Recent Reviews and Articles:
(These are the most recent. Our local reviewer has taken time off from reciewing to explore other projects.)
At the Alamo.
March 17, 2017
"This performance was notable first of all for exceptional care in preparation from first to last, as evidenced by finely balanced chordings, a consistency of rhythmic style and superb clarity of all voices, even in the thickest textures of the fugue. The performance was never in doubt as to what it wanted to be, but it also managed to sound spontaneous. Some details were especially memorable – Mr. Zerweck’s snappy rhythms in the second movement (presto); the supple, earnest phrasing in the tender fifth movement (cavatina); the ferocious start of the fugue. "
October 20th, 2016
"Matthew Zerweck (first violin) and Kenneth Freudigman (cello) favored the take-no-prisoners approach, though without compromising tonal beauty..."
January 12th, 2016
"...Mr. Zerweck’s magnificent portamenti on strategic notes were by themselves worth the price of admission. "
September 17th, 2015
"Haydn’s “Fifths” Quartet (Op. 76, No. 2) and the third of Beethoven’s middle-period “Razumovsky” Quartets were familiar territory, but the view was made fresh by first violin Matthew Zerweck’s consistently trenchant phrasing — musical, of course, but also rhetorical, as though he were an actor speaking great texts, naturally and without evident cunning. Never before have I heard the first-violin part in a Haydn quartet played with such throughgoing specificity of meaning."
April 25th, 2015 Incidentlight.com
"Once again violinist Matthew Zerweck showed remarkable intensity and, in his opening solo in the Ginastera third movement, poised eloquence."
November 25th, 2014 Incidentlight.com
"Mr. Zerweck, first violin in the Szymanowski and only violin in the Penderecki, once again proved himself to be a musician of the first rank — secure, intelligent, vital. Friends, seize every opportunity to hear this fellow play while you still can; there’s no way he’ll not have a globe-hopping career if he wants it"
October 8th 2014 Incidentlight.com
"The Shostakovich drew a particularly brilliant performance from Matthew Zerweck, who played first violin in both works. His rhythmic acuity, his care with dynamics and his utterly convincing details of phrasing and articulation elevated this to one
of the greatest chamber-music performances in my experience."
June 3rd, 2014 - Incidentlight.com
"In the Mendelssohn, which assigns the first violin the clear leadership role, Mr. Zerweck
surpassed his usual high standard of assertiveness, accuracy and rhythmic acuity. This wasn’t just remarkably able musicianship; it was unrestrained, compelling magic. "
September 30th 2012 - Incidentlight.com
"[Zerweck] proved once again to be one of San Antonio’s brightest young talents, a musician great verve, intensity and depth."
March 25, 2011 - Incidentlight.com
"The performance was equal to an international standard all around. Mr. Garza’s brilliance and Mr. Zerweck’s muscular playing were especially winning." .
Jan 20th, 2011 Jack Fishman Interview
An interview before my solo debut in San Antonio.
Jan 23rd, 2011- Jack Fishman
"This afternoon violinist Matthew Zerweck demonstrated a side of his musical personality that I did not know about until today.
Certainly not a side you’ll hear often at the San Antonio Symphony."
Feb 9th, 2010 - Incidentlight.com
"The performance, by violinist Matthew Zerweck and violist Lauren Magnus, was polished, taut and energetic.
Both players were fully engaged with the music, with each other and with the audience. "
October 18, 2010 - Incidentlight.com
"The excellent musicians were violinists Matthew Zerweck (who impressed with his astonishingly accurate pitch in the instrument’s
highest register in the mournful “Canto de Velorio” movement) and Sayaka Okada, violist Emily Freudigman and cellist Kenneth Freudigman."
October 27, 2010 Incidentlight.com
"It was given a terrific performance -- fearless, energetic, vividly colored -- by violinist Matthew Zerweck
(one of the brightest gems on the San Antonio Symphony’s roster) and [Warren] Jones."
"This performance was notable first of all for exceptional care in preparation from first to last, as evidenced by finely balanced chordings, a consistency of rhythmic style and superb clarity of all voices, even in the thickest textures of the fugue. The performance was never in doubt as to what it wanted to be, but it also managed to sound spontaneous. Some details were especially memorable – Mr. Zerweck’s snappy rhythms in the second movement (presto); the supple, earnest phrasing in the tender fifth movement (cavatina); the ferocious start of the fugue. "
October 20th, 2016
"Matthew Zerweck (first violin) and Kenneth Freudigman (cello) favored the take-no-prisoners approach, though without compromising tonal beauty..."
January 12th, 2016
"...Mr. Zerweck’s magnificent portamenti on strategic notes were by themselves worth the price of admission. "
September 17th, 2015
"Haydn’s “Fifths” Quartet (Op. 76, No. 2) and the third of Beethoven’s middle-period “Razumovsky” Quartets were familiar territory, but the view was made fresh by first violin Matthew Zerweck’s consistently trenchant phrasing — musical, of course, but also rhetorical, as though he were an actor speaking great texts, naturally and without evident cunning. Never before have I heard the first-violin part in a Haydn quartet played with such throughgoing specificity of meaning."
April 25th, 2015 Incidentlight.com
"Once again violinist Matthew Zerweck showed remarkable intensity and, in his opening solo in the Ginastera third movement, poised eloquence."
November 25th, 2014 Incidentlight.com
"Mr. Zerweck, first violin in the Szymanowski and only violin in the Penderecki, once again proved himself to be a musician of the first rank — secure, intelligent, vital. Friends, seize every opportunity to hear this fellow play while you still can; there’s no way he’ll not have a globe-hopping career if he wants it"
October 8th 2014 Incidentlight.com
"The Shostakovich drew a particularly brilliant performance from Matthew Zerweck, who played first violin in both works. His rhythmic acuity, his care with dynamics and his utterly convincing details of phrasing and articulation elevated this to one
of the greatest chamber-music performances in my experience."
June 3rd, 2014 - Incidentlight.com
"In the Mendelssohn, which assigns the first violin the clear leadership role, Mr. Zerweck
surpassed his usual high standard of assertiveness, accuracy and rhythmic acuity. This wasn’t just remarkably able musicianship; it was unrestrained, compelling magic. "
September 30th 2012 - Incidentlight.com
"[Zerweck] proved once again to be one of San Antonio’s brightest young talents, a musician great verve, intensity and depth."
March 25, 2011 - Incidentlight.com
"The performance was equal to an international standard all around. Mr. Garza’s brilliance and Mr. Zerweck’s muscular playing were especially winning." .
Jan 20th, 2011 Jack Fishman Interview
An interview before my solo debut in San Antonio.
Jan 23rd, 2011- Jack Fishman
"This afternoon violinist Matthew Zerweck demonstrated a side of his musical personality that I did not know about until today.
Certainly not a side you’ll hear often at the San Antonio Symphony."
Feb 9th, 2010 - Incidentlight.com
"The performance, by violinist Matthew Zerweck and violist Lauren Magnus, was polished, taut and energetic.
Both players were fully engaged with the music, with each other and with the audience. "
October 18, 2010 - Incidentlight.com
"The excellent musicians were violinists Matthew Zerweck (who impressed with his astonishingly accurate pitch in the instrument’s
highest register in the mournful “Canto de Velorio” movement) and Sayaka Okada, violist Emily Freudigman and cellist Kenneth Freudigman."
October 27, 2010 Incidentlight.com
"It was given a terrific performance -- fearless, energetic, vividly colored -- by violinist Matthew Zerweck
(one of the brightest gems on the San Antonio Symphony’s roster) and [Warren] Jones."