Welcome!
Make your first stop Ken's blog, A view
from the podium, two-time Gramphone
Magazine Blogwatch Blog of the month,
and one of the 25 most popular classical
blogs in the world *
Make your first stop Ken's blog, A view
from the podium, two-time Gramphone
Magazine Blogwatch Blog of the month,
and one of the 25 most popular classical
blogs in the world *
| 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
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' collaborations
include
include
Principal Guest Conductor
Orchestra of the Swan
Regular Guest Conductor
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Principal guest Conductor-
Rose City 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
Former Music Director-
Oregon East Symphony and Chorale
Critics call it "now certainly the best rural
symphony orchestra in North America"
The latest concert reviews-
"Speeds were consistently well-chosen, not too
fast in the first movement's 6/8 Vivace
(exposition repeat taken) to give a spring to the
step, forward-moving in the Allegretto, well-
integrated between the scherzo and trio and
fully energised in the finale. Of particular
interest were the natural balances between
strings and woodwind, the latter not having to
strain to be heard and the bass line frequently
clarified by not having to struggle to be heard
over the brass. Woods paid special care to
dynamics, in the scherzo achieving a genuine
diminuendo to ppp before the reprise of the
Presto section and, at the other end of the
spectrum, an impressive fff at the finale's
culmination. Fortunately this Gala concert – with
the Duchess of Cornwall, the NQHO's Patron,
present – was recorded."
Classical Source, November 4, 2010
“Mahler of quite exceptional quality. On Friday at
the Townsend Hall, in Shipston, we were
treated to a concert of quite exceptional quality,
entitled ‘Essential Mahler’ in which the
Orchestra of the Swan was joined by contralto
Emma Curtis, tenor Brennen Guillory and
baritone David Stout, all experienced
international singers. The performance was
conducted throughout by the orchestra’s
principal guest conductor, Kenneth Woods, a
man of great and varied musical talent."
Stratford Herald, November 25, 2010
"Under their charismatic conductor Kenneth
Woods, they gave an inspired performance of
one of Schumann’s finest 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
"Speeds were consistently well-chosen, not too
fast in the first movement's 6/8 Vivace
(exposition repeat taken) to give a spring to the
step, forward-moving in the Allegretto, well-
integrated between the scherzo and trio and
fully energised in the finale. Of particular
interest were the natural balances between
strings and woodwind, the latter not having to
strain to be heard and the bass line frequently
clarified by not having to struggle to be heard
over the brass. Woods paid special care to
dynamics, in the scherzo achieving a genuine
diminuendo to ppp before the reprise of the
Presto section and, at the other end of the
spectrum, an impressive fff at the finale's
culmination. Fortunately this Gala concert – with
the Duchess of Cornwall, the NQHO's Patron,
present – was recorded."
Classical Source, November 4, 2010
“Mahler of quite exceptional quality. On Friday at
the Townsend Hall, in Shipston, we were
treated to a concert of quite exceptional quality,
entitled ‘Essential Mahler’ in which the
Orchestra of the Swan was joined by contralto
Emma Curtis, tenor Brennen Guillory and
baritone David Stout, all experienced
international singers. The performance was
conducted throughout by the orchestra’s
principal guest conductor, Kenneth Woods, a
man of great and varied musical talent."
Stratford Herald, November 25, 2010
"Under their charismatic conductor Kenneth
Woods, they gave an inspired performance of
one of Schumann’s finest 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
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Listen to Ken's most recent radio
chats and TV features on the BBC
and NPR
A review of Ken's new recording of Schumann
and Gal 3rd Symphonies on NPR's All Things
Considered.
Kenneth Woods and Sir Nicholas Kenyon
debate Mahler on BBC Radio 4's Today
Programme
Kenneth Woods on NWPR discussing his OES
tenure and the joys of building an orchestra
here.
