2, Scherben der Stille (Shards of Silence), is the second violin concerto by the Korean composer Unsuk Chin.
Though Unsuk Chin had originally only intended to write one Violin Concerto, she was nevertheless enticed to return to the form after being impressed by the "unique musicianship and artistic personality" of the violinist Leonidas Kavakos.
"[3] Richard Morrison of The Sunday Times similarly described the piece as "brilliantly conceived," remarking that "it places the soloist at the centre of everything for all of its 25-minute, single-movement span, but surrounds him with a flamboyant array of orchestral ideas that intermittently flare up or flicker away in the background yet never overwhelm the violin.
There are snatches of an eerie chorale, playful exchanges between the woodwinds and the front desks of violins, and masses of percussion effects, some shimmering in the background, others exploding through the texture.
"[4] Richard Bratby of The Spectator also lauded the work, writing, "There's logic here, and even more crucially, there's clarity: Chin's recurring ideas are distinctive enough to trigger recognition.