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  • Each work is a tour de force for the violinist, here the intrepid and brilliant Airi Yoshioka, who lifts every Smith idea from the page. She is as communicative on her own as she is collaborating with superb colleagues.
    Gramophone Magazine
  • Yoshioka has a stunning, rich, expressive, flexible tone and an astonishing ability to make this stuff sound easy.
    American Record Guide
  • Mesmerizing.
    Ms. Yoshioka played her solo touchingly…
    New York Times
  • The violin playing of Airi Yoshioka must be heard to be believed. Her tone is gorgeous, her intonation impeccable, and her virtuosity, in both standard and extended violin techniques, proclaims her to be a most worthy successor of Paul Zukofsky.
    Fanfare Magazine
  • …played with great skill and sensitivity….
    The Washington Post
  • performed with dazzling brilliance
    Morning Star, UK
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On recording A River Rose, solo and chamber works for violin by Stuart Saunders Smith

Gramophone Magazine | September, 2014
“Each work is a tour de force for the violinist, here the intrepid and brilliant Airi Yoshioka, who lifts every Smith idea from the page. She is as communicative on her own as she is collaborating with superb colleagues.”
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On ModernWorks recording of String Quartets by Ge Gan-ru

New York Times | August 23, 2009
“Mesmerizing."
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On recording of Stolen Gold, solo electro-acoustic CD

Fanfare Magazine | July/August, 2012
“The violin playing of Airi Yoshioka must be heard to be believed. Her tone is gorgeous, her intonation impeccable, and her virtuosity, in both standard and extended violin techniques, proclaims her to be a most worthy successor of Paul Zukofsky.”
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On Damocles Trio’s recording of Piano Trios and Piano Quartet by J. Turina
Double four-star rating

BBC Maganzine | December, 2004
“…the pieces have a similar way of boiling up to chunky rhetorical climaxes often with sweeping strings in octaves, which the Damocles Trio brings off with great swagger. The contrasted dance variations of Trio No. 1 and the superimposed speeds in the tiny scherzo of No. 2 are elliptical delights, played with finesses, and the recording keeps them intimate without getting swamped by big build-ups."
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On recording of Stolen Gold, solo electro-acoustic Cd

American Record Guide | 2012
“Yoshioka has a stunning, rich, expressive, flexible tone and an astonishing ability to make this stuff sound easy.”
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On a concert at the Freer Gallery of Art with ModernWorks

The Washington Post | Nov. 12, 2010
“…played with great skill and sensitivity….”
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On a concert with Continuum at Merkin Concert Hall

By Rorianne Schrade | NY Concert Review 
“….played with polish and affection.”
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On concerts with the Damoces Trio

ClassicsToday.com | January, 2005
"The Damocles’ finely calibrated timbral shadings, richly sonorous tone, and flowing phrasing makes for unalloyed pleasure throughout both works…Lawrence Dutton’s contribution adds to the group’s persuasive performance of this thematically pungent and emotionally vibrant work."
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On the recording of A River Rose, works for solo violin and chamber works

Fanfare Magazine | September/October issue, 2014
“Attention must be paid to the impassioned, lyrical playing of Airi Yoshioka, who performs in all the works on the disc. She makes the often superhuman technical demands of Smith’s writing sound natural and correct. Or said another way, she finds the true poetry in them.”
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On a performance by Duo della Luna

Liberta | October, 2018
“An intense shiver that runs on the back of the twentieth century. A delightful, passionate concert, open to experimental instances of contemporary music. The pawing of a quirky violin and the dense harmony of a timbre that is certainly not intimidated by the most insidious arias. Shaking and candor. A dialogue, a duel, at times, the full-bodied plot of the Duo della Luna.”
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On a performance of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 4 “Spring”

Reichel Recommends | February, 2015
“Violinist Airi Yoshioka and pianist John Novacek, captured the infectious optimism of the music with their lyrical and expressive reading. They played with crisp, clean lines and articulation. Their delivery was spot on and everything one could hope for in this piece. It was as if it had been written for them.”
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On Damocles Trio’s recording of Trios Brasileiros

Bruce Hodges | The Juilliard Journal | May, 2010
“…captures this composer’s graceful early effort with an irresistible joie de vivre.”
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On Damocles Trio’s recording of Trios Brasileiros

