There was a palpable degree of anticipation at the start of a faculty recital at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music on Friday.

Such programs are usually routine events at the region's two high-caliber music schools: DU and the University of Colorado.

But this one was different.

Students, faculty, DU supporters and just plain fans of the violin packed the 200-seat Hamilton Recital Hall for the first full-evening performance by Linda Wang, a New York- born violinist of considerable reputation who joined the Lamont faculty this school year.

Her program bio places her "among the premier violinists of our time."

That's debatable.

Teaming with the ever- dependable pianist Alice Rybak, Wang chose a program intended to display her impressive technique and wide stylistic range - from the Baroque of Bach to the flash of Wieniawski.

Anyone who dares to tackle Bach's extraordinary (and extraordinarily difficult) Chaconne and Wieniawski's amazing (and amazingly difficult) Variations on an Original Theme must clearly have the chops - which Wang possesses in abundance.

Yet, it was in the transparent textures of Debussy's late G-minor Sonata and in a sweetly evocative traditional Chinese Fisherman's Song that the violinist made the strongest impression.

With sensitive accompaniment from Rybak (also a key member of Lamont's impressive faculty), Wang produced a feathery light tone that brought an immediacy and communicativeness to the Debussy.

Although American by birth, she clearly connects with the pentatonic pleasures of Chinese folk music.

Wang and Rybak showed their muscularity in the opening Sonata No. 8 of Beethoven, offering a propulsive reading, although Wang's 1767 Guadagnini was overmatched by the Hamilton's gorgeous, rich- toned Steinway.

Wang's way with the Chaconne was impressive in technique and in pacing. Wisely, she viewed this massive set of variations as a single, dramatic arc. Her dynamic range during those thrilling arpeggios added fresh excitement.

Rather than follow the well-received Wieniawski with an encore, Wang turned the stage over to 13 of her students, who fiddled impressively in a crowd- pleasing Perpetual Motion.

DU is lucky to have Wang's talents as violinist and, as we discovered in the encore, pedagogue.

Linda Wang and Alice Rybak

• Grade: B+

• When and where: Friday at Hamilton Recital Hall, University of Denver

Marc Shulgold is the music and dance writer. Shulgoldm@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5296