Strings: Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers Looks to the Stars on New Album ‘Shining Night’

Strings Magazine
By Greg Cahill

It started with verse. Virtuoso violinist Anne Akiko Meyers’ latest album, Shining Night (Avie), is based on a poem by the late American writer James Agee and describes a man going on a walk and thinking back over his life. “That scenario inspired this collection of pieces that metaphorically begins in the morning and explores the vast musical history through Baroque, Romantic, popular, and current genres,” she notes. “The common themes throughout the music reflect on one’s relationship with nature, love, and poetry.”

In keeping with the stunningly beautiful album’s starry theme, Shining Night was released on May 7—International Astronomy Day. "When I visited Wyoming recently, my family and I went stargazing,” Meyers explains.

Read more here.

Gramophone: Anne Akiko Meyers on her new album, 'Shining Night'

Gramophone

The violinist offers a musical journey through the day, much of it in the company of guitarist Jason Vieaux

Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers's new album, 'Shining Night' takes listeners on a musical journey through the passing of a day - via Villa-Lobos, Bach, Leo Brouwer and even Elvis - and features a number of duets with guitarist Jason Vieaux. She talks to Gramophone's Editor Martin Cullingford about how she developed this wonderful programme. 

Read more here.

Violinist: Anne Akiko Meyers in Recital with Pianist Fabio Bidini

Violinist
By Laurie Niles

I am not often moved to tears at a violin recital. 

However on Saturday night, through a combination of fine playing, sincere music-making and thoughtful programming, violinist Anne Akiko Meyers and pianist Fabio Bidini had audience members dabbing their eyes and sighing "ah," during their recital at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif.

For me tears came from a feeling of connection, after all the isolation of the last two years. This wasn't the first concert I'd seen since the pandemic - though it was the first indoor concert back at the Wallis and the first for many in the audience.

But somehow this was the first where I felt connected to everything they played - connected as a violinist, as teacher, as a person living in Los Angeles, as a mother, as a human. Let's say it put me in a state of COVID catharsis that I'd probably been avoiding. Sometimes you don't want to cry, don't want to think about it all. For the first few concerts after things started opening up again, I just wanted to hear some music, to feel assured that live music still existed and would continue. I didn't necessarily want to "go there" and think about the sadness of the last few years.

Read more here.

Classic FM: This beautiful video brings together Arvo Pärt’s music and exquisite animated art

Classic FM
Rosie Pentreath

Take a moment to enjoy beautiful, relaxing Arvo Pärt from violinist Anne Akiko Meyers – accompanied by mesmerising animated watercolour paintings.

Click here to read more.

Gramophone: Video exclusive, Arvo Pärt's Estonian Lullaby played by Anne Akiko Meyers

Gramophone

Pärt's new arrangement of his Estonian Lullaby for violin and piano is performed by Anne Akiko Meyers and Reiko Uchida

We are pleased to present the world premiere recording of a new version of Arvo Pärt's Estonian Lullaby for violin and piano.

Commissioned and performed by Anne Akiko Meyers (with pianist Reiko Uchida) this premiere recording also boasts an animation produced in collaboration with Shazka Studios:

Meyers's recording of the Estonian Lullaby will be released by Avie Records on May 8 and is available to pre-order here: https://orcd.co/9edvjq4

DC Metro Theater Arts: Anne Akiko Meyers with Annapolis Symphony Orchestra

DC Metro Theater Arts
Charles Green

The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra’s continuing Masterworks Series, as part of this season’s celebration of Beethoven’s two hundred fiftieth birthday, takes the theme, “Beethoven Discovers America,” in which the Orchestra looks at Beethoven’s influence on American music, and as Music Director and Conductor Jose-Luis Novo explains, composers from Europe brought the European musical traditions to America and adapted it.

