…“On the first half, Russian pianist Varvara played a superb Prokofiev 2nd Concerto in which she highlighted, of course, its two great cadences [...] Musicality, rhythmic vitality and that evidence of having her mind very much onto the piece […]”

Revista Scherzo – 26 October 2019  – Luis Suñén 

…“Varvara exhibited energy, power, virtuosity and musical intention [...] Varvara, warmly acclaimed, offered a delicious encore.”

 

La Voz de Galicia – 28 October 2019- Antón de Santiago 

“… Russian pianist Varvara, all of grace and delicacy, appears on stage. A concert full of virtuosity, magnificently carried out thanks to Varvara’s musical subtle interpretation [...] It was at Rhapsody on a Paganini’s theme, where the understanding between orchestra and soloist was musically perfect [...] Varvara’s success was magnificent and the audience obtained two beautiful encores by Medtner, which delighted us with a subtle performance by this exceptional virtuoso pianist"

Classicnews.com– 15 August 2019  – Hubert Stoecklin

“… With her powerful interpretation, delicately articulated, she offered a memorable version of Rachmaninov’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 4. Jazz’s influence shows its sensitiveness and introduces a new sight on the composer’s interpretation. At the piano, a well-defined expresiveness allowed each note to be heard on its sound perfection, responding to the orchestra’s high level, they dialogued with subtlety, and continued this detached approach at Rhapsody on a Paganini’s theme, giving us the opportunity to listen to it as if it was the very first time [...] In a tale’s heart, a fairy, Vavara, no doubt!”

 

Journal Zibeline– 8 August 2019 – Maryvonne Colombani  

“beautiful concert end with a fantastic Rhapsody on Paganini’s theme (by Rachmaninov), piece for piano and orchestra played with elegance, passion and great quality.” 

Provence.com–  11 August 2019 – Jean-Rémi Barland

“An evening full of intense colours, full of energy and brilliance, full of personality and a captivating atmosphere […] Varvara’s Mozart interpretation is powerful, energetic and simple: harmonious and timeless byitself […] A great pleasure, which was rewarded with precious encores by Ravel and Mozart. Looking forward to meeting you soon   enjoying the possibility of hearing you again, Varvara.”

Dreh Punkt Kultur–  15 May 2019 - Gottfried Franz Kasparek  

“The understanding between them was ideal most of the time, and the balance on the one hand between their strength and their expressive intensity, and on the other hand on their accuracy, clean performance and precision, reached the highest niveau. The result was an unforgettable  Kreutzer, which will remain on our memories and that made us wish that moment never ends.”

 

Revista Musical Catalana–  4 June 2019 - Xavier Pujol

“[…] Outstanding Varvara playing Schubert, with an admirable fluency and delicacy, rounded by her touching musicality on the final Allegro Vivace: with her playing, it constantly touches us her music understanding, as well as her ability to put herself at the service of chamber music dialogue.”

 

 

Planeta Magazine –  1 June 2019  – Redaction

“The pianist shows a particular piano sound, almost magical [...] as a master of fine details, she uses the sounds to create a musical construction and, with a refined technique, she takes out the most wonderful sounds from her instrument […] her talent and genuine personality makes a piano recital by Varvara so special.”  

25 November 2017 – Okka Mallek  

“Each phrase, each note, is full of meaning and shows the creative potential of this pianist. Her rich palette of expression with its fine dynamic details and ingenious pauses is very impressive [...] Yesterday’s applause, after she taked our breath away, was more than justified.”

 

Badisches Tagblatt - 17 July 2017 – Udo Barth

“Happy discovery of this young Russian pianist, a student of Evgeni Koroliov and prize winner at Bach (Leipzig) and Géza Anda (Zurich) competitions. Her Mozart’s recital, admirably constructed and shaded with minor tonalities, convinces by the attention given to polyphonic clarity, negationof sentimentalism and expressive attention […] Her solid,but never ostentatious technique, her concentrated sonority at the service of a pure voice, her favourite taste for the classics: all this brings, while listening to her, a memory of Richter.”

 

Choc de Classica - 01 June 2017  – Classica.fr, Bertrand Dermoncourt

… Last year she won first prize, the audience prize and the Mozart prize at the Concours Géza Anda in Zurich, and her Mozart playing is indeed characterised by a highly tasteful, lively sense of articulation, copious subtle shades of colour and above all a lovely understanding for the inner life of this music …

Neue Zürcher Zeitung – 1 November 2013 – Alfred Zimmerlin

… Varvara displayed grandiose colouristic riches in the Romeo and Juliet Suite op. 75 by Prokofiev that crowned her programme. She never let it turn into a sensationalist parade of individual numbers, instead allowing us to experience it as a seamless, thrilling narration at the piano.

But without the wonderful little Mozartian farewell by this sympathetically modest Russian, we would have missed an important little piece of the jigsaw on this morning in Schwetzingen.

Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung – 16 May 2013 – Klaus Ross

… Besides all her stage presence, Varvara’s greatness lies in her modesty, paired as it is with a brilliant technique and an exemplary “full body” approach to her pianistic touch. Her playing is always mellow and flexible, and incredibly smooth even in her fortissimo … When Varvara plays, you hear new lines of melody, new emphases, new connections. Music of this quality becomes an epiphany, an emotional roller-coaster into which Varvara entices her audience – in her own modest, wonderful, brilliant way.

Kronen Zeitung – 22 October 2012 – Thomas Nussbaumer

This pianist’s unconditional determination to shape her interpretive actions and her desire to explore boundaries undoubtedly make her an exceptional talent. In order to achieve all this, she is prepared to dare everything with her brilliant, if at times unconventional pianistic technique. Her recital with works by Chopin and Mozart and Schumann’s Kreisleriana climaxed in a rapture of extreme emotional states that nevertheless seemed tempered by an alert, superior musical intelligence.

 

Varvara possesses the unusual ability to make nuances and connections audible that most pianists overlook heedlessly. Her interpretation of the C-major Concerto K 467 by Mozart here marked the absolute highpoint of the competition, which itself culminated in her own cadenzas to this concerto that came across as provocatively spontaneous. On the other hand, her final performance, her interpretation of Beethoven’s c-minor Piano Concerto, was surprisingly ‘classical’. It was above all in the cadenza of the first movement that something again shone forth of the amazement that the appearance of this pianist has caused in this competition.