MAX LIFCHITZ
Max Lifchitz was awarded first prize in the 1976 International Gaudeamus Competition for Performers of Twentieth Century
Music held in
Donal Henahan, also writing
for the New York Times, stated "Mr. Lifchitz, who is the enterprising
director of North/South Consonance, is also an ambidextrous conductor of
complex music. His own piece required him to beat intricate polyrhythms
-- not only fairly simple patterns like 4 with one hand against 3 with the
other, but also such metrical puzzles as 3 against 11 or 5 against 13."
A graduate of The Juilliard School and Harvard University, Mr. Lifchitz has
appeared in concert and recital throughout the US, Latin America and Europe.
His CD album devoted to the piano music of Mexico elicited the following
comment from Fanfare Magazine: "After several listenings,
North/South Recordings No. 1010 is recommended to more than just a specialist
audience because of the wide variety of attractive and challenging music that
it contains. Lifchitz is a poetic pianist with requisite power to make the many
granitic climaxes register. Easily,
the most interesting new piano disc so far in 1996."
The American Record Guide commented as follows on Mr. Lifchitz’s
most recent release The American Collection (N/SR 1014): "suffice it to
say that it would be hard to find a better snapshot of what American composers
have been writing for the piano in the past decade than this collection.
Lifchitz plays everything with sensitivity and force, where appropriate; and
recorded sound is vivid and natural."
WHAT THE CRITICS SAY
"The
performers, all excellent...North/South Consonance is a high quality
ensemble...The listener was rewarded with a diverting sampler of recent
compositional styles."
— New York Times
"Max Lifchitz's group seeks out intriguing works from across the
continent. The North/South Consonance Ensemble is New York's lifeline to the
rest of the country." — Village Voice
"Founded in 1980 by
Max Lifchitz, North/South Consonance is an excellent contemporary music
ensemble, a composers' ensemble. Their CD recordings are of high quality; the
packaging and program notes are in line with the quality of the music and
performances. Highly recommended." — American Record Guide
"Max Lifchitz,
Mexican-born composer, pianist and entrepreneur, has one of the keenest senses
anywhere for what belongs with what on a program. North/South Consonance
offered a state-of-the art performance of Schönberg's
expressionistic masterpiece Pierrot Lunaire." — Times Union/Knight-Ridder Newspapers
"North/South
Consonance’s musicians clearly demonstrated their expertise in dealing with
music of diverse styles ranging from romanticism to expressionism to jazz
derived works." —
México City’s Reforma Newspaper
"For more than
fifteen years the North/South Consonance Ensemble has championed new chamber
music of the