Vinay Parameswaran : Reviews

CONDUCTOR

“Parameswaran’s gentle, nuanced and detailed interpretation was extraordinary.”

Music City Review, November 2022

“Britten’s genius is on full display as Parameswaran and the strings imbue each section with concentrated character…At every step, Parameswaran seems to know exactly what he wants, and the players seem to want exactly the same thing. Truly, in this case, for both the conductor and musicians, everything is in focus.”

Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 2021

“Parameswaran …recognizes that the nature of this piece is one of high contrast. To that end, he paces the aria Italiana at an exhilarating clip, while taking the following bourrée spaciously enough for the players, including concertmaster Peter Otto in his solo, to really dig into the piquant dissonances. He balanced the humor and the growing spookiness of the waltz well, allowing the players to shine as the piece began to grow more serious. He also smartly let the spidery pianissimo tremolando scales near the end of the waltz fall where they may instead of brow-beating the players for precision…It is a fine performance, and one of the best things Parameswaran has done in Cleveland.”

Seen and Heard International, May 2021

“Elgar’s ‘Enigma’ Variations were as rich in personality as can be. The theme received a lush reading and all 14 fresh takes under Parameswaran evinced both independence and a clear connection to the original that transcended the genius of Elgar. The famous ‘Nimrod’ variation worked its magic anew under Parameswaran, bringing a lump to the throat, but any number of other movements rivaled it in terms of lyricism, emotion, and tonal luster.”

Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 2021

“Conducting from memory, Parameswaran led a performance that was remarkable both for its polish and power. There was plenty of nuance in this account, which seemingly probed every emotion — from giddiness and pensiveness to wildness and sarcasm. The performance earned a resounding ovation for the orchestra, and no doubt assured Parameswaran his place on future classical series programs.”

The Nashville Scene

“The lovelorn tenor Nemorino is the guy who likely got beat up in high school gym class. His love object, Adina, probably has neglectful parents, which is why she has to play the field in the marriage game. The snake-oil salesman, Dulcamara, may be slime, but he also knows he stimulates people’s dreams. All of the above are underscored by conductor Parameswaran’s variety of phrasing and ability to find areas of sensitivity in the score that many don’t detect.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer

“Parameswaran was in impressive command of the score, especially in the second movement, a scherzando dance with uneven meters and tricky cross-rhythms.”

Cleveland Plain Dealer