Those who attended our Epic Romance concerts Oct. 19-21 experienced the unmatched talent and passion of Grammy-award winning cellist Zuill Bailey, a program filled with emotion and excitement, and the magnetic energy of guest conductor Tania Miller. But don’t just take our word for it – hear what local arts reviewers had to say about this weekend’s performances.
Matt Ambrosio / Capital Times
Throughout the work, [Tania Miller] kept the MSO pushing forward, breathing new life into Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony. She displayed wonderful control over the orchestra as if she carried a quiver of gestures that matched perfectly the mood of each musical section. During decrescendos, her arms seemingly stretched out the musical surface, subtly pulling it thinner and thinner until silent. And during loud sections, her gestures challenged the orchestra to match her excitement. While the sound of the orchestra was entertaining enough, watching Miller brought a new dimension to the performance. Tchaikovsky’s Fifth was the highlight of the evening.
Greg Hettmansberger
[Zuill] Bailey not only commanded the stage with the deep rich tones of his opening, but he and [Tania] Miller were hand-in-glove not just in big tempo changes, but nuances of phrasing. What is essentially a fast second movement after an extended melancholy opening was nothing short of scintillating, first for Bailey’s precision, then for Miller and the MSO to match the expressive flow.
John Barker / The Isthmus
[Zuill] Bailey has a sweet tone and precise technique, which serve him well in the two middle movements… [Tania Miller] is a conductor who throws herself into the music, as her dramatic gestures and body language show. This is, in sum, a big and brassy fulfillment of the composer’s intentions, given a first-class rendition by the orchestra, and quite wowing the audience.