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Reviews:
[Note: In the following reviews only those passages that are relevant to Pedro's compositions or performances have been included. For the full reviews please click on the indicated links.]

Tuesday June 7th 2005: The second Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival in which Pedro played guitar with an orchestra composed mostly of members of the Pittsburgh Symphony

Review #1:

"[...] This year's Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival brought to light the once-vibrant Sephardic Jews [...]. A concert Tuesday night at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill collected instrumentalists of the Pittsburgh Symphony and some talented freelancers not only to look backward at this community, but to examine its living heritage of folk and art music. [...]

"Composer Yuval Ron examined the Jewish expulsion from a world-music perspective with his concertante piece "Canciones Sephardi." A group of six soloists, vocalist Michal Cohen, oud player Yoel Ben-Simhon, guitarist Pedro da Silva, percussionist Timothy Adams, cellist Zelkowicz and violinist Jeremy Black retraced the "trauma" of the exile (with help from the deft use of chimes) and the ultimate survival. The exclamations of this group were often delightful, especially Cohen's improvisations and da Silva's flamenco-infusion. [...]"
                                                                        -- Andrew Druckenbrod (click here for the full review)
                                                                            Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Review #2:

"The ambitious second season of the Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival was a notable success, artistically as well as in attendance and audience enthusiasm. [...]

"Festival founder Aron Zelkowicz assembled an excellent chamber orchestra conducted superbly by Lucas Richman for the final concert on June 7 at Katz Performing Arts Center in Oakland.

"Yuval Ron's "Canciones Sephardi," featuring the stunning Yemenite vocalist Michal Cohen, is strongly evocative music that featured terrific solos by a small solo ensemble of Pedro da Silva on guitar, Yoel Ben-Simhon on oud (a Middle Eastern lute), and Timothy Adams on percussion -- in addition to eloquent string solos by Jeremy Black on violin and Zelkowicz on cello."
                                                                        -- Mark Kanny (click here for the full review)
                                                                            Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

April 25th 2004: Asaf Blasberg's début recital at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall in which he played Pedro's piano piece ATANOS

"[...] Mr. Blasberg did not hold back on his passionate interpretation of his favorite works, especially that of his friend, Pedro da Silva, Portuguese composer and guitarist, who composed ATANOS, featured as the final work, prior to intermission. [...]

"In contrast to the Rachmaninoff works, Mr. Blasberg expertly chose one unusual, new work by an emerging Portuguese composer, Pedro da Silva, called ATANOS. This was a quintessential wild work, at once exciting and electric. With both arms and fists attacking his keyboard, Mr. Blasberg astounded the audience with dissonant chords that filled the Hall. With incredible contrasts in mood and volume, Mr. Blasberg brought his concert grand Steinway to its maximum potential of power. There were passages of rapid racing, flawless and fearless in performance skill. [...]"

"Kudos to Pedro da Silva for a compelling composition, ATANOS."
                                                                        -- Dr. Roberta Zlokower (click here for the full review)
                                                                            robertaonthearts.com

Last updated on Saturday, 23 September 2006   

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