Orli Shaham
Photo by Karjaka Studio

“Ms. Shaham offered a daringly forceful interpretation of the [Brahms] F minor Sonata. Where the music so much as hinted that power would be welcome, Ms. Shaham supplied it amply, with sharply articulated phrasing as a bonus.....she was at her best when Brahms turned up the heat, and as big as her sound was in the scherzo and the finale, Ms. Shaham kept it trim and fully focused.” — The New York Times 

"[of Messiaen's Oiseaux exotiques] ...brilliant pianist Orli Shaham playing the wildly difficult solo part." — The New York Times 

“She showed herself to be a first-rate Mozartean, combining a crisp keyboard touch with an uncommonly nuanced approach to tone and phrase. Her solos proved consistently well-crafted and engaging, her accompanying passages a sparkling counterpoint to the orchestral statements.” — Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune

“Orli Shaham played the prominent keyboard part [of Bernstein's second symphony, 'The Age of Anxiety'] …  with great panache in the jazzy passages, which came complete with authentic slap bass. Gorgeous.” — The Guardian

"A fabulous pianissimo ... Ms. Shaham showed a firm, elastic touch, anchoring the frantic final movement [of the Ravel]." — The New York Times

"Mozart’s 18 sonatas contain multitudes, and with Shaham we have an intelligent and sensitive guide.” — Limelight

"[An] outstanding disc of Mozart piano concertos from Canary Classics...Orli Shaham's affection is never in doubt in K453, making you fall in love all over again with this most radiant of concertos.” — International Piano

"Pianist Orli Shaham leapt fearlessly and brilliantly into the complex work, finding in the composer's spiky dissonance the stuff of rare, startling poetry [Messiaen's Oiseaux exotiques]." — The Baltimore Sun

"The stylish intelligence and pianistic refinement distinguishing the first volume in Orli Shaham’s Mozart piano sonata cycle (released in 2020) continues" — Gramophone

"This is a performance that gives me great joy to listen to. You have here twenty astonishing agile and inspired fingers working in perfect sync throughout the piece. Any composer should be so lucky to receive such a reading as Orli and Jackie have done!" — John Adams

"Shaham is an exceptionally well-rounded and solid pianist. Her musicality is remarkable, and her technique is nothing short of flawless. And she had the chance to show off both. The Second is probably the most popular of Saint-Saen's five piano concertos, and Shaham played it as if she owned it. She gave a penetrating and emotionally charged reading of the slow opening movement with its many extended solo sections for the piano. Her playing was nuanced and well-crafted and -phrased." — Deseret News

"Her playing across the board is warm and intelligent, shading the music with a range of emotions and creating some very special moments." — Colorado Public Radio

"unimpeachable artistic instincts." — All About the Arts

"Orli Shaham has quite firmly established herself as a Mozartean worth paying attention to" — Cinemusical

"unimpeachable artistic instincts." — All About the Arts

“one of the finest interpreters of Mozart” — World Music Report

"Shaham was a spectacular advocate for these works [on Brahms Inspired], bringing her virtuosity and intelligent musicianship to bear throughout." — Tim Sawyier, Chicago Classical Review

“Exhibiting a deft touch and the sort of keen eye for specific nuance and detail that these piano sonatas require, fans of top-shelf-piano performance and solo classical repertoire will find much to enjoy here" — The WholeNote

"The shaping of line and clean articulation throughout, which has been a true hallmark of each of her previous recordings in the series, shines here as well." — Cinemusical

“technical prowess and well-nuanced dynamic palette” — Winnipeg Free Press

“[a] welcomed addition to the Mozart solo keyboard discography.”— Winnipeg Free Press

“She sounds fresh and fully engaged every time” — EarRelevant

"An absolute must for any of Mozart's fans.” — Midwest Record

“You may be wondering whether the world needs another Mozart Piano Sonata cycle, but Shaham proves that we do: hers is truly different, merging a robustly modern pianistic approach with an authentic and distinctive dose of improvisatory flair.” — PianoDao

