PRESS

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PHOTOS

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PRESS QUOTES

SOLO
“…a wonderful sense of authority and technical flair.”
– The New York Times

“Immediately evident was Kent’s suave legato touch, wedded to a tone with an Old World patina about it…Kent’s performance was Albénizian to the core…a magisterial account of Fête-Dieu à Séville.”
– The Indianapolis Star

“The slow ‘songs’ were soulful, without becoming over-inflected, and the rhythmic sections had the sort of crisp precision that made heads nods, crossed legs swing, and toes tap.”
– The Indianapolis News

“Artista de enorme concentración , de una sensibilidad que maravilla a sus años, trabaja las obras con limpieza, con matices prodigiosos, con pulsación nítida y destacada técnica.” (“An artist of enormous concentration and a sensitivity astonishing for his age, he presents the works cleanly, with prodigious colors, clear rhythm, and a distinguished technique.”)
– El Diario de Burgos (on occasion of first tour of Spain in 1985)

“El pianista americano Adam Kent ofreció un magnífico recital en el XXI Festival de Música Española de León. Con el repertorio elegido—J. Nin-Culmell, E. Halffter, F. Mompou, J. Turina y el leonés Pedro Blanco—demostró que no es solo un gran intérprete de nuestra música, sino también un gran conocedor de nuestra historia. En una interpretación de gran sentimiento, brilló especialmente la suite Hispania de Pedro Blanco, compositor homenajeado en esta edición por el 125 aniversario de su nacimiento. Dicha obra, de sabor nacionalista, destacó por la Rapsodia final, cuyo motivo de jota en rapidísimas octavas paralelas deslumbró al público por su brillantez de ejecución e intense musicalidad.” (“The American pianist Adam Kent offered a magnificent recital at the XXI Spanish Music Fetsival of Leon. With the selected repertory—J. Nin-Culmell, E. Halffter, F. Mompou, J. Turina, and Leon-native Pedro Blanco—he showed that he is not only a great interpreter of our music, but also a great expert in our history. In a performance of great emotion, the Hispania suite of Pedro Blanco shown out in particular, the composer the subject of an homage in this 125th anniversary year of his birth. The piece, nationalist in flavor, distinguished by its concluding Rhapsody, the “jota” theme of which in super-fast parallel octaves dazzled the public in this brillant and intensely musical performance.”)
– Ritmo
Seen And Heard International Concert Review

CONCERTO
“Adam Kent’s performing “Rapsodia Portuguesa” by Ernesto Halffter was the pièce de résistance…Even Kent’s entrance on stage was charming and affable. However, it was the polish and strength of his piano playing that showed his mettle…he let his fingers dance over the keys with the prowess of a toreador.”
– The Charlotte Sun Herald

“To handle the highly varied piano chores of this rhapsody requires a soloist of exemplary skill. This was fully realized by the presence of Adam Kent…The Rhapsody’s extensive demands were brilliantly met. His encore, the “Dance of the Shepherdess”, was a delight.”
– Sarasota Herald Tribune

CHAMBER
“Die drei Künstler sind den grossen Werk Beethovens durch volkommene Harmonie voll gerecht geworden. Höfische Eleganz, wo sie gefordet wird, subtile Klangfarben und s hohe Virtuosität zeichnete Ihr Spiel aus.” (“The three artists did justice to the great work of Beethoven with perfect harmony, courtly elegance where it was called for, subtle coloration, and great virtuosity.”
– Zürichsee Zeitung

“Ein Trio, das es zu entdecken gilt: Das Klaviertrio Damocles” (“24-karat chamber ensemble: the Damocles Trio”)
– Berner Woche

“Das Verständnis zwischen den beiden Streicherinnen und den Pianisten ist innig und problemlos. Die drei reagieren auf spontane Intentionnen des andern, und es entsteht so ein freies, beglückendes Miusizieren.” (“The understanding between the string players and the pianist was intimate and flawless. The three reacted to the spontaneous intentions of each other to produce free and blissful music making.”)
– Linth Zeitung

“Das ganze Konzert war eine eindrückliche Begegnung mit der Gattung Klaviertrio.” (“The whole concert was an impressive encounter with the piano trio genre.”)
– Oberländisches Tagblatt
Diario de Ibiza Concert Review

RECORDED

Amazon

“Realmente se trata de unas versiones a todas luces excepcionales que hacen plena justicia a tan interesante música y que…merecen recomendarse con entusiasmo. Sí, pues no solo se trata de composiciones reivindicables que se cuentan entre lo mejor del camerismo español….sino que además nos presenta a un grupo de cámara del máximo nivel. Un compacto revelador.” (“Truly this is a matter of an exceptional version by any standards which does full justice to this most interesting music….one to be recommended with enthusiasm. Not only because of the compositions, which claim their place among the finest examples of Spanish chamber music….but also because it presents to us a chamber ensemble of the highest level. A revelatory disque.”)
– Scherzo

