Violin Concerto No. 1

A commission by a consortium of orchestras led to Leshnoff's first Violin Concerto. For its premiere by the Columbus Symphony (Markand Thakar, conducting), Leshnoff consulted soloist Charles Wetherbee, after which the Concerto underwent extensive rewrite. This revised version would lead to standing ovations and critical acclaim. As Wetherbee has noted, “From the first time I heard Jonathan’s music, I felt there was something in it that makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. It feels like it’s coming from the heart.” Violin Concerto No. 1 is recorded on the Naxos all-Leshnoff album with Distant Reflections.