Recitals
The violin and piano repertoire has been one of Tomas Cotik’s main focuses. Through a shared passion, devotion and commitment to collaborative music-making, he formed the TnT Duo with pianist Tao Lin in Miami in 2010. Since then, the Duo has received the highest praise from some of the best-known publications such as Fanfare, American Record Guide, Downbeat, and MusicWeb International. The Duo’s debut album, a first volume of the complete works of Franz Schubert for violin and piano, was released in 2012 on Centaur Records and received numerous rave reviews in the international press, including one in Fanfare Magazine that compared their CD favorably with the classic recording by Rachmaninoff and Kreisler. This recording was also nominated as “Recording of the Year” 2013 by MusicWeb International and was broadcast all over the country by American Public Media. In 2013, NAXOS released the Duo’s album "Tango Nuevo" with music by Astor Piazzolla for violin and piano described by different critics as "among the very best" Piazzolla albums, “by some distance, Naxos's best Piazzolla recordings,” as well as “exceptional... Piazzolla can be played differently than this, but probably not better” (Downbeat Magazine). The TnT Duo released the second installment of their Schubert recording project in 2015 followed by all 16 Sonatas for violin and piano by Mozart in 2018 to critical acclaim.
“Cotik scales Bach’s solo mountain with skill. His intricate yet soulful take is assured without ever being showy.”
BBC Magazine
“Very recently I discovered this marvel ... two extraordinary instrumentalists who, combining their talents, achieve ... something great. ”
Luis Andarcia, VENUE MAGAZINE
“A neglected stash of unrecorded Schubert”
NORMAN LEBRECHT
“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
“If anyone's up to the task, it's Cotik”
TEXTURA
“should leave listeners almost breathless…a vibrancy and attention to detail...strong individuality and… vitality”
Fanfare Magazine
“I highly commend Mr. Cotik for his innovative interpretations and I hope many future audiences will experience his musical excellence”
Gary Burton
“this superbly produced Schubert disc…comes warmly commended”
MusicWeb International
“I find the Cotik and Lin performances most interesting and the sound on their disc is excellent”
Maria Nockin – Fanfare Magazine
“excellent Piazzollean style, which is not frequently found”
Daniel Binelli
“exceptional...Piazzolla can be played differently than this, but provably not better.”
DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE
“An ideal disc”
SONOGRAMA 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
“Evocative concert of Jewish classical music”
The Washington Post
“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
“an exemplary presentation of marvelous music”
The Palm Beach Arts Paper
“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
“The versions are optimal due to the stylistic understanding of the duo and the instrumental excellence of the admirable violinist. ”
REVISTA SCHERZO
“recreating the visceral charge of Piazzolla’s legendary quintet concerts and recordings”
South Florida Classical Review
“a new way of looking at, understanding and perceiving music from different eras”
SONOGRAMA MAGAZINE
“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
“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
“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 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
“NOMINATED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSICAL MUSIC AWARDS 2018”
ICMA
“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
“conviction, commitment, diplomacy, and character”
The Strad
“Some of the music is sultry while other works are fast, rhythmic, and ornamented to show the exquisite virtuosity of Cotik”
FANFARE MAGAZINE
“This is an excellent recital. I enjoy the Piazzolla Tango Etudes more as played by Cotik than by anyone else. ”
American Record Guide
“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
“violinist Tomas Cotik is always up for a new challenge”
Julia Amacher – American Public Media
“If you love the solo violin, you won't find a better recording to suit your tastes”
OBSERVER TODAY
“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
“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
“Tomás Cotik’s deeply analytical playing adds to an exhilarating display of the musical wonders the composer saw in the violin”
GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE
“'What a Performance 2020' Award Winner”
THE ART MUSIC LOUNGE
“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
“their lofty musicianship dwarfs their profound scholarship”
Fanfare Magazine
“One imagines the Nuevo tango master would be as captivated as any listener by such exquisite performances.”
TEXTURA
“brilliant Argentinean violinist”
David Denton for David’s Review Corner
“Cotik sounds consistently brilliant ”
STRINGS MAGAZINE
“there is no question that this disc is, by some distance, Naxos's best Piazzolla recording”
MusicWeb International
“remarkable, artistic and expressive interpretations ... at a high level and perfectly adapted to the respective styles ”
PIZZICATO
“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
“perfectly conceived”
Fanfare 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
“this is clearly a team to watch. I am sure we will be hearing good things from them in the future”
MusicWeb International
“an excellent violinist”
Michael Tilson Thomas
“Cotik never indulges in violinistic brilliance at the expense of music, but he sounds consistently brilliant nevertheless.”
