Raves & Reviews
“I’m still talking about you folks! … What stands out to me, is how immediate you are with the audience – how people can literally reach out and touch you. This makes not only the music accessible, but you – the people making that beautiful sound.”
Sheila Jans, audience member
Cultural Development Consultant
CultureWorth, Madawaska, Maine
“Thank you for a great performance last evening! Many of our audience members are used to more traditional fare, yet your explanations and thoughtful/spirited interpretations of the pieces made them believers–as I think you could tell by the warm response and many comments from concert-goers afterwards. I wish you all the best and will look forward to having you back in Rehoboth at some point in the future.”
Shawn Kendrick, Program Coordinator
Arts in the Village
Rehoboth, Massachusetts
“Had two wonderful performances by Eight Strings & a Whistle today! Those are three of the kindest. most generous people I have met in my lifetime! Thank you so much to Ina, Suzanne and Matt!… You did an awesome job, and everyone loved the concerts!”
Joshua Bosse, Music/Band Director
Madawaska School Department
Madawaska, Maine
“Thanks so much for your contributions to the festival, not only through your beautiful performance but also through your work with our students. I hope our paths cross again, too, and soon!”
Scott Perkins, Festival of New American Music
Sacramento State School of Music, California
About our most recent release …and nothing remains the same…
“…needs to be heard.”
Dusty Wright, Culture Catch – Read the entire review here.
“An experience that’s rich with harmony but also touches on abrasive ideas, there’s a rare intimacy to be found here, and it all unfolds with incredible meticulousness.”
Take Effect – Read the entire review here.
“With the their latest musical salvo, the noted trio Eight Strings and a Whistle has yet again established themselves as one of the most compelling Baroque/classical/Romantic trios on the scene today.”
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke, The WholeNote – Read the entire review here.
“what an incredible CD you have created: marvelous playing, so well produced. One thing that really struck me was how beautifully you curated the selections. Six different composers’ voices, but they seem, to my ears, to fit so well together, and the sequence of works flowed so naturally. I feel honored to be in such company. “
John Newell, composer
“…you sound Fantastic and beautiful! Wonderful ensemble playing and interesting pieces. Somehow it seems like most of the composers were on a similar wave length; a very interesting thing.”
Pamela Sklar, composer
“There’s something about ensemble playing from folks who have worked together extensively. It gives the music a unified feel that you can’t get any other way. That comes through on the whole album.”
Mark Winges, composer
About our debut release Albert’s Window:
“Mighty cool stuff, played with precision and style.”
babysue.com
“…diverse and high-level repertoire…executed with mastery and confidence …”
Filippo Focosi kathodik.it
English translation
About Douglas Anderson’s Chamber Symphonies 2, 3 & 4:
“The performances are excellent.”
Grego Applegate Edwards
Gapplegate Classical-Modern Review
For more information about our recordings, please visit our Recordings page.
“It was kind of a beam of light in this otherwise dark world… I am amazed at how in sync the 3 of you are.”
Sheila Rao, Group Muse Concert host
“Wonderful performance on Sunday.”
John Sexton, Greenburgh Public Library
“I love listening to Eight Strings & a Whistle. Your musicality and attention to the composer’s intentions come through in everything you play.The phrase that comes to mind is ‘passionate elegance’.”
John Newell, composer
“Thank you for a splendid launch to our concert season!”
Shallee Page, Board President
Machias Bay Chamber Concerts
Machias Maine
“Many thanks for such enjoyable performances. You were so able to adapt to all the challenges of putting on programs for our schools. The concrete visuals you used in Benjamin Britten’s piece were great for kids of all ages. Bravo!”
Melba C. Wilson, Executive Director
Arcady Music Festival
“Eight Strings & a Whistle uniquely demonstrate total professionalism in their preparation, communication, performance and interaction with audience members. They’re music-oriented and people-oriented. The group knows what makes good music.”
Sukey Barthelmess, Executive Director
Connecticut Alliance for Music
“You are all such talented musicians. It’s a privilege to see you and hear you perform. One audience member said to me, ‘We’re not stupid. We like being introduced to new music. This was a wonderful program.’ I second that opinion, wholeheartedly!
I knew in advance that all of you are fantastic musicians, but I had no idea how great you would all sound together in our galleries. Everyone so enjoyed your performance — from the well-known to pieces written for you. What a treat!!”
Margaret Moulton, Manager of Public Relations
The Hudson River Museum
“Eight Strings & a Whistle consists of three wonderful musicians who worked sensitively and meticulously to convey the piece I composed for them. On stage they possess a charisma and charm that draws the audience into each piece they perform.”
Martin Rokeach, composer
“Thank you so much for your awesome performance last night.”
Michael Barndollar, President of the Board of Trustees
Chocolate Church Arts Center, Bath, Maine
“I went in for a concert by Eight Strings & a Whistle and found that my pew was not that comfortable. Then the music started and all was forgiven. I was so enthralled by the beauty and quality of the playing that my attention was stolen from the pain.”
As quoted by an audience member to Don Cyr, Director
L’Association Culturelle et Historique du Mont-Carmel, Lille, Maine
“Audience members have been asking when you will return.”
Don Cyr, Director
L’Association Culturelle et Historique du Mont-Carmel, Lille, Maine
“Friends made appreciative noises about your excellent performance…You three did your part superbly…”
Christopher Greenleaf, Program Editor
Music Matters, La Grua Center
Stonington, Connecticut
“Eight Strings & a Whistle lured our audience into the world of contemporary music with intriguing interpretation and intimate narrative.”
Jan Vinci, Senior Artist-in-Residence,
Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
“I was flattered that Eight Strings & a Whistle asked me to write them a piece. I so admired their performance at the Bar Harbor Music Festival in 2009. They are adventurous, meticulous, and supremely musical-and the best advocate a composer could have.
Ina, Suzanne and Matt as Eight Strings & a Whistle are one of NY’s new music treasures. Their recital at the 2009 Bar Harbor Festival featured polished playing, compelling listening, and a ton of charm!”
Edmund Cionek, Curator
New Composers Concert
Bar Harbor Music Festival
“Not only was the playing first-rate, but you also connected well with the crowd and answered their questions with intelligence and humor.”
T.D. Ellis, Artistic Director
Louise McKeon Chamber Music Concert Series
Keeler Tavern Museum
Ridgefield, Connecticut
“I found the precision and feeling of your collective musicianship, the largeness of the group’s sound, the unique combination of instruments and personalities, the casual ease in wielding an impressive array of extended techniques and the wide ranging repertoire very inspiring.
Thank you so much for learning my difficult work and bravo on your first public performance of it. It struck me tonight how amazing it is that it is possible to code so many thousands of details into notated music and have such phenomenally gifted and rigorously trained musicians decode not only the letter but the spirit.”
Merrill Clark, composer
“I think you make the flute speak in a way that I’ve not heard anyone else do. Your choice of material has made me more interested in contemporary music than I thought I was.”
Patty Kuwayama, audience member
“[The Trio] gave intense readings of diverse repertoire in their interesting program.… The group managed technical and ensemble challenges with confidence… [The Graun] sounded rich and authentic…The cellist, Matthew Goeke, played the continuo part with charm and a nice bounce and flutist, Suzanne Gilchrest, and violist, Ina Litera, played with a lightly textured blend. …the group played this expertly written piece (Hilary Tann’s “The Walls of Morlais Castle”) with commitment and passion.”
New York Concert Review
