I had the pleasure of hearing Jasmine Choi give her New York Flute Club recital back on February 10th, she lived up to all the hype I’ve heard about her and then some! As I’ve mentioned previously here, she recently became the principal flute for the Vienna Symphony, and she mentioned repeatedly from the stage how wonderful it was to be back in the states and see so many friends, if only briefly. I really enjoyed her program, especially the Richard Rossler Sonata in E Major, Op. 15, which was receiving its U.S. premiere. I also loved that she changed outfits at intermission, the first time I’ve ever seen that in all the hundreds of recitals I’ve attended over the years! But what really sets her playing apart were her articulations and her range of dynamics and vibrato. Her articulations were effortless, and her range and color of vibrato was unbelievable. I still don’t know what syllable she was using to create such amazingly sensitive but clear attacks. Sounds like a weird compliment, but she played “Zoom Tube” by Ian Clarke. See for yourself in this very theatrical recording:
I hope everyone in my studio has a chance to check out one of her plentiful YouTube recordings until she is back in NYC again.