Fanfare Magazine
“a musician who prepares thoroughly and has great respect for the music he performs”
The Palm Beach Arts Paper
“ There are so many delightful details to savour that one hardly knows where to begin...a most rewarding Mozart cycle”
Gramophone Magazine
“an extraordinary performance that can stand up against any other”
TEXTURA
“a work of high quality, for the originality of the arrangements and especially because he is an excellent instrumentalist ”
REVISTA RITMO
“None of these pieces has ever sounded quite like this before.”
INFODAD.COM
“ Also in the interpretation of Mozart's sonatas, Cotik's excellent performance and perfect technique stand out in the particularly brilliant articulations ”
GBOPERA MAGAZINE
“the brilliant musicians’ ability to shift tempos...gracefully wring emotion from heartbreaking ballad tempos or generate fireworks with breakneck riffs...”
DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE
“a treat from start to finish”
Musical Toronto
“a first-rate set of Mozart sonatas”
THE ARTS MUSIC LOUNGE
“Cotik phrases this music with such feeling, making you wonder if it could possibly sound better in any other performance.”
Classical Net
“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
“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
“A revealing album of the mastery of the young performers who sign it ”
REVISTA DOCENOTAS
“laudable level of technical accuracy…tenderness and warmth”
The Palm Beach Arts Paper
“wonderful album…impressive for the elegance and sensitivity of the interpretations”
John Terauds – Musical Toronto
“Cotik makes Kreisler seem almost smarmy, Isabelle Faust almost mannered, and Julia Fischer as though she's filed down the detail”
Fanfare Magazine
“unusual depth and broad compass...absolutely brilliant... unmistakable vitality...optimally recorded”
Audio Video Club of Atlanta
“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
“excellent violin playing...extremely enjoyable interpretations of music that I love”
American Record Guide
“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
“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
“Cotik’s performance is powerful and technically brilliant, the intonation always flawless,... fearless round, and well-balanced”
CONCERTO - DAS MAGAZIN FÜR ALTE MUSIK
“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
“The BBC Music team’s current favourites”
BBC MAGAZINE, Niel McKim
“an excellent violinist ... who picks up a rigorous, natural and unusual way of understanding and interpreting music ”
Docenotas
“it is a fact that the enthusiastic performance of Argentine Tomás Cotik and the way he captures the audience is captivating”
GRAMOFON
“intelligent and sensitive...glories in...colorations and shared emphasis”
Fanfare Magazine
“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
“My first chamber choice for the year. ”
MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL Recordings Of The Year 2013
“Editor's Picks”
DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE
“clarity and tonal opulence rare in recordings of violin music”
Fanfare Magazine
“The Piazzolla album is not just Cotik as brilliant interpreter, but also as creative mind.”
Musical Toronto
“The technical qualities of the recording - which is on the NAXOS label, by the way - are excellent.”
Robert W. Plyer, THE OBSERVER
“Cotik Kicks Butt in Piazzolla! A wild and wonderful CD.”
THE ART MUSIC LOUNGE
“Everyone who plays these works should hear these exemplary performances...you will never hear these Telemann Fantasias played so well ”
American Record Guide
“Cotik…honored not only his professions as musician, but the memory and work of Franz Schubert”
The Palm Beach Arts Paper
“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
“urgently recommended”
Fanfare Magazine
“Cotik has a consistently brilliant violinism and warm, enveloping sound ”
GBOPERA MAGAZINE
“uplifting quality”
MusicWeb International
“phenomenal technique”
Musical Toronto
