare Magazine
“Astor Piazzolla and its main interpreter is the Argentine violinist Tomas Cotik's ...musical maturity joins that way of feeling one's roots, which gives the experience of remoteness ”
REVISTA TEATRO COLON
“intelligent and sensitive...glories in...colorations and shared emphasis”
Fanfare Magazine
“it is a fact that the enthusiastic performance of Argentine Tomás Cotik and the way he captures the audience is captivating”
GRAMOFON
“One imagines the Nuevo tango master would be as captivated as any listener by such exquisite performances.”
TEXTURA
“true treasure...one of the latest gems to emerge from the season”
John Terauds – Musical Toronto
“should leave listeners almost breathless…a vibrancy and attention to detail...strong individuality and… vitality”
Fanfare Magazine
“Some of the music is sultry while other works are fast, rhythmic, and ornamented to show the exquisite virtuosity of Cotik”
FANFARE MAGAZINE
“ Also in the interpretation of Mozart's sonatas, Cotik's excellent performance and perfect technique stand out in the particularly brilliant articulations ”
GBOPERA MAGAZINE
“exceptional...Piazzolla can be played differently than this, but provably not better.”
DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE
“I marvel at the technical skill which effortlessly encompasses these deeply contrasting styles....a technical as well as expressive master stroke”
CONTEMPORARY RECORD SOCIETY
“My first chamber choice for the year. ”
MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL Recordings Of The Year 2013
“His interpretation of Bach’s sonatas and partitas his newest album in should add a notch to his reputation as a stellar violinist”
NORTHWEST REVERB
“phenomenal technique”
Musical Toronto
“The versions are optimal due to the stylistic understanding of the duo and the instrumental excellence of the admirable violinist. ”
REVISTA SCHERZO
“the secret here...always let curiosity be a constant inspiration. If Tomas Cotik ever revisits these works on record it will be fascinating to hear the results, but it's hard to see how they could be better that this”
THE WHOLENOTE MAGAZINE
“excellent Piazzollean style, which is not frequently found”
Daniel Binelli
“Cotik transcends even the profoundly meditative”
FANFARE MAGAZINE
“Cotik…honored not only his professions as musician, but the memory and work of Franz Schubert”
The Palm Beach Arts Paper
“clarity and tonal opulence rare in recordings of violin music”
Fanfare Magazine
“Warmly and sensitively played with beauty of tone, Cotik... captures the essence of Mozart in finely spun tone and sensitive contrasts in dynamics, rhythmic integrity, and clear phrasing. Their deeply felt rendition of this purest of music, from the carefree early sonatas to the more dramatic later opuses, is a model of transparency and genuine emotion. ”
STRINGS MAGAZINE
“The joyful virtuosity and stylish musicianship that Tomas Cotik and Tao Lin brought to their superb cycle of Schubert’s violin-and-piano works for the Centaur label happily permeate their cycle of Mozart’s sonatas”
Gramophone Magazine
“Supersonic Award winner. Tomas Cotik’s Piazzolla is carnal, passionate and nowhere easy-going. Together with his group he has produced a riveting CD.”
Pizzicato
“wonderful album…impressive for the elegance and sensitivity of the interpretations”
John Terauds – Musical Toronto
“Cotik plays with a resonant, clear and warm tone, and dynamics, phrasing and tempi are all perfectly judged...a sentiment that is clearly evident in every single track of this exemplary set”
THE WHOLE NOTE
“Cotik’s performances are full of color, possess an elegant virtuosity and above all achieve the lyrical refinement that springs from a music that catches us by its rhythmic and melodic seduction ”
REVISTA MUSICAL CATALANS
“an excellent violinist”
Michael Tilson Thomas
“unusual depth and broad compass...absolutely brilliant... unmistakable vitality...optimally recorded”
Audio Video Club of Atlanta
“a new way of looking at, understanding and perceiving music from different eras”
SONOGRAMA MAGAZINE
“there is no question but that this is the most exciting rendition of these works I’ve ever hear... this is now my benchmark performance of these works”
THE ART MUSIC LOUNGE
“Very recently I discovered this marvel ... two extraordinary instrumentalists who, combining their talents, achieve ... something great. ”
Luis Andarcia, VENUE MAGAZINE
“Cotik proves to here to have conquered an impressive variety of repertoire, already now much wider than what is usual today.”
CONCERTO - DAS MAGAZIN FÜR ALTE MUSIK
“Editor's Picks”
DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE
“Cotik phrases this music with such feeling, making you wonder if it could possibly sound better in any other performance.”
