| Kenneth Woods, conductor |
| “Playful brilliance...” Austin American Statesman “Brimming with personality, affection and freshly imagined drama...” Washington Post “A conductor with true vision and purpose...” Peter Oundjian, Music Director, Toronto Symphony |
| "Kenneth Woods led a performance of Elgar's Enigma Variations with such commitment and passion that one could not help but be stirred by the power of it." Elgin Valley News |
| The Washington Post praises Kenneth Woods’ performances as “alive and engaging," calling him a “true star” and an “up-and- coming conductor.” The Cincinnati Post calls him "alert, efficient and confident" and Leonard Slatkin chose Kenneth Woods as one of only four young conductors to make their debuts with the National Symphony Orchestra as part of the 2001 National Conducting Institute. |
Kenneth Woods'
collaborations include
collaborations include
Principal Guest Conductor
Orchestra of the Swan
Regular Guest Conductor
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Principal guest Conductor-
Rose City Chamber Orchestra
Music Director-
Surrey Mozart Players
Principal Conductor
Lancashire Chamber Orchestra
Former Music Director-
Oregon East Symphony and Chorale
Critics call it "now certainly the best
rural symphony orchestra in North
America"
Orchestra of the Swan
Regular Guest Conductor
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Principal guest Conductor-
Rose City Chamber Orchestra
Music Director-
Surrey Mozart Players
Principal Conductor
Lancashire Chamber Orchestra
Former Music Director-
Oregon East Symphony and Chorale
Critics call it "now certainly the best
rural symphony orchestra in North
America"
| The very latest in the papers- "Moving ahead to 1970, Hans Gál reached his ‘opus 100’ with Triptych, a set of three movements for orchestra, the opening ‘Impromptu’ energetically if severely introduced, every note significant, the contrasting mellower invention sometimes suggesting Richard Strauss’s late-in-life autumnal music (specifically “Capriccio”), but with an independence of thought and a timelessness of invention that is at once Mozartean yet also crisply contemporary. The central ‘Lament’ is sparse if tellingly personal; and the final ‘Comedy’ is joyous and inviting, and not without a flourish or two. Gál’s art has the enviable ability to say so much without being tempted to decorate, augment and make denser. Such transparent and highly- crafted scores are given superbly prepared performances here.... playing here is first-class, so too the quick-witted response of Northern Sinfonia under Kenneth Woods." Classical Source, June 20, 2010 "Under their charismatic conductor Kenneth Woods, they gave an inspired performance of one of Schumann’s fines works for orchestra, his Manfred Overture. The composer, mentally disturbed himself, was ideally placed to portray Byron’s tragic hero. The performance was deliberately nervy and fevered, with plenty of dramatic tension, and the frenetic string playing contrasted sharply with the chorale-like wind chords towards the end.the orchestra exuded warmth in their rendering of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony. The descending motives of the opening, echoed near the end of the great passacaglia Finale were beautifully shaped. The bumptious Scherzo movement, with its jolly interjections from the triangle was fluent, yet exciting.The Finale itself was imbued with some lovely phrasing, a careful pointing out of the contrapuntal niceties, and, after some effective tension and release in dynamics, concluded with a great climax." Surrey Advertiser, July 6, 2010 "As they approach their fortieth anniversary, the Surrey Mozart Players are going from strength to strength, presenting ever more adventurous programmes, and last Saturday at Holy Trinity Church was no exception. Under their charismatic conductor, Kenneth Woods, they opened their programme with Beethoven’s Leonore Overture no. 2. This is considerably bolder than the more frequently played Leonore No 3, and Woods’ interpretation bore this out. By the time Schumann revisited the score of his 4th Symphony in 1851,he was already showing signs of his illness. The performance reflected this frenzied mood in many ways, from the imposing opening with its constant return, to the continuous “A” that boomed out in the composer’s head, to a crisp, forward moving interpretation of the opening movement. Woods caught the mood of the link to the finale wonderfully, and the Finale itself was thrilling." Surrey Advertiser, June 26, 2009 "Kenneth Woods revealed a strong empathy for Vaughan Williams' music... a convincing performance of this major work which, although composed during World War II, seems to hark back to more placid