“true treasure...one of the latest gems to emerge from the season”
John Terauds – Musical Toronto
“among the very best Piazzolla albums”
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
“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
“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
“outstanding from the very beginning”
Fanfare Magazine
“Cotik transcends even the profoundly meditative”
FANFARE MAGAZINE
“without a doubt, an album to get excited and listen to continuously. Pure excellence. Essential! ”
CULTURALMENTE INCORRECTO
Sample Programs
Mozart Complete Sonatas
We are presenting the complete cycle of Sonatas for violin and piano by Mozart in three concerts:
Kurfürstin Sonatas
Sonata in G major, op. I, KV 301 (293a)
Sonata in E flat major, op. I, KV 302 (293b)
Sonata in C major, op. I, KV 303 (293c)
Sonata in e minor, op. I, KV 304 (300c)
Sonata in A major, op. I, KV 305 (293d)
Sonata in D major, op. I, KV 306 (300l)
Aurnhammer Sonatas
Sonata in C major, op. II, KV 296
Sonata in F major, op. II, KV 376 (374d)
Sonata in F major, op. II, KV 377 (374e)
Sonata in B flat major, op. II, KV 378 (317d)
Sonata in G major, op. II, KV 379 (373a)
Sonata in E flat major, op. II, KV 380 (374f)
Later Viennese Sonatas
Sonata in B flat major, KV 454
Sonata in E flat major, KV 481
Sonata in A major, KV 526
Sonata in F major, KV 547
Varied program I
J. S. Bach: Sonata in E minor, BWV 1023
F. Schubert: Rondo Brilliant in B minor, D. 895
C. Saint-Saens: Intr. & Rondo Capr., Op. 28
F. Poulenc: Sonata for Vln. and Pno., Op. 119
A. Piazzolla: Histoire du Tango
Varied program II
L.V. Beethoven: Sonata N.9, Op. 47, "Kreutzer"
F. Schubert: Rondo Brilliant in B minor, D. 895
A. Piazzolla: Histoire du Tango
All-Piazzolla
La muerte del ángel (arr. Cotik)
Histoire du Tango (arr. Varelas)
I. Bordel 1900
II. Café 1930
III. Night-club 1960
IV. Concert d'aujourd'hui
Melodía en La menor (arr. Cotik)
Tango en La menor (Tanguano)
Milonga sin palabras
Fuga y misterio (arr. Cotik)
Ave María (Tanti anni prima)
Yo soy María (arr. Cotik)
Oblivion (arr. Cotik)
Aire de la zamba niña (arr. Cotik)
Le Grand Tango (arr. Gubaidulina)
The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
I. Verano Porteño
II. Otoño Porteño
III. Primavera Porteña
VI. Invierno Porteño
Escualo
Revirado
Fracanapa
Milonga del Angel
Adios Nonino
Libertango (arr. Cotik)
Chin-Chin
Resurreccion del Angel
Mumuki
Soledad
Zita
Celos
Fugata
Complete Schubert
We are presenting the complete cycle of music for violin and piano by Schubert in two concerts:
Sonata in D major, D.384 (Op. posth. 137/1)
Sonata in A minor, D.385 (Op. posth. 137/2)
Sonata in G minor, D. 408 (Op. posth. 137/3)
Duo Sonata in A, D 574
Rondo Brilliant in B minor, D. 895
Fantasy in C, D 934
FURTHER REPERTOIRE
FURTHER REPERTOIRE INCLUDES A WIDE VARIETY OF SONATAS AND OTHER WORKS BY BACH, BEETHOVEN, SCHUMANN, MENDELSSOHN, BRAHMS, DVORÁK, BRUCH, SAINT-SAËNS, DEBUSSY, RAVEL, POULENC, MESSIAEN, AND PROKOFIEV AS WELL AS WORKS BY LIVING COMPOSERS.
CONCERTS CAN INCLUDE AN INTRODUCTION THAT PROVIDES THE AUDIENCE WITH A VIVID CONTEXT FOR THE MUSICAL PIECES OF THE PROGRAM.
Encores
Tartini: Variations on a Theme by Corelli
Dvořák: Romance, Op.11
Dvorak: Humoreske, arr. Gustav Saenger
Smetana: From The Native Country
Brahms: Hungarian Dances N.1 and N.3
Saens: Intr. & Rondo Capriccioso
Chopin Nocturne Op.27 N. 1
Chopin: Nocturne Op. 55 N 2, arr. Heifetz
Chopin: Nocturne, Op. 72, arr. Auer
Chopin: Nocturne C sharp minor, arr. Milstein
Williams: Schindlers’s List
Williams: Fiddler on The Roof
Kreisler: Liebesleid & Schoen Roesmarin
Vecsey: Valse Triste
Dinicu: Hora Staccato.
Ravel:Tzigane
De Falla: Danse Espagnole
Sarasate: Romanza andaluza Op.22, No.1
Sarasate: Zapateado, Op. 23, No. 2
Chatschaturjan: Sabre Dance
Gershwin: Three Preludes, arr. J. Heifetz
Gershwin: It ain't Necessarily, arr. Heifetz
Schubert: Impromptu Op. 90 N. 3, arr. Heifetz
Paganini: Cantabile
Bartok: Romanian Folk Dances
Gardel: Por una Cabeza, arr. Williams