Critical Acclaim

"Concertante opened its program with Elgar’s Serenade for Strings (Op. 20) [...] producing a richly blended sound […]. The ensemble closed its concert with a beautifully focused account of the Brahms String Sextet No. 1 in B flat. Its reading of the slow movement — an exquisite set of variations — was particularly magical."

— Allan Kozinn, The New York Times. May 2010

"[The] soaring melodies [of Brahms' sublime Sextet No. 2 in G Major] escalated into an intense drama without detracting from a subtle dialogue among the different voices. The middle sections explore more serene, yet nearly haunting, sonorities for which the group adopted an appropriately soft touch."

— Rebecca Schmid, The Newshouse, Syracuse, NY. December 2009

"The ensemble played the piece [Mozart, Sinfonia Concertante, arr. Sextet] with a deftness that made it sound more energized in this form than the orchestral version."

— Allan Kozinn, The New York Times, March 2009

"When members of Concertante played Turina's Piano Quartet in A minor at Merkin Concert Hall on Tuesday, it was hard to tell where classical music left off and the dance halls and cafes of Spain began."

— Bernard Holland, The New York Times, May 2008

"This [Brahms G Major String Quintet] was a powerful rendition...the openings of both the exquisite Adagio and the mysterious and importunate Un poco allegretto were achingly communicated."

— Fred Kirshnitt, The New York Sun, September 2008

"...the musicians achieved such clear balance in the thick textures, phrased and breathed together as one, and kept perfect ensemble as they hurtled through the electrifying first-movement coda of the Tchaikovsky Souvenir de Florence."

— Robert Battey, The Washington Post, October 2008

"[Concertante has] created a cohesive and beautifully polished sound." "As in the Mozart ... the sound was sumptuous, though Mendelssohn's language invites a steamier approach, and the players took the opportunity to increase the energy level enormously."

— Allan Kozinn, The New York Times, May 2006

"[Concertante] performs with a vibrant, fresh and evocative sound." "From the bright scherzo to the closing rondo, Concertante showed an admirable grasp of both the color and texture of the work [Brahms Opus 18 Sextet.]"

— Willa Conrad, Star-Ledger, February 2006

"The music making was intimate, exquisitely voiced and exquisitely vocal."

— Susan Isaacs Nisbett, Ann Arbor News, November 2005

"There is not a finer assemblage of intimate communicators in all of New York."

— Fred Kirshnitt, The New York Sun, September 2005

"Concertante has been around for several years now, though I only made their acquaintance this season.....I wish I hadn't waited so long. The youthful and highly polished Concertante set a high standard for ensemble concerts this month, with some rapturous Korngold."

— Andrew Farach-Colton, The Strad, April 2005

"Concertante glowed with warm sonorities and polished artistry Wednesday night at the Cleveland Museum of Art....the Concertante musicians played it [Verklärte Nacht] with authority and involvement. Connecting to the soul of the music, they took listeners on an intense emotional journey and held them spellbound until the end, when there was a long moment of silence..."

— Wilma Salisbury, The Plain Dealer, February 18, 2005

"In the musical world, the buoyant chamber ensemble Concertante fills an important niche. While fine string quartets abound, far fewer groups exist to plumb the outer edges of the repertoire. Concertante, composed of exceptional rising musicians, performs sextets, septets and so forth with polish and raw fervor."

— Daniel Ginsberg, The Washington Post, January 11, 2005

"[Concertante] presented one of the season's most adventuresome and rewarding programs."

— Kyle MacMillan, The Denver Post, December 9, 2004

"...the octet's individual and collective virtuosity was stunning. So, too, its hand-in-glove phrasing and razor sharp intonation. Still it was the group's youthful exuberance, and its palpable desire to animate some of classical music's most demanding literature that carried the day." [Lied Center, The University of Kansas]

— Chuck Berg, The Topeka Capital-Journal, March 16, 2004

"they played these pieces [Brahms Sextets] with superbly lyrical sympathy and passion...the power of Concertante's playing swept one away...this work was delightful from opening note to finale, magnificently played by Concertante...one would like to hear more of Concertante." [Krannert Center, University of Illinois]

— John Frayne, News-Gazette, Champaign, IL, February 18, 2004

"Concertante gave stylish, committed and sonically beautiful performances....the robust, cleanly etched performance left little to be desired."

— Mike Greenberg, San Antonio Express-News, January 27, 2004

"Energetic and vibrant in their approach to making music, the ensemble possesses a rare sensitivity to the complex issues of balance... powerful and precise... The total effect was one of sophistication mixed with intensity, a blend that made for a remarkable evening of chamber music....the members of Concertante showed their full grasp of values of chamber music, finding in the music that special youthful intensity and spirit that gives us all hope for tomorrow."

— Kenneth DeLong, The Calgary Herald, November 4, 2003

"Concertante, a string sextet, offered a luxurious, rich-hued account of Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht....the intensity and sheer beauty of the sound Concertante produced..."

— Allan Kozinn, The New York Times, January 24, 2003

"Among this groups' many attributes are its exemplary balance and flawless ensemble. Another is how well-matched the players are, not just in the way they approach their work but in the very timbre produced on their instruments. They almost sound as if they are playing a family by one maker, so keenly have they sought to achieve a harmonious sound.

— Barbara Zuck, The Columbus Dispatch, January 26, 2003

"The fantastically talented Concertante proved Monday night that the future of classical music is in fine hands. The group of young musicians wowed a near-sellout crowd at Portland State's Lincoln Hall with flawless technique and stunning interpretations of Romantic chamber music. "

— Kyle O'Brian, The Oregonian, January 15, 2003

"There is a particular pleasure in discovering talent, especially if it is young and fresh. Certainly, that description would fit Concertante, which opened the UW International Chamber Music Series' 25th season Tuesday night at Meany Hall..... These six musicians played with undisputed vigor, warmth coupled with discipline and remarkable balance and unanimity. "

— R.M. Campbell, Seattle-Post Intelligencer, October 31, 2002

"[Concertante's] performance [of the Strauss, Metamorphosen] is white-hot, so intensely felt and so superbly realized technically as to be almost beyond praise; they create their own benchmark in this version."

— Calum MacDonald, BBC Music Magazine, November 2001

"This is as good a recording of the sextet version of the Schoenberg as I know. Technically the players are superb."

— American Record Guide, November/December 2001

"Their performance of the Schoenberg sextet reveals genuine expressive awareness of the intended imagery and atmosphere..."

— Gramophone, February 2002