Violinist Tomás Cotik releases acclaimed album of Paganini’s Caprices

Tomás Cotik, professor of violin in the School of Music & Theater, released his 20th CD recording “Paganini: Capriccio” (Centaur Records) last week. Cotik is a ​​highly sought-after recording artist, accumulating over six million streams and receiving more than 200 enthusiastic reviews from the international press. His articles on string pedagogy are featured in The Strad and the American String Teacher Journal. The latest piece is a tutorial and performance of a work in his new album that is played on only one string.

This new album offers a wide selection of Paganini’s Caprices, a collection of solo violin works known for being highly difficult and virtuosic. Among the highlights is Paganini’s lyrical Cantabile, a work that showcases the composer’s operatic side and the singing quality of the violin, and the virtuosic Mosè Fantasy. A music video of Paganini: Caprice in A Minor, Op. 1, No. 24 (Quasi Presto), offers a sampling of what this album has in store for listeners. In his typical enthusiastic, down-to-earth style, Cotik shares his journey in creating the album and what he learned about Paganini’s life and music in a compelling preview video.

Capping a year of remarkable accomplishments and accolades, Cotik was also recently awarded first prize in the 2025 American Prize for String Performance. The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in this area.

Tomás Cotik’s “Paganini: Capriccio” album is now available on Spotify and all major streaming platforms.