MidAmerica Productions presents New England Symphonic Ensemble in Review
Leslie Dala, Marc-André Bougie, and Peter Tiboris, Conductors
New England Symphonic Ensemble
Preston Hawes, Artistic Director/Concertmaster
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
Sunday, March 23, 2024 at 2pm

“Tiboris took the podium [in'] Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro was given a sprightly, felicitous reading. One might say it was “dessert before dinner.” Dinner took the form of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, which followed. So much has been written, and so much lore is attached to this work, that one could fill volumes.”

“Tiboris led with a decisive hand, and I breathed a sigh of relief as those opening bars were strong and precise. This set the tone for the rest of the work. I have written in earlier reviews about my admiration for Tiboris’s minimalist approach – no histrionics or sweeping gestures – and my opinion remains the same. He knows his orchestra is highly capable and does not feel the need to “over-conduct.” That’s not to say he is not engaged. When it is necessary he is demonstrative and demanding. This worked especially well for this performance. This listener has a nearly half-century love of this symphony and still gets a thrill out of hearing a fine performance. The audience reacted with a loud and extended ovation.”

MidAmerica Productions Presents New England Symphonic Ensemble in Review
New England Symphonic Ensemble, Peter Tiboris, Conductor
Karl Chang, Conductor
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, New York
Sunday, March 31, 2024, 2:00 PM

“Maestro Peter Tiboris stepped to the podium with confidence and led the orchestra with gusto in the Verdi Overture to La Forza Del Destino. From the first blasts of brass through the driving undercurrents in the strings, one felt cohesion in the work and unanimity among the musicians…overall the musicians achieved polish and balance.”

“Tiboris was undaunted and led the orchestra admirably. The first movement is what is in greatest danger of feeling bloated thanks to its rather episodic departures from tighter, more traditional musical architecture, but a vigorous approach can help it cohere. Tiboris took a bracing tempo, which certainly helped and he maintained what seemed to be a clear overview and command of its intricacies.”

“The poignant second movement unfolded with seemingly effortless lyrical grace”

“The Scherzo movement had a good lightness in its precise pizzicato flights, and the finale, much more driving, reached an impressive, frenzied peak.”

“…the movement calls for a frenzy of brass and percussion, requiring immense unified energies to make a successful performance. Tiboris and the New England Symphonic Ensemble gave it a riveting ride, dazzling with their superb split-second timing. The audience was beyond exhilarated, roaring its approval.”

Peter Tiboris, General Director and Music Director of MidAmerica Productions, Inc./conductor
John Rutter, CBE, conductor
New England Symphonic Ensemble
Preston Hawes, Artistic director and Concertmaster
Juliet Ariadne Papadopoulos, soprano; Courtney Johnson, soprano; Reveka Mavrovitis, mezzo-soprano; Abraham Bretón; tenor; Philip Skinner, bass
Eilana Lappalainen, reader
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

“…How did this performance measure up? It is definitely in my top ten and possibly even in my top five. I admired Tiboris’s approach, which was almost minimalist (he often let his right hand remain at his side and let his left hand lead with small gestures). He placed his trust in the fine orchestra and it paid off handsomely. The sublime first movement, the energetic scherzo second movement (with those delightful tympani “calls”), the serene beauty of the third were all in themselves played with such ability that if the symphony ended with the third movement it would have been memorable. But there was still the epic finale – I could hear it a thousand times, and a thousand times I would be transported to a higher plane…”

“…The large chorus was obviously well-prepared. The final Götterfunken! that launches the exuberant Prestissimo ended the symphony and concert in triumph. The audience leapt to their feet in a thunderous ovation, and for those who had heard this work for the first time, I suspect it was a life-changing experience…”