Liba Shacht

About Me

Violinist Liba Shacht was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, where she began her musical studies at age five. Shortly thereafter, her family emigrated to Israel. The recipient of an Artist Diploma with distinction from Tel Aviv University, Ms. Shacht appeared as soloist with the Israeli Philharmonic, the Jerusalem Broadcasting Symphony, the Israeli Sinfonietta, and in chamber orchestras and recitals throughout Israel. She represented Israel at the Jeunesses Musicales World Congress in Korea, Japan, and England, where she performed chamber music at the Royal Albert Hall.
Upon the recommendation of Isaac Stern, Ms. Shacht was awarded a special Fellowship by the America-Israel Cultural Foundation to study with Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School in New York. She earned a master’s degree and a doctorate from Juilliard.
Her New York recital debut at Town Hall was marked by a glowing review from The New York Times :
“Miss Shacht plays with Russian intensity, yet her performances are tempered with abundant humor. She delights in her nimble technique, and virtuosic displays present few obstacles. Prokofiev Sonata in D was played with explosive energy, and Schumann's Sonata in a minor was enriched with a dark, songful melancholy."
Ms. Shacht is the winner of several competitions, among them the Artist International Distinguished Artists Award, which led to her first appearance at Carnegie Recital Hall in New York. As the winner of the Affiliated Artists national auditions, she has toured the United States extensively, performing with critical acclaim in recitals, playing with orchestras, and conducting master classes. She later performed as soloist in the rarely-played Glazunov Violin Concerto with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra.
Ms. Shacht is an avid performer of chamber music. She has participated in the Aspen Music Festival and the Marlboro Music Festival, where she performed with Rudolf Serkin and members of the Guarneri Quartet, as well as the chamber music series at the 92nd Street “Y” in New York.
She is a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, as well as principal second violin of the Grant Park Symphony. Ms. Shacht frequently performs with her husband, cellist John Sharp.

www.johnliba.com
 

Reviews:

“Miss Shacht plays with Russian intensity, yet her performances are tempered with an abundant humor. She delights in her nimble technique, and virtuosic display pieces [...] present few obstacles. Profokiev’s Sonata in D was played with explosive energy [...] Schumann’s Sonata in A Minor was enriched with a dark, songful melancholy.”
—​The New York Times

“Luminous [...] Whether it is her instrument, her technique, or—most probably—a combination of both, Shacht has one of the biggest, most “present” sounds I have ever heard from a violin [...] I don’t think I’ve ever heard a finer performance of the Bartok “Romanian Dances.” Shacht’s big tone, combined with an unusually broad and skillfully deployed range of dynamics, gave this lightweight suite a depth and power it usually lacks.”
—​The Buffalo News

“Miss Shacht is a musician of style as well as sensitivity...”
—​Chicago Tribune

“A breathtaking performance...”
—​New York Daily News

“The peak of the evening...”
—​Chicago Sun-Times

“The violin virtuosity of Liba Shacht in passages of richness and timbre displayed the romanticism of the music.”
—​Beverly Review

“The excellent performance brought the audience tremendous pleasure. Bach’s Partita, approached with drama [...] The soft, yet emotional style in Brahms’ sonata in D minor [...] The festive virtuosity of the Haydn Sonata, in which the clarity of intonation was beautifully combined with strict style [...] Miss Shacht played with brilliant virtuosity, delicate temperament and a refined style.”
—​Nasha Strana​, Tel Aviv (Translated from Russian)

“A big rich tone and sensitivity.”
—​The Morning Call,​ Allentown

“A commanding yet warm tone...” —​The Star