Classical Net
“If anyone's up to the task, it's Cotik”
TEXTURA
“If you love the solo violin, you won't find a better recording to suit your tastes”
OBSERVER TODAY
“It is the result of many years of experience, full attention, research and decision-making....it is a recording of incontestable beauty...an adventure that displays a journey of absolute love for the music of J.S. Bach”
SONOGRAMA MAGAZINE
“a first-rate set of Mozart sonatas”
THE ARTS MUSIC LOUNGE
“I find the Cotik and Lin performances most interesting and the sound on their disc is excellent”
Maria Nockin – Fanfare Magazine
“I’ve had a listen to a few alternatives…including Isaac Stern with Daniel Baremboim and Lydia Mordkovitch, but this duo pretty much ticks all the boxes”
MusicWeb International
“one comes away from the recording dazzled by Cotik's musicianship and technique; one is also struck by the agility of his execution, his expert command of tempo and intonation, and his ability to consistently maintain the highest level of performance ”
TEXTURA
“Cotik makes Kreisler seem almost smarmy, Isabelle Faust almost mannered, and Julia Fischer as though she's filed down the detail”
Fanfare Magazine
“excellent violin playing...extremely enjoyable interpretations of music that I love”
American Record Guide
“absolutely impeccable, with intonation in the centre of every note, and his left hand flying around the fingerboard with remarkable agility”
David Denton for David’s Review Corner
“brilliantly performs the complete series of sonatas composed by Mozart ... a masterful musical compendium ..... an essential, addictive set. An almost hypnotic musical journey ”
CULTURALMENTE INCORRECTO
“brilliant Argentinean violinist”
David Denton for David’s Review Corner
“A revealing album of the mastery of the young performers who sign it ”
REVISTA DOCENOTAS
“Cotik’s performance is powerful and technically brilliant, the intonation always flawless,... fearless round, and well-balanced”
CONCERTO - DAS MAGAZIN FÜR ALTE MUSIK
“perfectly conceived”
Fanfare Magazine
“among the very best Piazzolla albums”
David Denton for David’s Review Corner
“NOMINATED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSICAL MUSIC AWARDS 2018”
ICMA
“Cotik and the orchestra provided impressive advocacy for a multifaceted work that deserves to be heard more often. Cotik seamlessly handled the frequent changes in mood and adroitly traversed the work’s myriad technical challenges while always keeping the focus on the music.”
SOUTH FLORIDA CLASSICAL REVIEW
“This is an excellent recital. I enjoy the Piazzolla Tango Etudes more as played by Cotik than by anyone else. ”
American Record Guide
“this is clearly a team to watch. I am sure we will be hearing good things from them in the future”
MusicWeb International
“this is one of the great Piazzolla discs, and in perfect sound quality, I urge you to buy it.”
David Denton for David’s Review Corner
“this superbly produced Schubert disc…comes warmly commended”
MusicWeb International
“'What a Performance 2020' Award Winner”
THE ART MUSIC LOUNGE
“His amazing technical skill and artistic know-how...create an indelible interpretation of Bach’s music...Cotik’s combines impeccable technique and an intuitive artistry to fashion a mesmerizing interpretation of these pieces.”
AUDIOPHILE AUDITION
“Cotik Kicks Butt in Piazzolla! A wild and wonderful CD.”
THE ART MUSIC LOUNGE
“without a doubt, an album to get excited and listen to continuously. Pure excellence. Essential! ”
CULTURALMENTE INCORRECTO
“laudable level of technical accuracy…tenderness and warmth”
The Palm Beach Arts Paper
“Tomás Cotik’s deeply analytical playing adds to an exhilarating display of the musical wonders the composer saw in the violin”
GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE
“Cotik never indulges in violinistic brilliance at the expense of music, but he sounds consistently brilliant nevertheless.”
Fanfare Magazine
“a treat from start to finish”
Musical Toronto
“an excellent violinist ... who picks up a rigorous, natural and unusual way of understanding and interpreting music ”
Docenotas
“a musician who prepares thoroughly and has great respect for the music he performs”
The Palm Beach Arts Paper
“an exemplary presentation of marvelous music”
The Palm Beach Arts Paper
“His pure sound, perfect intonation and fast tempos mean that Bach’s fiendishly difficult challenges become more exposed, yet he never misses a beat. The recording….captures the golden glow of his violin… in sound that is honest and clean”
GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE
“Evocative concert of Jewish classical music”
The Washington Post
“The technical qualities of the recording - which is on the NAXOS label, by the way - are excellent.”
Robert W. Plyer, THE OBSERVER
“A neglected stash of unrecorded Schubert”
NORMAN LEBRECHT
“short this is a great recording if you value warmth and sweetness in Mendelssohn. Here, though, nothing is forced, and, as I say, the world seems a better place.”
AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE
“Argentinean violinist Tomás Cotik... is not just another violinist. He is a passionate musician who always seems to get under the skin of the music he performs”
THE ART MUSIC LOUNGE
“remarkable, artistic and expressive interpretations ... at a high level and perfectly adapted to the respective styles ”
PIZZICATO
“there is no question that this disc is, by some distance, Naxos's best Piazzolla recording”
MusicWeb International
“Cotik scales Bach’s solo mountain with skill. His intricate yet soulful take is assured without ever being showy.”
BBC Magazine
“Cotik sounds consistently brilliant ”
STRINGS MAGAZINE
“a record which quality manages to propose the fascinating freshness of Germanic musical culture as new, as if the music had never been heard before ”
GBOPERA MAGAZINE
“This album...immediately stands out as a recording of excellent quality. Equipped with a refined technique, Cotik interprets these masterpieces of Bach's genius with a deep sense of style thanks to an attention to phrasing ”
GBOPERA
“urgently recommended”
Fanfare Magazine
“An ideal disc”
SONOGRAMA MAGAZINE
“their lofty musicianship dwarfs their profound scholarship”
Fanfare Magazine
“ There are so many delightful details to savour that one hardly knows where to begin...a most rewarding Mozart cycle”
Gramophone Magazine
“Everyone who plays these works should hear these exemplary performances...you will never hear these Telemann Fantasias played so well ”
American Record Guide
“violinist Tomas Cotik is always up for a new challenge”