Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times
iPalpiti concert in Disney Concert Hall
"Svetlana Smolina, an outstanding Russian pianist with a luxuriant tone, was the evening's soloist. She caught both the flicker of the young Sun-god and also found urgency in the flashy solo part."
Read full article here.
Richard Storm, Herald Tribune, Sarasota
Chopin Spectacular lives up to its title
"Smolina displayed full command and charmed her way through Preludes of op. 28. Playing with vigor and vitality, easily shifting from one mood to another, sure of technique and subtle phrasing.
The second part of program was devoted to Etudes and Waltzes. The pianist produced dazzling effects entirely appropriate to the genre. Smolina brought audience close to frenzy, just as dear Fryderick did in his concerts."
Read full article here.
Paul Griffiths, The New York Times, Nov. 5 2002
"Svetlana Smolina created a storming, breathing piano in Fantasy in B minor...”
Graham Watts, Covent Garden Magazine, London
“And the pianist (Svetlana Smolina) thoroughly deserved the audience's unrestrained praise.”Laurence Hughes, Independent, the London
"It was a relief to move on to the Four Etudes op. 7 played with alternating deftness and thoughtfulness by Svetlana Smolina.. In the excerpts from The Firebird, Svetlana showed an energy and fire that were almost startling in so slight a frame... but any (orchestral) inadequacies were forgotten in the hushed intensity of those radiant chords leading into the final flourish…If Svetlana Smolina can be said to represent the future of Russian music, then surely we have nothing to fear for the great musical tradition of that remarkable country.”Daniel Cariaga, Los Angeles Times
HEADLINE PIANIST SHOW STRAVINSKY' CHARM
“Smolina's defining of the lyrical aspects in the music she played made her performance cherishable... “
Patrick Meanor, The Listener Magazine, New York
“Svetlana Smolina performed flawlessly Prokofiev First and Ninth Sonatas. She played these very challenging pieces with a facility and mastery that highlighted her impeccable technique and clarity of vision. Later the next evening she performed one of those phenomenally difficult arrangements by Mikhail Pletnev - of a section of “Nutcracker Suite”. Had I been in the other room, I might very well have mistaken it for Pletnev himself - it was so romantically rendered. The next evening, Svetlana Smolina performed the Four Etudes by Stravinsky (op.7) with a maturity and confidence that made those difficult pieces sparkle with youthful vitality.”
Davis Stevens, International Herald Tribune
“This was part of a survey of Rachmaninoff's works for two pianos, which included the two suites brilliantly displayed by Maxim Mogilevsky and Svetlana Smolina, and the playful “Polka Italiana” in which Smolina was joined by Alexander Korsantya..."
Other highlights of this marathone included... the “Corelli Variations” with Smolina as the superb soloist.”
“Svetlana Smolina sparkled with the Italian concerto, the E-minor Toccata and a Prelude and Fugue from the Well Tempered Clavier.”
The Flint Journal, March 2007
“Svetlana Smolina played with astonishing dynamism and skill. Her rendition of the wildly difficult cadenza of Rachmaninoff 3 rd Concerto was most impressive"Michael Tumelty, The Herald Tribune
“Apparently demure and rather poetic 20 year old Svetlana Smolina showed her teeth and muscles in a huge performance of one of the most interesting pieces of the long afternoon...”
