From the Rolling Stones live and the Country Music Association awards celebration on Tuesday night (that story up next) to Wednesday night with the San Francisco Symphony and Janine Jansen performing Mendelssohn's 1844 Violin Concerto in E minor, we are in music heaven here in San Francisco this week.

If you are looking for a sanctuary for your soul, look no further than Davies Symphony Hall. It is one of our favorite venues in the world.

On Wednesday night, thanks to the leadership of Russian maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy, thanks to Michael Tilson Thomas' team of talented musicians, and thanks to Jansen's poetry to the ear, our souls were fed, and then some.

It is no wonder that Ashkenazy, the members of the symphony, and Janine Jansen received a standing ovation for their brilliant performance.

Janine Jansen

This intelligent, provocative artist began playing the violin at the age of six.

Janine Jansen made her debut to the world at 10. At home in Holland, her father was the church choir director. Her mother, brother and grandparents are also musicians. By the time Janine was sixteen she decided to make playing the violin her profession.

What a gift she is to the world.

And what a gift her 278 year-old instrument is, as well.

Jansen's violin was made in 1727.

It's name? The Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, "Barrere".

The violin is on extended loan through intermediation of the prestigious American Stradivari Society of Chicago and the Elise Mathilde Fund.

Janine Jansen is currently "on loan" from Vienna. She was born just 27 years ago.

Courtesy of CSO

I know the term "awesome" has become over-used in our society over the past decade.

However, as I sat there experiencing Jansen together with her Stradivari, that is the word that came to my mind, over and over again.

Mendelssohn's 1844 Violin Concerto is only one score in Jansen's extensive repertoire. On Wednesday, November 16th, she played it like she wrote it, herself.

As Timothy Charles said:

I understand music like I understand wine.

I know what I like but I'm not very good at critiquing either.

All I know is I liked this performance very much. It felt like Janine was floating.

After also watching Ashkenazy conduct Shostakovich's Symphony No. 4 in C minor, I couldn't agree more.

Jansen, Ashkenazy and the San Francisco Symphony's performance was what I would call "above and beyond" this earth.

For just more than a decade, Jansen has appeared with some of the world's great orchestras. Her performances with the San Francisco Symphony were a first this week.

Bbc Music Magazine called Jansen, "a truly musical virtuoso with a dazzling technique, individual character and the warmest of lyrical tones."

On October 11th, she released her second CD.

This one is called Vivaldi: The Four Seasons - Janine Jansen.

Over 15,000 copies have been already sold in Holland. On November 5th, Jansen was presented the Gold Disk in Groningen after a concert with the Noord Nederlands Orkest. On iTunes, it was the 19th most popular CD in America.

The tracks include:

1. Concerto No.1 La Primavera (Spring) Rv269
2. Concerto No.2 L'estate (Summer) Rv315
3. Concerto No.3 L'autunno (Autumm) Rv293
4. Concerto No.4 L'inverno (Winter) Rv297

Appropriately, "Autumn" will be shared with our guests around the dinner table next Thursday.

It is played with passion and soul, just as we experienced last night.

Her first CD, simply called Janine Jansen, was released in 2004.

The tracks on this album include:

1. Danse Russe {From Swan Lake}
2. Nocturne [Suite] {From Masquerade}
3. Havanaise, Op. 83
4. Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28
5. Romance [Suite] {From the Gadfly}
6. Main Theme {From Schindler's List}
7. Lark Ascending
8. Tzigane

Jansen's first American tour included performances earlier this month in Cincinnati. In December, she will perform in Englewood, Newark and New Brunswick, New Jersey. In January, she will return to Ohio. However, this time it will be in Cleveland.

To see if Janine will be in your part of the world, please go to:

Ms. Jansen recently said:

The most important thing for a musician is to be spontaneous, to be natural, be yourself, and not put on a show.

The music has to come naturally.

You have to follow your feeling and just be open to that.

Stunning, absolutely stunning!

Inspire & Be Inspired.

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful, "exquisite inside beauty exuding to the outside, naturally" living!

~ Jennifer Carolyn King, Rugged Elegance, LLC