Acclaim
Rarely heard pipe organ takes center stage in symphony performance
"Organist Greg Zelek managed the difficult
challenge of keeping his dynamics spot on at all
times in relation to the orchestra. His
registrations were creative and colorful,
particularly in the quieter moments of the
second movement."
20 March 2021
Concert organist creates intimate experience in grand space during holiday sing-
"Zelek was physically animated throughout the performance. His hands flew across three levels of keyboards while his feet worked the pedalboard like somebody playing Dance Dance Revolution in an arcade."
Howard HardeeWisconsin State Journal
15 December 2019
Beautiful music at St. Mary’s, Hamilton Village
"Zelek, a consummate artist...has the ability to make the 2-manual Aeolian-Skinner Opus 963 organ, installed in 1937, overcome both its venerability and vulnerability in a beautiful performance of carefully selected music."
Margaret DarbyPhindie
25 November 2019
The Madison Symphony Orchestra opens its new season with a strong and memorable
"The virtuosic Zelek is simply so good that he managed to turn a second-rate piece by Samuel Barber into a first-rate crowd-pleaser that brought huge applause and a long standing ovation, then an encore and another standing ovation."
Jacob StockingerWell-Tempered Ear
04 October 2019
Madison Symphony gets off to a strong start with 'Love, Lust and Redemption'
"When it is played as well as Greg Zelek in the MSO’s second number of the night, “Toccata Festiva for Organ and Orchestra” by Samuel Barber, it proves just as aurally stunning as it is visually."
Matt AmbrosioThe Cap Times
28 September 2019
Teenage vision became Madison’s gain
“...the MSO has a new musical star, organist Greg Zelek, 26, who performs in shirt sleeves, shares family stories with his audience and seems to delight in mingling with patrons during intermissions. His last concert sold out the Overture Center on a Tuesday night.”
Bill WinekeChannel3000
25 April 2019
Madison’s classical music scene keeps getting better
"There are nights that make me happy I am a Madisonian. One of them was Friday night’s Madison Symphony Orchestra Concert at the Overture Center. The other was Tuesday’s Overture Concert Organ performance featuring organist Greg Zelek and cellist Thomas Mesa, two Juilliard buddies who put on the most enjoyable concert I have ever encountered."
Bill WinekeChannel3000
17 April 2019
Poulenc’s powerhouse Organ Concerto highlights Miami Symphony program
"Zelek also provided a substantial solo encore in Hommage to Stravinsky by the contemporary Lebanese composer Naki Hakim. As an impressive jumble of technical legerdemain, jazzy rhythms, and chordal climaxes, it brought the house down."