Fanfare Magazine | Jan/Feb 2011
“…the Juilliard trained Damocles Trio makes a compelling case for this music. Violinist Airi Yoshioka and cellist Sibylle Johner understand that the composer’s melodic lines need to sing, while pianist Adam Kent lightens the texture wherever possible and points rhythms to emphasize the music’s unflagging energy. Once again, these first-rate musicians give us a highly accomplished and sympathetic performance. Sound is excellent. Highly recommended.”
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On Damocles Trio’s recording of Trios Brasileiros

“The Damocles Trio performs all works with panache and style and the recording quality is superb"
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On ModernWorks recording of String Quartets by Ge Gan-ru

“One of the top picks for “Notable Cd’s from 2009” as chosen by classical Critics of The New York Times."
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On ModernWorks recording of String Quartets by Ge Gan-ru

James M. Keller | Chamber Music Magazine | Nov/Dec, 2009
“The playing everywhere is praiseworthy; warm applause is due to violinists AiriYoshioka and Mayuki Fukuhara, violist Veronica Salas, and cellist Madeleine Shapiro."
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On ModernWorks recording of String Quartets by Ge Gan-ru

Raymond Tuttle | Fanfare Magazine
“…present Ge’s music faithfully and passionately"
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On ModernWorks recording of String Quartets by Ge Gan-ru

Karl Dallas | Morning Star, UK | August 9, 2009
“performed with dazzling brilliance"
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On ModernWorks recording of String Quartets by Ge Gan-ru

Robert Carl | Fanfare Magazine
“…present Ge’s music faithfully and passionately"
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On ModernWorks recording of String Quartets by Ge Gan-ru

Uncle Dave Lewis | All Music Guide | August, 2009
“ModernWorks sounds so terrific that their dedication to the cause of new music is almost to be regretted."
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On Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 performed at Cooper Union, NYC

New York Times | March 4, 2008
“…the program ended with a fiery and emotive performance of Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2, a memorial for a close friend of the composer’s. With plaintive intensity, Ms. Meshulam, the violinist Airi Yoshioka and Mr. Tobias illuminated the seething undertones of this work…"
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On Carlo Landini’s Coming to Life at University of Maryland Baltimore County

Baltimore Sun | December 14, 2006
“…taut, expressive playing by Airi Yoshioka…."
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On Dallapiccola Concert at Miller Theater, NYC

Anne Midgette | New York Times | February 2006
“violinist Airi Yoshioka [played] a lovely ‘Due Studi.’ The performances were as varied as the music."
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On Dallapiccola Concert at Miller Theater, NYC

John Hammel | Mozart to Motorhead Show | Feb., 2006
“Violinist Airi Yoshioka and founding member of Continuum, pianist Cheryl Seltzer, performed Due Studi [Dallapícoola] with flair and consummate musicianship bringing out the neo-romantic elements of the Saraband in an expressively choromatic dialogue…Ms. Yoshioka was able to convey the dual nature of her violin parts sweetness and acerbity with aplomb."
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On Damocles Trio’s recording of Piano Trios and Piano Quartet by J. Turina
Four-star rating

Le Mode de la musique | September, 2004
“For its first disc, the young Damoces Trio offers a joyous interpretation….their joie de vivre is communicative. The movements are in turn dancing, explosive or lyrical, always well worked out…[in the quartet] the sound of the strings superbly expresses the Andalusian lament, proud and heartrenching…"

On Damocles Trio’s recording of Piano Trios and Piano Quartet by J. Turina
Four–star rating

Diapason | October 2004
“…the three young musicians…offer a beautiful sensibility in their approach…reconciling transparence, lightness, proud rhythm and lyricism."

On concerts with the Damoces Trio

Foundation Suisa | October 2004
“All these performances proves that the members of the Damocles Trio….are excellent interpreters. The articulations, as well as the intonation, are simply irreproachable."
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On concerts with the Damoces Trio

Tribune de Genève | October 2004
“[The Damocles Trio] delivers a radiant interpretation…The playing is precise and light, the touch sensitive…The music of Turina is heard with pleasure on this well conceived program."
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On a performance with the New Juilliard Ensemble

The New York Times | 1994
“Ms. Yoshioka played her solo touchingly…"
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On concerts with the Damoces Trio

Zürichsee Zeitung | February, 1991
“The three artists did justice to the great work of Beethoven with perfect harmony, courtly elegance, subtle coloration, and great virtuosity."
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On concerts with the Damoces Trio

Obwaldner Wochenblatt  | February, 1999
“Music was made with almost unsurpassable ensemble, passionate expression, and dynamic nuance. The instrumentalists shone as a trio as well as soloists in a flawless performance of the lush ‘Dumky Trio."