"Shaham’s performance here reaches the sublime" — Cinemusical

"a consummate musician of prodigious ability whose deep engagement with the sonatas and grasp of their form and detail make the release essential listening" — Textura

"Mozart recordings that are well-nigh irresistible.” — Classical Candor

“Her delicate phrasing creates a feeling of innocent melodiousness, yet each movement is intelligently worked out, and Shaham’s subtle manipulation of timing conveys a strong sense of Mozart’s puckish and quick-witted compositional approach.” — The Whole Note

"These are very fine modern-piano performances" — Transcentury Media

Orli Shaham revels in the theatrical richness and breathtaking invention of Mozart’s piano concertos. — Lisa Flynn, WFMT

"[The Mozart Piano Concertos recording] is a real beauty, from the performance of the superb St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Robertson, to the clarity and musical responsiveness of the piano, which makes Mozart’s famed concerti sound like chamber music. Shaham’s cadenzas are elegant, her passage work shimmering, her sound and playing simply ravishing." — Susan Miron, The Arts Fuse

"[Orli Shaham's Mozart CD] is the first studio recording released in over 15 years by the [St. Louis Symphony] orchestra – we think this gem makes it very much worth the wait." — Classic FM

"Shaham gave a commanding, powerful performance of the Bartok concerto, playing with a big, warm sound that was full of sometimes-bold and sometimes-subtle shifts in timbre and color." — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Her reputation as a Mozart specialist was on display as her crystaline and lucid touch drew a very Classical sound from the modern concert grand onstage. Mozart requires enormous precision, but that detailed playing shouldn't be at the expense of warmth. Shaham has all those bases covered and earned an enthusiastic standing ovation from the crowd." — KRCB

"...spirited and elegant performance of Mozart’s 21st piano concerto" — The Press Democrat

"Speaking of sparkles, Rachmaninoff can pack more notes into a measure with the best of them, and they poured out of the piano in shimmering cascades, all of which were negotiated without a hitch. Hands crossing over each other always came down in the correct spot; loud passages were not attacked so much as leaned into with solid control; all the melodies, especially the famous 18th variation, had a natural flow and sensitive rubato." — John Huxhold, St. Louis Post Dispatch

"an exquisite Mozart interpreter" — Paul Hodgins, The Orange County Register

"Shaham’s cadenzas were especially appealing. Throughout the piece, she marvelously created moods that were majestic, dreamy, and playful." — James Bash, Northwest Reverb

“Shaham brought mesmerizing musical expression to the piece, giving clear shape and constant direction to long expressive lines, short interjections and colorful series of chords alike. … Shaham's thoughtfully, gracefully shaped phrases, fascinating variety of accents, colorful shimmering passages and sweeping, powerful statements gave constant, compelling direction and meaning to the music. — Elaine Schmidt, Milwuakee Journal Sentinel

“… Grand Pianola Music is a built on a solid musical foundation. At least that’s how it sounds in the hands of pianists Orli Shaham and Marc-Andre Hamelin, who really find and make something of their highly involved, if relentlessly triadic, solo parts. Adams has been faulted (most memorably in the late ’80s by The New York Times) for his extensive use of arpeggios, but in Grand Pianola Music they function in a similar way as they do in Beethoven, namely as the scaffolding of the music’s expressive aim and it’s the job of the pianists here to make them sing. Shaham and Hamelin manage that beautifully and with lots of heart, especially in the second half of Part 1. Pianists Shaham and Hamelin are also heard to full advantage as they boisterously cut loose with technique ranging from Rachmaninoff to Liberace. (Hey, Adams said it first.)" — Jonathan Blumhofer, Arts Fuse

“Pianists Orli Shaham and Marc-André Hamelin dazzle, and the three vocalists are impeccably balanced.” — Graham Rickson, Arts Desk

“…played with precision by Orli Shaham” — Michael Cookson, Music Web International  

