Messiah, December 2006
"A new voice for 'Messiah' stood out at Heinz Hall Thursday night when Betsy Burleigh conducted a stylish and moving performance of George Frideric Handel's famous score....The performance featured...well-balanced and robust singing from the Mendelssohn Choir. "
"But the appeal of Burleigh's performance went far beyond roster issues, and the mixed seating of the choir for that matter, to lilting rhythms, well-structured dynamics and clarity in quickly sung passages to convey their expressive quality."
". . . . under Burleigh the balances within the choir and with the orchestra were superb."
"With an exceptionally well-paced account of the final 'Amen', featuring beautifully filled out musical lines, it was the partially understated version of the 'Hallelujah Chorus' that was the most surprising moment of the concert. While some sections were strongly inflected, at other places Burleigh pulled back to favor fluency and light attacks over weight."
Mark Kanny, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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Beethoven's 9th Symphony, June 2007
"Conductor Andrew Davis marvelously marshalled the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh in the finale. A fine operatic conductor, he pays meticulous attention to the group, expertly prepared by Betsy Burleigh. . . . When tutti, the tone was gentle even when loud, and certainly when meant to be ephemeral."
Andrew Druckenbrod, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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Ravel: Daphnis and Chloe
Debussy: Nocturnes
October 2007
"'Fetes' and 'Sirenes'. The latter gained from the wordless utterances of the women of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh"
Andrew Druckenbrod, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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"The Second Suite from Maurice Ravel's ballet 'Daphnis and Chloe' provided a raise-the-roof finale, in which tremendous volume was achieved without too much brass, and the choir again was emphatic."
Mark Kanny TRIBUNE-REVIEW CLASSICAL MUSIC CRITIC Saturday, October 20, 2007
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Messiah, December 2007
[The Mendelssohn] "exhibited an excellent balance, sonorous timbre and a light phrasing appropriate to the music (helped by the perfect number of singers at about 50). 'And with his stripes we are healed' was particularly impressive."
Andrew Druckenbrod, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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"The performance hit its stride with the chorus 'And the Glory of the Lord', with the Mendelssohn Choir singing with impressive exuberances achieved with clarity of rhythm and line."
Mark Kanny
TRIBUNE-REVIEW CLASSICAL MUSIC CRITIC
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Holiday Pops, December 2007
"the music often involved clever choices, especially from the top-notch choruses"
Jane Vranish, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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