Acclaim

“For those who have not encountered Wan before, he was appointed Concertmaster of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal in 2008 (two years after Kent Nagano took over as music director) but has a flourishing parallel career as a soloist and chamber musician. His sweet, even tone and unshowy brilliance put me in mind of his fellow Canadian James Ehnes, while the long-standing working relationship of soloist and conductor makes for a happy partnership in the ebb and flow of these graceful works.”

"Wan brings to the table a poetic litheness, precision, silvery purity and tonal clarity, inflecting Schumann’s limpid phrases with a gentle ease, complementing Richard-Hamelin’s velvet-gloved sonority and glowing cantabile to perfection."

“The contrasts between Wan's elegant violin playing and high sensitivity to the music's infinitely subtle store of feints and gestures, as if he were a young Szigeti (i.e., still with chops) and Tao's incandescent, highly intellectualized fire, was both soothing and exhilarating.”

“For a survey of Saint-Saëns' three violin concertos, Nagano relies on the OSM's suave young concertmaster, Andrew Wan. What is unexpected here is that the little-known first two concertos are worth the excavation for their melodic freshness and verve, while the third, a virtuoso showpiece, sounds just as fresh when played with reserve and class.”

“Wan en a joué avec une vraie intensité, secondé par un accompagnement orchestral prudent de Nagano, qui cadrait les choses plus qu’il ne dialoguait. Andrew Wan est un Konzertmeister de grand luxe pour l’OSM et nous sommes privilégiés de pouvoir compter sur son talent.”

“Besides having the ability to raise the hairs on the neck with virtuosity in the grander parts of the violin repertoire…Wan has the a totally trustworthy capacity to draw out the intentions implicit in the idiom at hand without blurring the boundaries between personal expression and musical responsibility.”

“All three movements leave ample space for the soloist to shine and Wan did shine. He has a dexterity and suppleness to his playing that is such a pleasure to witness. Wednesday evening you could sense a synergy between soloist and orchestra.”

“All this and more would be needed to produce a winning performance of the Sibelius Violin Concerto. Wan brought an extraordinary rhythmic intensity to the affair. No shortcuts here. Every detail was bravely expressed. He also acted as a kind of second conductor, taking opportunities to communicate directly with sections and soloists from the orchestra. Thanks to that dynamic, this rich work for orchestra was often reduced to intimate chamber music.”

“Wan’s solo playing is uncommonly humble. He plays without flourish or exaggerated gestures, fully captivated in the music. His technical ability was on display in the brisk third movement, whose main theme itself requires swift runs across the fingerboard of the instrument. Uninterested in self-aggrandizement or excess, Wan’s playing manages to find a common ground between virtuosity and modesty. He displays technical control while allowing the music to be the first priority.”

"Andrew Wan – violon solo de l’orchestre Symphonique de Montréal et fondateur du Nouveau Quatuor Orford – démontre dans les trois œuvres non seulement une maîtrise de premier plan, mais également assurance, imagination et rch du rches. Soutenu avec énergie et rchestra par un orchestra montréalais vif et coloré sous la baguette de Kent Nagano, il exploite, jusque dans les circonstances les plus périlleuses, la lumineuse sonorité du superbe Bergonzi mis à sa disposition. Belle réussite dans un programme particulièrement audacieux."

"Given the increasing appreciation of the works of Alberto Ginastera, it is something of a surprise that his substantial and impressive Violin Concerto has received so few recordings - by my reckoning this is just the third. Perhaps not quite so surprising when one realises the ferocious difficulty of the concerto which makes unrelenting demands on the soloist throughout its thirty minute duration. The other two violinists to tackle this musical Everest were Ruggiero Ricci and Salvatore Accardo - both players famed for their virtuoso techniques. Here we have Andrew Wan and it is a statement of his calibre and skill that he sits very comfortably in such exalted company. Wan is one of two Violin solo/Concertmasters of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and the fact that all three works offered here were recorded in concert increases my appreciation of the insightful and authoritative interpretations."

"Bernstein – Ginastera – Moussa Violin Concertos. Andrew Wan (violin), Kent Nagano (conductor) and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Analekta AN 28920
From the spikiness of Ginastera to the genial wit of Bernstein and the eerie stillness of Samy Moussa, this is a refreshingly imaginative combination of rarities for violin and orchestra, played with real aplomb. *****"

"Top 20 Albums of 2020

We'll treasure this October release as a souvenir of Kent Nagano's tenure as music director of the OSM, which came to an end last spring. Not only did he excel at making bold repertoire choices, but he also loved putting concertmaster Andrew Wan into the spotlight, and this album features Wan in three modern works, including the world premiere of Samy Moussa's Violin Concerto, which successfully imports Romantic harmonies and gestures into a contemporary idiom. Wan's bright tone and precise articulation serve it well, as they do Bernstein's bucolic-sounding Serenade for Solo Violin, Strings, Harp and Percussion. While Ginastera's Violin Concerto places big demands on the soloist, Wan prevails, no doubt inspired by his orchestral colleagues who bring their A game to this complex score."

Nicht jeder Konzertmeister ist gleich ein exzellenter Solist, doch Wan macht von den ersten Tönen des Ersten Konzertes op. 20 an klar, dass er die Herausforderung annimmt. In dem relativ knappen Stück ist der Solist fast pausenlos beschäftigt und muss tief in die geigerische Trickkiste greifen. Mit großartiger Technik und einem angenehm lyrischen, nicht zu aufdringlichen Ton meistert Wan den Solopart bravourös und zeigt vor allem in der Final-Stretta, dass er keinen Vergleich scheuen muss.