“The music of Jonathan Leshnoff (b. 1973) falls squarely in the middle of contemporary American romanticism. Its melodic lines are quite distinct, its harmonics balanced, its depth given by the composer’s mastery of both counterpoint and colorful orchestration. Though richly tonal, this is music quite distinct from anything else that’s out there at the moment.”

—Strings Magazine , June, 2009

“The Violin Concerto could well be a significant addition to the instrument’s repertoire...

“Labels like to push their hot new composers, and after a while, one gets skeptical over this or that so-called discovery. Leshnoff, however, is excitingly ‘the real thing’, and I expect we’ll be hearing a lot more from and about him in years to come.”

—Raymond Tuttle, Fanfare Magazine , July, 2009

“Jonathan Leshnoff’s Violin Concerto struck me as a major addition to the repertoire when I first heard it in 2006. I’m even more convinced of that quality, having revisited the work on an all-Leshnoff CD from the Naxos label... The concerto is richly layered and almost painfully beautiful; the violin’s soaring, searing lyricism in the second movement and haunted introspection in the finale are but two examples.”

—Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun, April 2, 2009

“I was impressed by Leshnoff’s vivid imagination and sophisticated ear for sonorities and the soaring lyricism and passion of his music. These works have immediate appeal, but the attraction strengthens with further acquaintance because the music has an underlying introspective character of real depth... I remember David Diamond, another great American composer whom Leshnoff calls to mind, saying that, “you must develop the long line in your music, try to write very long melodies... There must be radiant melody and urgency of rhythmic impulse.” Here is where Leshnoff excels. It’s hard to think of a recent work that can compare to the length of his melodic lines in this concerto, or to their radiant beauty.”

—Robert O’Reilly, InsideCatholic.com, March 31, 2009

“Saturday night’s IRIS Orchestra concert was a rich mix, weighted toward the traditional but with the brightest spot a premiere performance of Jonathan Leshnoff’s ‘Rush’. ... As the name implies, bursts with adrenaline and emotion. Its beauty comes from all directions and not all of it frenetic. There are deliciously quiet moments that add to the richness and provide contrast to the overall energy. The composer continues his string of smart, lyrical pieces that never fail to engage.”

—Jon W. Sparks, Memphis Commercial Appeal, February 2, 2009

“Leshnoff’s handsomely wrought, lyrical Trombone Concerto... played glowing melodic lines over autumnal string harmonies... The afternoon’s keenest discovery was Mr. Leshnoff.”

Steve Smith, New York Times, November 4, 2008

“This luscious concerto ended far too soon, with its haunting four-note theme still expanding within my brain... Leshnoff’s concerto was complexly layered, though never dull. The interplay between brass and strings was colorful, even as the two soloists kept attention focused on their technical wizardry.

“In the power of the conclusion, that memorable four-note theme emerged victorious, assuring us that at least some new symphonic music will have a confident future.”

—Samuel Black, Duluth News Tribune, May 5, 2008

“The rich repertoire for violin and orchestra got richer with a work by Leshnoff. His Violin Concerto... is remarkably assured, cohesively constructed and radiantly lyrical... The concerto has imagination, integrity and heart. You can't ask much more of any composition.”

—Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun, February 11, 2006

“A diaphanous orchestral fabric of beautiful transparency... Lush, evocative slow passages alternated with driving rhythms... The structure was clear and the themes showed an avoidance of cliché.”

—Paul Horsley, The Kansas City Star, May 22, 2006

“The new concerto strikes one as thoughtful and intricate yet economical. Having heard much of it in rehearsal Thursday, I can say the piece grows on you and its themes quickly become familiar and welcome by the ear. I’d like to hear it again.”

—Barbara Zuck, The Columbus Dispatch, November 19, 2005

“... A fluid, thoughtful work, superbly textured and unafraid to be intellectual.”

—Jon Sparks, Commercial Appeal, December 6, 2004

“A curiously attractive work... it managed to generate sounds both unfamiliar and inviting, with vivid orchestration and contrasting patterns of tension and relaxation.”

—Joseph McLellan, Washington Post, January 28, 2002

“However the most memorable and significant piece on this disc is, for this listener, ‘Cosmic Echoes’ by the young American composer, Jonathan Leshnoff. This is one of the most imaginative and compelling works for trumpet and organ that I have ever heard, and ought to be widely known by trumpeters everywhere. There is a haunting quality about it that will ever remain with me.”

—Arthur Butterworth, MusicWeb International (UK), August 2006

“A new concerto from the exceptional composer Jonathan Leshnoff found a deservedly warm reception... His Double Concerto is an elegant creation... It is complex, but not complicated, exploring a range of emotions.”

—Jon W. Sparks, Commercial Appeal, March 31, 2008

“Jonathan Leshnoff’s contrastingly gentle ‘Wadi Valley Echoes’ was inspired by a visit to Israel and the decision to listen intently to the sounds of the desert, including bird calls echoing from rock walls, as well as falling pebbles and the water in a spring. Incorporating bowed cymbals, vibraphones, tom-toms and the inner workings of a piano into his scoring, Leshnoff used repeating melodic cells and sudden interruptions to convey the mysterious, constantly changing and sometimes unsettling aura of the experience.”

—Allan Kozinn, The New York Times, January 17, 2004

“[Leshnoff’s] ‘Nightcries’ for violin, saxophone and piano is an engrossing piece that extracts myriad colors from all three instruments...”

—Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun, April 2, 2004

“Jonathan Leshnoff... has been steadily building a successful career as a composer. The premiere of his ‘Concerto for Five Percussionists and Band’ will give that career an extra boost. The new score was played with extraordinary care and control by the United States Marine Band and five of its top-flight percussionists, all under Colonel Timothy W. Foley’s assured conducting...

“In five movements that alternate between uneasy calm and urban-pulse edginess, the half-hour concerto is deftly written and exerts a strong pull. The harmonic language is freely dissonant, yet non-confrontational; even fragments of melody, often no more than a mere flutter or sigh, communicate strongly.

“The percussion battery, which makes waves at the softest and loudest volumes, may be center-stage, but it doesn’t hog the unfolding drama. The array of drums, gongs, bells and cymbals is imaginatively integrated into the total sonic picture, while the wind instruments of the band — augmented by piano, harp and double bass — are likewise employed with considerable imagination and sensitivity to tone coloring. The ear is never bored.

“... The concerto represent a masterful grasp of form and function... The music moves surely, seamlessly through its contrasting moods. Recurring ideas, especially gentle staccato notes from the piano and harp that fall like ominous water droplets, help unify the score. It’s easy to hear underneath the music a sense of longing for something safe and serene — something that, in the slow fade at the end, remains tantalizingly out of reach.”

—Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun, February 17, 2004

“Saturday night, however, a new concerto from the exceptional composer Jonathan Leshnoff found a deservedly warm welcome at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre... His ‘Double Concerto for Violin, Viola and Orchestra’, composed last year, is an elegant creation, beautifully rendered by the orchestra and the two outstanding soloists... Leshnoff’s full embrace of harmony grants accessibility without sacrificing depth or musicality. It is complex but not complicated, exploring a range of emotions... IRIS is one of five organizations that commissioned the work and the orchestra plans more performances from this terrific composer.”

—Jon W. Sparks, The Commercial Appeal, March 31, 2008