“….sa joie de vivre est communicative. Les mouvements sont tour à tour dansants, éclatants ou lyriques, toujours beaux et travaillés.” (“….their joie de vivre is communicative. The movements are by turns dancing, explosive or lyrical, always beautiful and well worked through.”
– Le Monde de la Musique

“…the pieces have a similar way of boiling up to chunky rhetorical climaxes, often with sweeping strings in octaves, which the Damocles Trio brings off with great swagger. The contrasted dance variations of Trio No. 1 and the superimposed speeds in the tiny scherzo of No. 2 are elliptical delights, played with finesse, and the recording keeps them intimate without getting swamped by big build-ups.”
– BBC Music Magazine

“…the three young musicians… offer a beautiful sensibility in their approach… reconciling transparence, lightness, proud rhythm and lyricism…[in the quartet] the sound of the strings superbly expresses the Andalusian lament, proud and heartrending..”
– Diapason

“All these performances prove that the members of the Damocles Trio … are excellent interpreters. The articulations, as well as the intonation, are simply irreproachable.”
– Fondation Suisa

“[The Damocles Trio] delivers a radiant interpretation… The playing is precise and light, the touch sensitive…. The music of Turina is heard with pleasure on this well conceived program.”
– Tribune de Genève

“The Damocles’ finely calibrated timbral shadings, richly sonorous tone, and flowing phrasing makes for unalloyed pleasure throughout both works… Laurence Dutton’s contribution adds to the group’s persuasive performance of this thematically pungent and emotionally vibrant work.”
– ClassicsToday.com

iTunes / Amazon

“Ha tenido que ser un pianista estadounidense, el estupendo Adam Kent, quien tuviera el honor de protagonizar el primer registro intergral de la obra pianística de Ernesto Halffter.” (“It had to be an American pianist, the stupendous Adam Kent, who would have the honor of making the first complete recording of Ernesto Halffter’s piano music. “) *****
– ABC

“This is an immensely attractive record, beautifully and resourcefully played and recorded…Exotic, vital, dancy and eloquently lyrical by turns, (the music) has , too, certain rather jazzy elements, all of which are impeccably captured by this young American pianist, whom I must I’d never heard of, but hope to hear more of. Beautifully recorded, his playing here is often suggestive of Alicia de Larrocha.” *****
– BBC Music Magazine

“In Kent’s agile hands and sensitive interpretations, the piano of Halffter is given remarkable readings that illustrate the composer’s estimable melodic and rhythmic wonders.”
– RedLudwig, com

“This is a fascinating and highly enjoyable portrait of a little-known Spanish composer whose life spanned the 20th century….Adam Kent, a Juilliard-trained pianist and student of Jerome Lowenthal, has established a specialty in Spanish music. His enthusiasm and skill make this recital of obscure piano music an impressive success—he has that rare ability of caressing music from the keys.”
– Fanfare

“Adam Kent no just toca aquesta peces amb un esment extraordinari als detalls musicals, sinó que entenen els lligams de les notes amb la cultura que les ha creades. Un dels merits indiscutibles de Kent és que és capaç de mantenir llargament una melodia en pianissimo, sosinent l’emissió del so de forma uniforme i directa. Kent té un instint melodic superb, sempre llis, lluent i net.” (“Adam Kent doesn’t just play these pieces with extraordinary attention to detail, but he also grasps the connections between the notes and the culture which created them. One of Kent’s indisputable virtues is his ability to sustain a pianissimo melody, supporting the tone production uniformly and clearly. Kent has a superb instinct for melody, always light, fluid, and clean.”)
– El Diario de Mallorca

Amazon / ArkivMusic

“…the Juilliard-trained Damocles Trio makes a compelling case for this music. Violinist Airi Yoshioka and cellist Sibylle Johner understand that the composer’s melodic lines need to sing, while pianist Adam Kent lightens the texture wherever possible and points rhythms to emphasize the music’s unflagging energy.
The imaginative coupling is a piano trio by Villa-Lobos’s younger contemporary Lorenzo Fernândez (1897–1948). His Trio Brasileiro is a more straightforward rendering of Brazilian rhythms and folk tunes into the piano trio format, lacking Villa-Lobos’s contrapuntal development but more open in texture. A welcome contrast, it is a delightful work that ought to be better known. Once again, these first-rate musicians give us a highly accomplished and sympathetic performance. Sound is excellent. Highly recommended.”
– Fanfare
The Julliard Journal Review