Press and Reviews
PANM 360, Montreal, Frédéric Cardin (June 2025)
"Five Pieces for Two Pianos op.13 in serial form are a rare example of the Górecki's exploration of this technique, a far cry from his famous Symphony No. 3, 'Sorrowful Songs’. The conceptual rigour of the Pieces is magnified by Dunn and Górecka’s excellent sense of colour... Gorecki’s World of the Piano is an important album of the highest artistic stature."
Fanfare Magazine, Jerry Dubins (May 2025)
"Now, to Chopin’s Diary: The Mazurkas...Ever-present in Dunn’s readings is the characteristic emphasis on the second beats of the bars, but the accenting is more agogic than percussive. The “stamping of the feet” that the dictionary definition of a mazurka tells us (...) is here tamed by Dunn into something more formal, cultured, and refined. This is the ballroom of a Polish aristocrat...
Listening to Dunn’s readings of the mazurkas put me in mind of Rubinstein’s way with Chopin...For the most sensitively executed, lovingly played, and expressively communicated performances of Chopin’s mazurkas, I accord Jarred Dunn the highest recommendation.
TVP, Vilnius (Lithuania, 2024)
“Master concert pianist Jarred Dunn joined Vilnius Chamber Orchestra for Chopin's Piano Concerto in E Minor at the gala of the F Chopin International Competition and Festival in Vilnius. An incredible performer.”
LaScena Musicale, Piano Professional: Finding Solace in Brahms:Jarred Dunn's "Brahms in Solitude"
Meg Freer, July 2023
"This album’s 11 pieces create a well-planned trajectory through Brahms’s poetic music, and Jarred Dunn demonstrates a natural ability in performing this music...His deft voicing and clarity speak to his understanding of the works of Brahms’s idol, J.S. Bach... He handles the repetitive forms of these with expertise, emphasizing their inner voices and hidden melodies. Dunn’s interpretations are timeless and still, but never halt the music’s natural momentum. His soft sound is at once full-bodied and resonant, and unthinkably quiet. The final piece, the first Intermezzo from Klavierstücke Op. 119, was no doubt carefully chosen to leave listeners in a state of reflection. Dunn’s sensitive playing of the Adagio calls to mind Clara Schumann’s description of it as Brahms’s “grey pearl.” His precision, sense of musical direction, and knowledge of the piano’s every colour are on display here."
Ludwig van Toronto: Jarred Dunn Warms Up Kingston Audience
Meg Freer, January 2023
"Mr. Dunn plays in a relaxed style but with a high level of fine-motor control, keeping his hands fairly close to the keyboard. He has what I call “Chopin” hands — with long, slender fingers — and like a good organist, he easily maintains a sustained legato. His pedalling in this performance was exquisite — so unobtrusive as to be almost invisible."
CBC Top Thirty Under Thirty: Hot Canadian Classical Musicians (July 2018)
Robert Rowat, CBC Music
K. Łyszczyński Foundation Arts Review, Nina Sankari (Warsaw, 2018)
(tr. Patryk Czyż)
It is not easy for a foreigner to play Chopin in Warsaw - the city of the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition - especially...Chopin is considered a representation, an emanation and the quintessence of Polishness. Is it then possible for a foreigner to play Chopin if they were raised without Polish willows, kujawiaks and obereks?
A Canadian, Jarred Dunn, is one of the people who can. The playing of the brilliant Canadian performer did not lack the “Polishness” that he had a chance to learn thoroughly from the best Polish teachers during his Master’s Studies in Katowice or later in Bydgoszcz. The “Polishness” was audible in every piece: from Nocturne in C minor op. 48 with its drama that was built by the pianist from the very first chords and the tragic ending, through Scherzo in E major op. 54, played with a great sensitivity, brilliant sound and technical mastery, to the brilliant Polonaise-Fantaisie op. 61...
In every piece Jarred Dunn showed his virtuosity, amazing sense of style, elegance and noble - but not excessive - sensitivity, passion - without being pathetic, beautiful piano and powerful forte, melodious - but not sugary - cantilena, broad phrasing and very rich, nuanced range of sounds.
International Piano, Murray McLachlan (February 2020)
"It is wonderful to see valuable contributions from up-and-coming talented pianist-teachers like Jarred Dunn, who gives a state-of-the-art presentation on scale playing."
Muzikos Barai, Ingrida Milasiute (Vilnius 2018)
"Undoubtedly, one of the most important and powerful moments of the concert was the performance of the ever-growing pianist Jarred Dunn...the 1st place winner of the VII International F. Chopin Piano Competition in Vilnius...Jarred Dunn, the critically-acclaimed Canadian pianist, who, it has been said, is an evocative, technically-perfect virtuoso, revealed all of this on the stage of St. Catherine's Church this evening. The audience expected much from F. Chopin's musical pearls, the Four Scherzi Op. 20 (b minor), Op. 31 (b-flat minor), Op. 39 (c-sharp minor) and Op. 54 (E major). Mr. Dunn's interpretations are admirable; he has subtle, refined sound, and an impeccable technique; spiritual and uplifting performance. He is a warmly acclaimed performer who can be deservedly called a piano sound color magician."
SW08: Master Class and Brahms Concert at Toronto's Steinway Gallery (April 2018)
Freethought Today, Annie-Laurie Gaylor (Madison 2018)
"An exquisite Chopin concert by Jarred Dunn. A virtuoso with the most exquisite touch. Exactly the way Chopin ought to be played -- he would have approved, too."
Murrhardter Zeitung, Von Petra Neumann (Murrhardt, 2017)
"Jarred Dunn's Etude-Tableau in C Minor Op. 33 no. 3...changes of mood are presented with no earthly attachments and even something nebulous: they are perishable like a breath, a spark that soon vanishes, only flares for a moment of pure being. A very emotional lecture."
First Channel of the Belarusian Radio, Tatyana Yakusheva (Minsk, 2016)
"Particular attention was drawn to young Canadian pianist Jarred Dunn, who performed the popular D Minor Concerto of Mozart. Invited on the recommendation of the conductor, the Canadian pianist demonstrated on the stage not only technically perfect performance, but attentive listeners felt his understanding of Mozart's style, in a perfect ensemble with orchestra, with a subtle and deep inner experience created by a real musician."
Erki Pehk Artistic Director of OperaProms (Talinn, 2015)
“A brave interpreter of Mozart with fresh ideas, Mr. Dunn keeps the audience’s interest with a fine technique, appealing interpretations, and intriguing presence.”
David Dubal, WWFM: The Classical Network (New York, 2015)
"Jarred Dunn possesses extraordinary ability in many aspects beside his talent as a musician and concert pianist...I consider him to be an important musician, pianist, scholar, and writer within the great art of serious music. Audiences enjoy Mr. Dunn's discussion and analysis of such works as the Liszt Sonata, Chopin Ballades, Mozart Concertos..."
New York Classical Music Guide, Donald Isler (New York, 2013)
“The Engulfed Cathedral, as played by Jarred Dunn, was evocative and mystical, and both the buildup, as the cathedral rose out of the sea, and the descent, as it went back into the water, were impressively done."