“As this new, superb live recording, with Orli Shaham and Marc-André Hamelin as the two swashbuckling pianists shows, Grand Pianola Music – together with Harmonielehre, Adams’s following score for the SFS – was a manifesto, a statement of intent…Grand Pianola Music remains as glorious as ever." — Andrew Clements, The Guardian

"The works by Adolphe and Dorman ... play to her strengths: musical intelligence and integrity, fine technical chops and dedication to quality in all she does." — Sarah Bryan Miller, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Orli Shaham’s love, affection and understanding of Brahms totally pervades this recording." — My Classical Notes

"Shaham was quite brilliant in her ability to change styles abruptly from the ecstatic to the disheartened to the morose and to the resigned. She was on top of every phrase, pushing toward climatic points and cadences." — The Kalamazoo Gazette

"Orli turns in a masterful performance of all the pieces in the set." — Classical Music Today

"Thanks to Shaham, I think I'll be a better friend to Brahms from now on. ... Shaham blows past the difficulties [in the music] with aplomb." — AnEarful

“Shaham brings a sense of friendliness and intimacy to her playing, with a warmth that reaches beyond the proscenium to touch the listener. Her Mozart had both delicacy and strength, and she was well in sync with her colleagues, for an engaging and enjoyable reading.” — St. Louis Post Dispatch

"Her playing blends confidence with reflective grace, digital wizardry with subtlety of touch. Shaham tied everything into convincing packages by sustaining lines and making sure the sonorities were as clear as crystal." — Cleveland Plain Dealer

"...a demonstrative artist, boldly imparting her deepest sentiments with courage, flair and vulnerability." — Omaha World Herald

"Her playing is graceful, but still rigorous, very romantic, yet strong. This is an artist whose growth and career should be worth watching." — The St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The beautiful young pianist Orli Shaham not only is technically flawless, but also her innate musicality transforms every phrase she touches into a finely sculpted work of art. Her sound has a soft brilliance, her fluid scales are clearly articulated and subtly inflected. Yet, she can go from delicate lyricism to strongly dramatic intensity with seamlessness. Her body movements reflect the emotional content of the music which seems to inhabit her. Yet, she remains in control, serenely confident, taking time to reflect, and is keenly of the orchestra of which she becomes an integral part."— Sarasota Herald-Tribune

"Orli is so eloquent." — Brad Turner, Colorado Public Radio

“Shaham...is completely at home with the music of today. She played with absolute confidence, weight and singing tone throughout its many challenges, from simple childhood tunes that reminded one of Satie, to a huge triple fugue at the end. A long, meandering cadenza at its center, for piano alone, had an improvisatory feel, and the effect was mesmerizing...Shaham communicated with expressive beauty.” — Janelle Gelfand, Cincinnati Enquirer

“American Grace demonstrates that modern piano repertoire is alive and flourishing in the hands of some of the great composers of our time.” — Alison Howard, CBC Music

"Shaham not only exudes her deep understanding of and feeling for the music, but also radiates a contagious joy in performing it..." — Ilona Oltuski, GetClassical

"From the opening rolled chords, it was clear that Shaham is a powerful player and her interaction with the orchestra was first-rate...The pianist's delicate playing was exquisite, inviting the listener into a more intimate world." — Timothy H. Lindeman, Classical Voice of North Carolina

"[Shaham's performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 was] ...a vibrant, engaged performance... Elements such as the lyric theme in the second movement were sensitively shaped and elegantly rendered. When the music demanded more, as in the animated final movement, Shaham stepped up, seeming to relish the opportunity. The audience rewarded her with a standing ovation and numerous curtain calls." — San Diego Union-Tribune

“Orli Shaham gave a superb account of the solo piano part, with deep color and fine details; while many pianists toss off "The Masque" with be-bop brittleness, Shaham opted for an intriguingly Chopin-like undulation and haze, the lens of disillusion powerfully distorting.” — The Faster Times