David Curtis Press Reviews…Julian Philips, Les Liaisons Dangereuses…a brilliant display of compositional virtuosity, and it received a brilliant performance to match… Daily Telegraph …Conductor David Curtis, has raised this jewel of an orchestra (Orchestra of the Swan) to an impressive level of performance… The Guardian …It was Curtis' own experience of performing Tippett quartets under the beady eye of the composer himself that convinced him not to contribute to what he called the museum effect of a centennial. Perpetuating a living legacy through a series of commissions for companion pieces to Tippett’s works would, he felt, be better. So it has proved. Thanks to Orchestra of the Swan's genuine rapport with their audience, there is also interest in the new music… The Guardian …a clear, warm-toned performance…a radiant lyrical splendour… The Independent …a regional orchestra not just surviving but flourishing…a packed house for this concert by the Orchestra of the Swan, a genuine esprit de corps, with players as keenly alert to each other as they are to the conductor… Daily Telegraph …Orchestra of the Swan styles itself as an ensemble of possibilities, clearly believing them to be infinite, and so it should…a tribute to the conductor and players that a far-from-easy programme should have elicited such a warm reception… The Guardian … all credit to Curtis for a performance of such sterling commitment… The Guardian …Curtis introduces the music from the podium and has a nonchalant manner which plays down the mission to illuminate, but his grip on the music is firm. Robert Simpson’s Allegro deciso, the composer’s own arrangement for chamber strings of the second movement of his Third Quartet, was gritty and its energy well-sustained. Orchestra of the Swan really showed its mettle in Britten’s Variations on a Theme by Frank Bridge, defining repertoire for a chamber orchestra of this size and all the work’s parodying humour surfaced with a genuine exuberance… Musical Opinion …artistic director David Curtis has worked with the Stratford-based OOTS, shaping it into a gutsy and versatile group… The Guardian …charismatic, inspiring…a conductor who deserves wider recognition… Birmingham Post …Stratford's Orchestra of the Swan ought to give masterclasses in how to build audiences, programming is an exciting blend of the well-loved with the new, and conductor David Curtis can be found mingling with the punters before, during and after the performances. Nothing could be further from the ivory tower and Curtis' enthusiasm extends to a continued search for development in his own role. Returning from sessions with the great Finnish conducting coach Jorma Panula, he has developed a resourceful economy of beat which actually leads to sweeping expansiveness of phrasing and acute concentration, an approach which brought wonderful results… Birmingham Post …David Curtis directed with style and understanding. Curtis is a lynch-pin in the obvious success of this venture, dreaming up a fascinating menu of offerings, chatting to the audience as if among friends, and drawing colourfully communicative readings… Birmingham Post … a conductor who can plan programmes astutely, direct with style and clarity and chat to an audience, pointing out important snippets with the aid of live music examples. Nothing could be more user-friendly, and Wednesday’s concert provided both immense pleasure and valuable instruction… Birmingham Post …the remarkable Orchestra of the Swan, whose innovative Take Note! series, continues to thrive on the premise of presenting the new within a context of the familiar, genially introduced by principal conductor, David Curtis… Birmingham Post …a superb performance of Stravinsky's Petrushka…David Curtis's attention to detail paid off handsomely, the crisp, precise and committed playing of the musicians conjured up vividly the bustling atmosphere of the Shrovetide fair in St Petersburg… solo contributions from members of the woodwind and brass sections were especially impressive. The CSO deserves credit for its enterprising choice of repertoire. Equally admirable is their capacity to rise to the occasion with playing of such distinction… Gloucester Echo |