…the contrasted sweetness and strength of Ariadne Daskalakis’ tone emphasise the quality of Bach’s G major Sonata.
In Biber’s ‘Annunciation’ Sonata her florid flourishes elicit sedate processional images as well as boisterous rustic scenes.
Trio Vintage delighted in the strange effects the players were called upon to deliver, and the works by the minor composers flowed nicely too.
… the musical approach was always decisive, the tone huskily distinctive…
... Ariadne Daskalakis, youngest Violin Professor in Cologne since 2000, was brilliant as the soloist. It was wonderful how she expressed enraptured intimacy in her playing. In the last movement 'typical Bernstein' flared up: jazz-influenced passion with rhythmic percussion episodes.
Christoph Bingel, Westfälische Rundschau , February 12, 2009'Celebrated: Ariadne Daskalakis' ...the young violinist Ariadne Daskalakis masters the solo violin part with as much dreamlike singing as rhythmic power, and she rises with perfection to stratospheric heights. The public celebrates the soloist with enthusiasm and receives a movement of Bach as an encore.
Monika Willer, Westfalenpost, February 12, 2009"...The first half of the concert was dominated by Beethoven's Violin Concerto, performed by Ariadne Daskalakis. Her sound was powerful and confident. The structural unity of the concerto was performed with clarity... The middle movement was performed with delicacy and sensitivity. Daskalakis' clear, round and tonally secure sound was especially appreciated. In the third movement... the violinist showed power and expression and concluded the concerto with success."
Nikos Dontas, Kathimerini, January 18, 2009"Eyecontact with the Virtuoso" Fresh Wind in the Cologne Philharmonie's Series 'Masterworks' ...The orchestra had already made an award-winning quality recording of Tartini Violin Concertos with the fabulous violinist and Cologne Professor Ariadne Daskalakis. They performed Tartini and Haydn in historical tradition without conductor, opting for direct contact between the orchestra and the virtuoso. She resisted heaviness in the carefree passages, and let her violin dance and sparkle its way through the remarkably difficult material.
Cologne StadtAnzeiger, December 12, 2008"Elegance til the last Note." ... Highlights of the richly varied program were the performances of violinist Ariadne Daskalakis. She performed two A-Major concertos by Tartini and Haydn as soloist and leader with lightness, tasteful vibrato and intelligent interaction with the orchestra. She formed the Adagios with feeling and poetry and the fast movements with dream-perfect elegance and energy.
Cologne Rundschau, December 9, 2008"With charm and elegance Daskalakis' violin sang pleasantly refined through the movements. Ishay contributed to the atmosphere by playing as an equal rather than a mere accompanist. In perfect partnership the two musicians delivered the many contrasting colors of the dramatic work."
Neue Westfälische, 25 June 2008"Daskalakis captured the emotion and its subtleties with her beautifully sounding instrument. She approached the one-movement work with energy and strength, doing justice to its structure while exploring the depths of her sound and overflowing with passion."
Lüdenscheider Nachrichten, 18 February 08"The highlight was Ludwig van Beethoven's famous Violin Concerto… Ariadne Daskalakis unfolded a soulful, intimate, melting tone, whose bewitching beauty commanded the listeners' attention in spite of the open-air conditions... Ariadne Daskalakis attacked the Rondo with commanding form"
Hanna Styrie, Kölnische Rundschau, 20 August 2007[...] Ariadne Daskalakis highlighted the warm tone colors of her baroque violin, especially in the lower registers, and captivated the audience with her resonant double stops. The dialogue between the violin and the woodwinds was as light as a feather, with Daskalakis accentuating slightly more than her colleagues. [...]
Oberhessische Presse, September 2006"Performances were top-shelf wonderful, among the best heard all season. Festival organizers Carol Rodland and Michael Norsworthy, joined by Ariadne Daskalakis, Scott Kluksdahl and Max Levinson, played as if their very lives depended on it. All aspects of execution - pitch, tone, technique, pacing, interpretation - were flawless, as were chamber interaction and blend."
David Cleary, "new music connoisseur", June 2006"The Concerto in G Major for violin and orchestra, KV 216, was then played by Ariadne Daskalakis, a spirited virtuoso whose intensity reverberated throughout the hall. She imbued the music with an exquisitely mellow sweetness, particularly in the slow movement, where the violin has the melody almost all to itself."
Rhein-Erft-Rundschau, 13 June 2006...so that the music comes to life for the listener.