Kenneth Woods talks Mahler and the OES on
Morning Edition, here
TV profile from Oregon Art Beat on the Rose
City International Conductor's Workshop, Ken
Woods founder and director, here
Ken and members of the OES talk about what
makes the Best Damn Redneck Orchestra on
Earth so special with David Stabler from the
Oregonian here
Highlights of Ken's appearances on
BBC Radio 3's Discovering Music
with the BBC National Orchestra of
Wales
Chopin Piano Concerto no. 1 with Piers Lane
Nielsem Flute Concerto with Sharon Bezaly
Haydn Trumpet Concerto with Philippe Schartz
chats and TV features on the BBC
and NPR
A review of Ken's new recording of Schumann
and Gal 3rd Symphonies on NPR's All Things
Considered.
Kenneth Woods and Sir Nicholas Kenyon
debate Mahler on BBC Radio 4's Today
Programme
Kenneth Woods on NWPR discussing his OES
tenure and the joys of building an orchestra
here.
Kenneth Woods talks Mahler and the OES on
Morning Edition, here
TV profile from Oregon Art Beat on the Rose
City International Conductor's Workshop, Ken
Woods founder and director, here
Ken and members of the OES talk about what
makes the Best Damn Redneck Orchestra on
Earth so special with David Stabler from the
Oregonian here
Highlights of Ken's appearances on
BBC Radio 3's Discovering Music
with the BBC National Orchestra of
Wales
Chopin Piano Concerto no. 1 with Piers Lane
Nielsem Flute Concerto with Sharon Bezaly
Haydn Trumpet Concerto with Philippe Schartz
"This superb new disc...Woods directs a highly
polished account but the orchestral playing
throughout is most assured. Avie’s sound is
excellent but it is the music that compels
attention. Strongly recommended."
The Gramophone
"RECORDING OF THE FORTNIGHT"
Classical Music Magazine
"Woods phrases with distinction, and aims for
clarity in Gál’s contrapuntal textures... plus the
kind of open-hearted warmth this soaring
music requires to make its case."
FANFARE Magazine
"A real treat....perceptively fluid.... warm and
supportive sound... committed performances"
The Strad
"The performances and the recording are of a
consistently high standard. The Northern
Sinfonia …… are probably better than anything
he ever heard in this country. But most
importantly, both orchestra and conductor
Kenneth Woods are sensitive to the lightness of
the textures and always elegantly balance the
soloist."
Classical CD Reviews
"A splendid CD which should give pleasure and
satisfaction to collectors and which deserves to
feature on radio programmes everywhere."
Musical Pointers
"Such transparent and highly-crafted scores are
given superbly prepared performances...
playing here is first-class, so too the quick-
witted response of Northern Sinfonia under
Kenneth Woods."
ClassicalSource
polished account but the orchestral playing
throughout is most assured. Avie’s sound is
excellent but it is the music that compels
attention. Strongly recommended."
The Gramophone
"RECORDING OF THE FORTNIGHT"
Classical Music Magazine
"Woods phrases with distinction, and aims for
clarity in Gál’s contrapuntal textures... plus the
kind of open-hearted warmth this soaring
music requires to make its case."
FANFARE Magazine
"A real treat....perceptively fluid.... warm and
supportive sound... committed performances"
The Strad
"The performances and the recording are of a
consistently high standard. The Northern
Sinfonia …… are probably better than anything
he ever heard in this country. But most
importantly, both orchestra and conductor
Kenneth Woods are sensitive to the lightness of
the textures and always elegantly balance the
soloist."
Classical CD Reviews
"A splendid CD which should give pleasure and
satisfaction to collectors and which deserves to
feature on radio programmes everywhere."
Musical Pointers
"Such transparent and highly-crafted scores are
given superbly prepared performances...
playing here is first-class, so too the quick-
witted response of Northern Sinfonia under
Kenneth Woods."
ClassicalSource
Kenneth Woods' debut CD with
Northern Sinfonia
Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Northern Sinfonia
Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
* Marc van Bree, Orchestras and the
New Media
New Media