Violinist Jennifer Koh Performs Works by Three French Composers

Koh's recital at San Francisco's Herbst Theatre featured compositions by Lili Boulanger, Maurice Ravel, and Gabriel Fauré.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Violinist Jennifer Koh presented a recital at San Francisco Performances' Herbst Theatre, performing works by three French composers from the early 20th century: Lili Boulanger, Maurice Ravel, and Gabriel Fauré. The program also included more recent compositions by Tania León and Kaija Saariaho.

Why it matters

Koh's recital highlighted the enduring influence of French composers from the early 1900s, while also showcasing contemporary works that build upon that legacy. The performance provided San Francisco audiences an opportunity to experience a diverse range of violin repertoire from both historical and modern perspectives.

The details

Koh's program began with the music of the lesser-known Lili Boulanger, followed by Ravel's and Fauré's violin sonatas, which are more familiar to chamber music enthusiasts. The first half also included Tania León's 'Para Violin y Piano,' while the second half opened with Kaija Saariaho's 'Tocar.' The reviewer found Koh's command of the repertoire to be solid, though some of the pieces, such as the final movement of Ravel's sonata, overstayed their welcome. The highlight of the evening was Koh's performance of Saariaho's 'Tocar,' which the reviewer found particularly engaging.

  • Jennifer Koh's recital took place last night at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.

The players

Jennifer Koh

An acclaimed American violinist who presented a recital at San Francisco Performances' Herbst Theatre.

Thomas Sauer

The pianist who accompanied Koh during the recital.

Lili Boulanger

A French composer from the early 20th century whose music was featured on Koh's program.

Maurice Ravel

A French composer from the early 20th century whose violin sonata was performed during the recital.

Gabriel Fauré

A French composer from the early 20th century whose violin sonata was also featured on the program.

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What they’re saying

“As has been the case in my many previous recital encounters with Koh, her command of the repertoire was unquestionably solid.”

— Stephen Smoliar, Reviewer (blogspot.com)

“Nevertheless, as is often frequently the case, there were offerings that overstayed their welcome.”

— Stephen Smoliar, Reviewer (blogspot.com)

“Far more interesting (for me at least) was my encounter with a performance of Kaija Saariaho's 'Tocar.' I became familiar with this piece when I made it a point to start collecting recordings of that composer's music, during the first decade of the current century.”

— Stephen Smoliar, Reviewer (blogspot.com)

The takeaway

Koh's recital showcased the enduring influence of early 20th century French composers while also highlighting contemporary works that build upon that legacy, providing San Francisco audiences a diverse and engaging musical experience.