The violin concerto, Orchard in Fog, is, as Dr. Franklin commented, adventurous, charming, and inventive. Commissioned by violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, and performed for the first time in 2018, Schoenberg was inspired by a photograph hanging in his bedroom of the orchard where he and his wife married. The concerto’s three movements tell of an old man looking back on his life, remembering the youthful joy with his wife, and preparing to leave everything behind. As Maestro Novo explained, it is different from most concertos, in that the first and third movements are slow, and the second is fast, while most are the opposite. Another unique quality is the use of scordatura throughout, with Meyer’s G string tuned instead to an F while the rest of the strings maintain their normal tuning.

Meyers is an absolute joy to watch, playing the first movement meditatively and thoughtfully, with moments of powerful emotion. The Symphony blends well with her violin, a few unusual musical sounds working well with it. The second movement is all energy, with almost a pop music, heroic feel to it, drums beating along with the violins. It is thrilling.

The scordatura is used because Schoenberg wanted the piece to sound “closer to the earth.” It is again reflective and calm, with moments of emotional power. The ending slowly fades out, and there are a few beats of thoughtful silence. It is a beautiful work, delightfully unusual and complements the two other pieces.

To read the complete concert review, click here.

Los Angeles Times: Vicente Chamber Orchestra featuring Anne Akiko Meyers and Julian Schwarz

Los Angeles Times
Matt Cooper

Featured in this week’s Los Angeles Times list of classical music performances are two of our artists, violinist Anne Akiko Meyers and cellist Julian Schwarz. To view the full list, click here.

Vicente Chamber Orchestra All-Beethoven program features the composer’s Symphony No. 4, “Coriolan” Overture and the Triple Concerto featuring violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, cellist Julian Schwarz and pianist Wendy Chen. The Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica. Sat., 7:30 p.m. $15, $40. For tickets and more information, click here.

WFMT: Watch violinist Anne Akiko Meyers perform Bach and Gounod’s Ave Maria

WFMT

Bach and Gounod's Ave Maria has always held a special place in violinist Anne Akiko Meyers' repertoire: she grew up playing the beloved work. "It's just one of the most beautiful pieces," Meyers shared during her August 16 Impromptu performance with pianist Marta Aznavoorian. Meyers visited WFMT ahead of her Sunday evening performance of Barber's Piano Concerto at Ravinia Festival with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra.

Watch the performance below and read more here.

Clef Notes: Q&A with Celebrated Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers

Clef Notes

One of the most gifted violinists of her generation, Anne Akiko Meyers embodies what a virtuoso violinist should be as a powerful interpreter of beloved repertoire that spans centuries and yet poised to open that same repertoire to new music, serving as a vanguard in what has traditionally been a guarded space. Of course, only time will tell what new music survives to take its place alongside classic works of the cannon, but Meyers is a truly nimble artist open to the idea of breaking musical boundaries that remain only because those before her hesitated to breach them.

With ground-breaking collaborations with top artists from electro-pop to jazz, Meyers refuses to rest on her laurels, sated by her own dominance of the violin repertoire. Marshaling the potency of her storied career, she broadens the scope of the cannon she interprets and the scope of her own experience at the same time.

​This summer, I had an opportunity to pose a few questions to the one-time wunderkind and gained a little more insight into just why today she is simply a wonder, not only in her mastery of the repertoire, but also in her advocacy for it.

Q: As a young violin student studying in Southern California, did you ever imagine the kind of career for yourself you now enjoy?

​A: I dreamed of becoming a concert violinist at age 7 after hearing Tchaikovsky at the Hollywood Bowl. Little did I know what an incredible journey I would go on. I am so grateful to all the teachers I studied with, the amazing musicians and collaborators I have worked with, and my family, for their unconditional support. It takes one heck of a village, luck, patience and perseverance to accomplish one’s dream.

Read more here.

KUSC: Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers on Respecting the Old and Welcoming the New

KUSC
Jim Svejda

Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers believes in respecting the old and welcoming the new. In this recent conversation with Jim Svejda, they discuss several of her recent commissions.

Listen below or here.