times. The slow movement was a profoundly spiritual experience while the closing passacaglia sounded decidedly upbeat as if confident of better times ahead. "While some may dispute that... Schumann's Second is the greatest symphony written since Beethoven, Woods' tense and driven interpretation certainly confirmed it as a work of stature. Schumann composed it after his first mental breakdown, and the monumental first movement mirrored his titanic struggle to recover his sanity. A few rays of hope could be spotted in the bustling Scherzo but a dark mood underpinned it. Nor was there any respite in the Adagio which a strong performance from the string section rendered intensely moving. The Cheltenham Echo, May 28, 2009 "The concert ended with the young Beethoven’s symphony no. 1 in C under Kenneth Woods. The execution of this work was a triumph, well articulated, vigorous and controlled. It was tempting to break into applause after the first movement. Strong dynamic contrasts, steady, harmonious woodwind, brass and string combinations and delicate phrasing featured in the Andante. The Minuet was successfully Allegro molto e vivace and the last movement was impressive, the dynamics, intonation, unison playing and other details, all a pleasure to listen to. Congratulations to the violins and the brass sections in this last movement for their excellent coordination." Surrey Advertiser, March 9, 2009 “Woods looks like a younger, dark-haired William Hurt...he and ... Pendleton's unlikely symphony orchestra give Mahler the ride of his life" David Stabler, The Oregonian, Sunday, May 27, 2007 "American rock and classical musician Kenneth Woods seemed a born conductor in his recent city debut. His second appearance with the Nottingham Philharmonic underlined that impression with performances combining excitement and integrity." Peter Palmer, Nottingham Evening Post, March 12, 2007 |
Upcoming Concerts-
September 8-11
Ensemble Epomeo
Concerts in Princeton, New York and Philadelphia
Program TBA
September 25, 2010
Surrey Mozart Players
Mozart- Symphony no. 34 in C major
Bruch- Violin Concerto
Xiang Gao, violin
Beethoven- Symphony no. 3 "Eroica"
October 23, 2010
Lancashire Chamber Orchestra
Haydn- Symphony no. 43
Mendelssohn- Violin Concerto in D minor
Suzanne Casey, violin
Mozart- Symphony no. 38 in D Major "Prague"
November 4, 2010
New Queen's Hall Orchestra
St. John's Smith Square
Rossini Overture Il Signor Bruschino
Walton Selections from Facade
Beethoven Symphony No.7
Current Broadcasts-
BBC Radio 3
Discovering Music Live
Haydn and Telemann- Trumpet Concerti
Philippe Schartz, trumpet
Stephen Johnson, presenter
Click here to listen
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
BBC Radio 3
Discovering Music Live
Chopin- Piano Concerto no 1
Piers Lane, piano
Stephen Johnson, presenter
Click here to listen
September 8-11
Ensemble Epomeo
Concerts in Princeton, New York and Philadelphia
Program TBA
September 25, 2010
Surrey Mozart Players
Mozart- Symphony no. 34 in C major
Bruch- Violin Concerto
Xiang Gao, violin
Beethoven- Symphony no. 3 "Eroica"
October 23, 2010
Lancashire Chamber Orchestra
Haydn- Symphony no. 43
Mendelssohn- Violin Concerto in D minor
Suzanne Casey, violin
Mozart- Symphony no. 38 in D Major "Prague"
November 4, 2010
New Queen's Hall Orchestra
St. John's Smith Square
Rossini Overture Il Signor Bruschino
Walton Selections from Facade
Beethoven Symphony No.7
Current Broadcasts-
BBC Radio 3
Discovering Music Live
Haydn and Telemann- Trumpet Concerti
Philippe Schartz, trumpet
Stephen Johnson, presenter
Click here to listen
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
BBC Radio 3
Discovering Music Live
Chopin- Piano Concerto no 1
Piers Lane, piano
Stephen Johnson, presenter
Click here to listen
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Kenneth Woods and Sir Nicholas
Kenyon debate Mahler on BBC
Radio 4's Today Programme
Kenneth Woods on NWPR on his
OES tenure and the joys of building
an orchestra here.
Kenneth Woods talks Mahler and the
OES on Morning Edition, here
Kenneth Woods and "A view from the
podium" subject of a full page
feature in January 2007
Gramophone Magazine.
Find out why the Oregon East
Symphony is the most talked-about
orchestra in the Northwest in this
multimedia feature from the
Oregonian, here
Kenyon debate Mahler on BBC
Radio 4's Today Programme
Kenneth Woods on NWPR on his
OES tenure and the joys of building
an orchestra here.
Kenneth Woods talks Mahler and the
OES on Morning Edition, here
Kenneth Woods and "A view from the
podium" subject of a full page
feature in January 2007
Gramophone Magazine.
Find out why the Oregon East
Symphony is the most talked-about
orchestra in the Northwest in this
multimedia feature from the
Oregonian, here
