"We might live in a global village, but it has produced few transnational musical pairings like Australian-born violist Kathryn Lockwood and her husband, Lebanese-born percussionist Yousif Sheronick. Based in the New York City area, the musicians and their composer friends (including Philip Glass) are fearless seekers and synthesizers of disparate instruments and cultures. My favourite track here is the sneakily seductive 'Klezmer à la Bechet,' a 1997 piece that composer David Krakauer adapted for this duo a couple of years ago. But there are plenty of other treats. Sheronick applies impeccable technique to a wide range of percussion tools, from the bodhran in the opening piece to a goat-hoof shaker in Glass's 'Duo for Solo Viola and Percussion.' Lockwood is all slow, sensuous allure with her bowing arm one moment, a tempest of notes the next. If this is what world music's future holds, bring on the party." (3.5 out of 4 stars) – The Star – Toronto, by John Terauds

"Lockwood and Sheronick play with extraordinary technical skills and artistic talent. Their sound is some of the most musical one can hear. The warm tone of the viola is perfectly used by the artist to generate long, melancholic phrases. As for Sheronick, whether he is playing the Arabic durbakeh or the Irish bodhran drum, he makes all percussions sing and come alive.

"Listening to 'A Different World' is an exhilarating sonic and somewhat mystical experience. If you are looking for a change of sonic scope look no further, the new CD will more than gratify your senses."

by Jean-Claude Elias

Published: 22/05/2011 - Albert Bazzurro

Kathryn Lockwood and Yousif Sheronick in life husband and wife, compose an original duo, devoted to a repertoire decreased in time, then - as they say - cross, although ethnic flavors are exquisitely twisted an aplomb performance (at least in the viola ) to represent the keystone of this beautiful work, pages powered by various composers.

The oriental accent that hovers over the entire work becomes especially palpable, with its soft charm in "Jubb Jannin," while the Sicilian Camemi ascends to a greater charm in the possession of the body.   The three "scenes" composed by Patitucci, calibrated as formally impeccable harmony with the bow / drum stretched to its maximum levels. Sure: the suggestions are quite unique, but the class of the two performers is unquestionable.

gapplegate music review

      "Kathryn Lockwood combines classical technique, a ravishing tone, and a most definite feel for the mideastern musical mode. Yousif Sheronik adds his mastery of traditional mideastern and south Asian hand drumming (frame drum, tumbek, etc.).

     "Both artists show excellence in stylistic grasp and nuanced execution. Duo Jalal breathes a freshet of new wind into the sails of a form of music that goes back countless centuries … The music we hear transcends those borders, sometimes. Duo Jalal does just that with a very memorable album. Very much recommended." by Greg Edwards

"Lockwood’s tone on the viola is varied and rich, occasionally even sounding like a wind instrument … Stunning, gorgeous! Another winner from Innova/American Composers."

Journal of the American Viola Society
Volume 23 Number 2; Fall 2007
July 2, 2007 – Carlos Maria Solare

An afternoon recital brought a re-acquaintance with Kathryn Lockwood, whom I remembered from a Primrose Competition way back in 1993. With her partner, Yousif Sheronick, she presented a fascinating program for viola and percussion.  The composers having drawn their inspiration mostly from non-Western music, we were treated to a colorful feast of World Music, with percussion instruments from the Middle and Far East as well as from South America.  The highlight was for me Zhao Jiping’s Summer in the High Grassland, in which the viola plays at being a Mongolian Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle).

Classics Today

Review by David Vernier

The Five Pieces for Viola and Percussion (Dervishes) played by Kathryn Lockwood, Viola and Yousif Sheronick, Percussion features some really inventive and tasteful accompaniment by various percussion instruments--riq, marimba, bodhran, dumbek, cymbal, and bells--that gives both a new and old flavor to these very modern-sounding but always enjoyable, accessible works.

STRAD
Review by Carlos Maria Solare; July 2005

Dervishes by Russian born, New York based pianist/composer, Inessa Zaretsky for viola and percussion is a five-movement suite portraying the interpreters for whom it was written, who of course give it a definitive interpretation. The piece was inspired by Yousif Sheronick's improvisations on Middle Eastern drums, and does sound as if partly improvised.
Lockwood is absolutely inside the music's idiom, finding appropriate tonal shadings both for its lighter moods and for the deeper recesses of the Russian soul that are tapped elsewhere.

New York Viola Society; Review by Myron Rosenblum

May 2005

 
As the program notes, this work (Dervishes - Fives Pieces for Viola and Percussion) is a mix of Western and Middle Eastern music. In this five-movement work the viola blends wonderfully with the riq, marimba, bodhran, dumbek, cymbal and bells.
Ms. Lockwood and Yousif Sheronick on percussion are all first-rate musicians. Kathryn Lockwood is an outstanding violist who has a fine understanding of this musical idiom and succeeds in making the music come alive and interesting. 

STRINGENDO
Journal of the Australian Strings Association LTD Vol 27/2
By Patricia Pollett

Some exotic spice is added to the program in Dervishes for viola and percussion, with Middle Eastern influences permeating. Lockwood is partnered by percussionist Yousif Sheronick in a challenging and colourful work that explores the contradictory textures of the instruments. These are substantial, original contributions to the viola repertoire and convincingly performed. 
 

American Record Guide

Review by: D Moore

Finally we have Dervishes, a five-part suite for viola and percussion describing the couple who plays it, with due attention to their countries of origin, Australia and the Middle East. This is an attractive and varied program, well played and clearly recorded.