REVIEWS
"Tommaso Lonquich and Ilya Gringolts (...) revealed not only the extraordinary instrumental depth that distinguishes them, but also the great vitality of the score."
Vatican News - Perugia (13-04-24)
“Tommaso Lonquich, master of a rhythmic athleticism and a dynamic range that place him in the front row among the virtuosos of his instrument heard over many decades.”
OperaClick - Padova (5-07-24)
“The five pieces of the suite were performed with brilliant virtuosity (…) by Tommaso Lonquich's sinuous clarinet”.
Il Giornale della Musica - Padova (6-07-2024)
“Brahms’s Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115, received a captivating, even gripping performance. (...) Clarinetist Tommaso Lonquich wailed when called for, but there wasn’t much need for that. He attentively followed the import of Brahms’s cues and floated gently in and out of the texture”.
San Francisco Classical Voice (31-07-2023)
"delicately sumptuous, featuring gorgeous interplay between the two soloists... "
".... Mysterious pianissimos maintained with a beautiful sound and focus"
"the overall effect is immense satisfaction... "
"... Allowing the technical virtuosity to sparkle"
"... Incredible musicality of the performers. "
Review of the album "Moonwalk" on THE CLARINET Magazine (March 2023)
"It's always exciting to welcome clarinet virtuoso Tommaso Lonquich back to Alice Tully Hall. In recent seasons, his appearances with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center have been red-letter dates; tonight, playing works by Paul Schoenfield and Ernő Dohnányi, Mr. Lonquich upheld his sterling reputation, to the delight of the crowd.(…)
With the music dancing once again, there are some sizzling clarinet trills and then Mr. Lonquich sustains an incredibly long note... astounding, really.
Mr. Lonquich has more magic for us: the super-pianissimo opening of the Nigun is breathtaking, as is the feeling of hesitancy he brings to this music. He harmonizes to eerie effect with Mr. Hoopes in a sad song; throughout, the clarinetist's dynamic control is astounding. (…)
A full-house standing ovation greeted the six musicians, which they richly deserved."
Oberon’s Grove - New York (8-07-2022)
"This music is cinema for the ears and was marvelously played by Lonquich [...] The vocal writing makes the clarinet an opera character of great ability, as indeed is Lonquich."
La Repubblica - Bari (24-11-2021)
"The Trio in B-Flat, Op. 11, brought together the festival’s founding artistic directors, pianist Wu Han and cellist David Finckel, with clarinetist Tommaso Lonquich for a performance full of crisp rhythmic interactions and broad, eloquent melodic phrasing. Lonquich and hornist Kevin Rivard, in turn, emerged as the heroes of a bustling closing rendition of the Quintet in E-Flat for Winds and Piano, Op. 16."
The San Francisco Chronicle (18-07-2019)
“Clarinetist Tommaso Lonquich (…) joined Finckel and Wu Han in a smooth performance infused all along with a surprising amount of poetry. Lonquich is one of those clarinetists who in addition to making sublime sounds winds himself up in spiral dancing. As Beethoven intended, the music caught fire in the last four bars and ended with a rush.(…)
The evening ended with Beethoven's Quintet for piano and winds in E flat major, in which Kalish, oboist Stephen Taylor, clarinetist Lonquich, bassoonist Peter Kolkay and French hornist Kevin Rivard, sweet-toned virtuosos all, fully enjoyed each other.”
Bachtrack - San Francisco (17-9-2019)
“Debussy’s enchanting Première Rapsodie (…) was given a synergetic reading replete with a full impressionistic panoply of light and shadow showing off the prodigious talents of clarinetist Tommaso Lonquich and pianist Wu Qian.”
Violinist - Amsterdam (14-4-2019)
“Debussy’s Première Rhapsodie for clarinet and piano was written as a competition piece for the Paris Conservatoire. It’s far more than a vehicle for virtuosity, however. As Lonquich and Qian showed, the challenge is to evoke a world of enchantment in the opening section — a requirement they met with aplomb — before seizing the opportunity to display the clarinettist’s technique. A prize-winning performance.”
The Evening Standard - London (10-04-2019)
“Clarinetist Lonquich passed the test with full, woody singing tone, droll asides, and brilliant gymnastics.”
New York Classical Review (6-04-2019)
“This was performed by two splendid musicians: the Italian clarinetist Tommaso Lonquich, and Wu Qian. The dreamy sound of the piano magically underscores the alluring tone of Mr. Lonquich's clarinet; his breath-control - simply awesome - allows him to spin out long lines and sustained notes to spine-tingling effect.”
