News & Reviews
9 July 2024
Music of Lukas Foss
It is an additional pleasure that we now have Nikki Chooi’s splendiferously sure-footed rendering as soloist to add to anyone’s collection. Early as the source for his work is, there is a breezy quality to what Lukas composed, yet, while Copland is mentioned as having been an “influence”, there are other flavors and fragrances at play here all their own. The orchestrated version enhances them, supplying a foundation on which Nikki Chooi has captured all of its gracefulness, eloquence, and verve with distinction, and musicianship.
7 October 2023
Performance Today Featuring Nikki Chooi
When Nikki Chooi Opens his violin case, he sees a picture of two circles. The small circle is labeled "your comfort zone," and the bigger circle says "Where the magic happens." On Today's show, we'll hear Nikki Chooi make magic with the Buffalo Philharmonic and conductor JoAnn Falletta.
2 October 2023
Chooi Brothers: EPO's first Classics Concert a thrilling performance
The highlight of the concert, however, was the Evansville premiere of the Double Concerto for Two Violins and Orchestra, composed by Sheridan Seyfried for the two soloists, who are brothers. An engaging composition, the Double Concerto opens with a lovely musical figure that is traded between the soloists.
29 January 2023
Mozart’s road trip ends gloriously in Buffalo with BPO this weekend
Concertmaster Nikki Chooi is a treasure and because his position gives him a lot of opportunities to show off his chops, you may already know that. What you might not know is that BPO Principal Violist Caroline Gilbert is right there with him, note for note.
18 October 2022
Award-winning violinist Nikki Chooi delivered an astonishing performance
Award-winning violinist Nikki Chooi delivered an astonishing performance with a waterfall cascade of rushing emotion combined with strings of notes that could outshine the whole orchestra. To hear this breathless performance was to experience an electric shock of awesome pleasure that one carried into the next day and most likely, at least, next month. - The Millbrook Independent
9 October 2022
Buffalo Philharmonic celebrates the shape-shifting Lukas Foss
Soloist Nikki Chooi (the orchestra’s concertmaster) engaged orchestral wind players in gentle dialogue over swinging rhythms in the strings. “Dedication” showcased Chooi’s sweet yet full tone as the violin soared over the light orchestration, then led an expressive climax of robust (not teary) nostalgia.
9 October 2022
Buffalo Philharmonic honors Lukas Foss @ 100 at Carnegie
Chooi’s warm tone and heartfelt playing were evident throughout. In fast passages, Chooi showed off his virtuosity as his bow bounced rapidly on the strings, a spiccato effect. Elements of jazz and country fiddling were woven into the composition; Chooi made the most of each of these styles...
9 October 2022
Trinity Church Wall Street and Opus 3 Artists present Lukas Foss Centennial Celebration in Review
One can hear what Foss calls a “prairie lullaby,” folk-like tunes, ragtime, blues, and some scintillating fiddling. Mr. Chooi played it to the hilt. He was obviously having a great time and is clearly a player of dazzling abilities.
