Liquid Trills, Turbulence, and an Ode to the Soil

So goes the print headline for the New York Times review of Alexi's Carnegie debut recital. As the proud papa, I can't be objective... not by a long shot. I still sit there in the audience fretting about the coming memory lapse or muffed note (which never comes), and in awe that this fellow is related to me. But some aspects of Alexi's playing always stand out, and I think the review picks up on them: absolute emotional and intellectual engagement with the music– rare, but I suppose to be expected at his level; adventurous programming; sensitive collaboration; and the trills, for sure. Nobody trills like Alexi. These are the details that turn proficient playing into... music!