Oberon’s Grove - New York (5-04-2019)
"Clarinet phenomenon Tommaso Lonquich (...) whose playing made a truly memorable impression when I first heard him in 2015, displayed all the same fascinating qualities of his artistry tonight: prodigious breath-control, a wonderful sense of melodic flow, and a magical finesse of the dynamic range.
(...) Mr. Lonquich embarked on his astonishing performance, his tone dulcet in every register, his swift coloratura and dizzyingly accurate scales full of life and light.
(...) Mr. Lonquich continues to revel in mad bravura.
(...) there's heartfelt beauty in his thoughtful measuring out of the tone.
(...) Mr. Lonquich sounded forth brightly, the clarinet melody drawing us forward to his spectacular scale-forays to the top before reeling off fantastic passages of fiorature in a marvelous bravura display.
(...) As the players sailed on their merry way thru this vastly enjoyable music, one sensed a build-up of excitement in the hall: Mr. Lonquich's virtuosity dazzled, and the crowd's reaction was a vociferous standing ovation, with the players called out twice as a feeling of sheer joy filled the hall."
Oberon’s Grove - New York (28-04-2018)
“(…) And perched right in the middle of the row, barely containable in his chair, was clarinettist Tommaso Lonquich, the uncontested star of the piece. As the strings melded in close harmony, the clarinet swooped and soared operatically all over the soundscape.
(…) Italian-born Lonquich, true to the stage-struck passion of his homeland, rendered Weber’s solo passages with truly operatic flair."
The Vancouver Observer (18-04-2018)
"The musical highlight of the evening was the extraordinary 'Derivations for solo clarinet and dance band by Morton Gould'. (...) Among other things, it is a brilliant showcase of virtuosity for the clarinet, exhalted by the sharpness and musicality of Tommaso Lonquich (...) impeccable in going beyond all stylistic ties to find an enthralling freedom. (...) Thus, a packed Olympic Theatre greeted the evening with a triumphal welcome. "
Cesare Galla (15-05-2018)
"'Derivation for Solo Clarinet and Dance Band,' (...) by Morton Gould, an American author too rarely performed, has been appropriately re-proposed. The contrasted singularity of the work found a dazzling interpretation by the orchestra and the clarinetist Tommaso Lonquich. "
All about jazz (18-08-2018)
“ Lonquich (...) tore into the dazzling passagework and soared on wings of song.”
New York Classical Review (8-04-2017)
"As they played, our three participants phrased wisely. And all three of them sang. On his clarinet, Lonquich was slick, smooth, and swinging.”
The New Criterion - New York (23-01-2017)
“Tommaso Lonquich (…) made a spectacular impression both with his sumptuous tone and the passion of his playing. Whether at full cry or honing the sound down to a thread, Mr. Lonquich displayed his mastery at every moment; meanwhile his deep commitment to the music sometimes nearly drew him out of his chair as he polished off Schoenberg's demanding phrases with compelling sincerity.”
Oberon’s Grove - New York (22-11-2015)
“Tommaso Lonquich is a wonderful young musician, a very flexible player who has a great sense of ensemble. And what’s nice is that he is always interested in new things: that’s very important in a musician, especially nowadays.”
Charles Neidich, international soloist and clarinet professor at the Juilliard School
"Widmann’s Fantasie was a wild and fluid ride through jazz-tinged lightheartedness and modernist aggression, brilliantly played by Tommaso Lonquich."
Wales Arts Review - Cardiff (22-02-2014)
“I am sure that this large audience was not disappointed by what they heard: the quality of interpretation left nothing to be desired”
“The version I heard was excellent. Lonquich is an accomplished clarinetist, with an interesting resume to his credit, whose musicianship and good technique support the music very convincingly. He has a surprising dynamic range: from a very strong fortissimo to a subdued pianissimo, and an appropriate timbre for each phrase. A musician therefore very suitable for chamber music.”
“The clarinetist was able to adapt his sound to marry splendidly with the singer.”
“Lonquich was again formidable in his interventions”
Mundoclasico - Madrid (30-04-2009)
“The Italian’s articulation was clear and delicate; it shined with great evenness among the registers”
Mundoclasico - Madrid (27-07-2010)
“Tommaso Lonquich carried off the clarinet part with inspiration...and astounding solidity”
Rhein-Erft Rundschau - Cologne (2006)
“Thunemann on the bassoon and Lonquich on the clarinet showed an excellent balance of power and sounds, with a timbre always under control and round on the bassoon, and with a powerful bass and brilliant treble in the case of the clarinet.”
Mundoclasico - Madrid (15-07-2009)
“Lonquich is a very talented clarinetist”
Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger - Cologne (14-11-2006)