REVIEWS
"a magnificent and illuminating evening. In short, a beautiful and unique start to the new artistic season in Radziejowice, which is now growing into one of the premiere scenes of Polish culture."
- Kultura, Poland
"Miss Carmichael is an exciting, excellent musician and a spectacular technician. Her interpretations were always very refined, thoughtful and discerning, yet emotional and expressive. She always won over her audiences in every respect."
- Laszlo Varga,
former Principal 'Cellist,
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
"Explosive technique, calm demeanor - pianist Robyn Carmichael delivers in spades. Carmichael and Rachmaninoff joined in a beauty phenomenal, with Carmichael's piano technique radiating deep from some rare and graceful rhythm within, moving many in her audience to tears....as lush, thrilling and intensely personal as anything you are ever likely to hear."
- Pacifica Tribune
"One could feel Chopin's soul mysteriously beautiful and profound and melancholy".
- E. Lozada
"Carmichael played an ambitious program Sunday afternoon. She offered generous length and variety and most of all, extraordinary poetry.
She took command of the large and the small. Beethoven's late-period "trifles" aren't to be trifled with. They make the pianist think simply and purely yet very abstractly. They demand great concentration of gesture but also the ability to change moods instantly. Carmichael gave them their due.
She then shaped Schubert's great sprawling sonata, well nigh 40 minutes of playing time. She seemed to enjoy its countless valleys most but certainly had strength enough to climb its few climactic peaks.
Her rendition of Debussy's "Reflets dans l'eau" was one of the rare times I've heard the title sensibly translated into sound. The harmonic and figurational "water" shimmered just enough to gently blur the outlines of melodic and motivic images.
A wealth of articulations gave individual, regional color to each of Falla's Spanish sketches.
Chopin's longest, most mercurial scherzo was played so quickly and lightly that psychological time wreaked delightful havoc on real time.
It confirmed the entire afternoon's impression: Carmichael, at mezzo-piano level and and below, is a magical musician."
-Michael Andrews, Palo Alto Times Tribune