A small gem of an ensemble... (The Boston Herald)
... a high-proof, edge of one's seat performance, the kind that leaves you feeling smarter about the music than when you came in. (The Boston Globe)
A simply outstanding chamber orchestra. (Fanfare Magazine)
These two young men live and breathe classical music, which perhaps accounted for their almost preternatural calm while performing major works under the baton of a major conductor—Gunther Schuller, currently Principal Guest Conductor of Pro Arte as well as a Pulitzer Prize winner and general emeritus-of-everything around these parts. I noted with amusement that some 70 years of experience separated Mr. Schuller from his young collaborators, but there wasn't a hint of condescension from him or Pro Arte in evidence, nor, thank God, any of that exploitive "Look, he's only four and can already sing The Queen of the Night aria!" vibe that clings to so many child prodigies. (Thomas Garvey, The Hub Review, November 2009)
Where are these kids coming from? To go to a concert (in this case, Pro Arte at Sanders Theatre, this afternoon, November 29) and hear two local youngsters who play as well or better than some touring pros, is quite a testament. Not to mention the imaginative, beautifully conceived program put together by conductor Gunther Schuller. (Bettina Norton, Boston Musical Intelligencer, November 2009)
Schuller conducted with a light touch, often not even beating time, letting the ensemble ride the wave of its momentum … the laid-back colloquy amplified the music's charm. (The Boston Globe, April 2009)