"Born to a Korean mother and an American father in the U.S., Jackiw is known here as the grandson of the famous late writer Pi...

"Born to a Korean mother and an American father in the U.S., Jackiw is known here as the grandson of the famous late writer Pi Cheon-deuk. He began playing the violin at age four and pursued joint degrees at Harvard University and the New England Conservatory. In 2002, he received the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant...when the 24-year-old Stefan Jackiw chose the sonatas for his recording debut (under the Sony Classical label with veteran producer Steven Epstein), one had to wonder how he would tackle the pieces.

"The third sonata I just played is a dark, fiery work; the first is introspective, nostalgic; the second is open-hearted and very loving. It's an interesting and contrasting set," Jackiw told reporters in Seoul about his reasons for choosing Brahms. He had already demonstrated his talent through solos with local orchestras and with the explosively popular chamber ensemble Ditto. But how did he attempt to depict an old man's spiritual struggle to grow ``anxious flowers'' ? harnessing one's gifts to artistic ends, just as flowers bloom in full glory just before they wilt?

"For me certainly some parts are more difficult than others. The first sonata is especially more elusive than the others; it's not as dramatic or open as the others. It is about an old man looking back at his youth, and it's tricky to capture that," Jackiw said after playing the third sonata.

In his playing, both live and recorded, Jackiw makes the violin sing. Poeticism takes flight ? with both youthful exuberance and a certain timelessness ? soaring from unapologetically beautiful, balletic lyricism to lighthearted caprice and red-blooded vigor that ignites dazzling furies."

- Lee Hyo-won, from review in The Korea Times

"Stefan has a young violinist's fire and energy but also maturity, rare depth and understanding." - Max Levinson, pianist on this recording.

"Jackiw possesses a slender, silvery tone well suited to Brahms's intimate lyricism, and his pianist, Max Levinson, proved an equally idiomatic partner." - The Miami Sun Herald