Consisting of about 70 local professional and semiprofessional players, SSV is modest in both its size and capacity. First-night jitters, or perhaps the ensemble’s relatively slow warming-up to guest conductor Leslie Dunner, resulted in several unsure and unclear moments in its performance throughout the evening.
I’d love to know where the reviewer, Kwami Coleman received his information, and why some of us are “semiprofessional”. (Mr. Coleman is a Ph.D student at Stanford.)
In any case, the review isn’t terribly positive. Such is life.
Coleman’s review left me completely cold, and baffled.
Keyword here: STUDENT. Ph.D maybe, but he seems curiously misinformed.
I responded with the following comment, awaiting moderation:
This is a curiously flat, unsatisfying review. It seemed to borrow heavily from the program notes, without much originality or well-rounded critique.
The many fine solos by flute, horn, bass, trumpet, violin and viola among others were not at all acknowledged.
As a member of the brass section, I disagree with your viewpoint that we were somehow lacking. The audience certainly didn’t think so.
I agree with Roger that your assumption that the SSV musicians are partly comprised of “semiprofessionals” is totally off the mark, demonstrating that you are misinformed, further eroding the already shaky credibility of your review.”