Gemma New praised for her Minnesota Orchestra debut

Gemma New leads the Minnesota Orchestra

The reviews praise Gemma New for her brilliant performance leading the Minnesota Orchestra and pianist Sunwook Kim last week!

The Star Tribune writes: “Conductor Gemma New is a New Zealander with zeal. She's a woman in perpetual motion on the podium, as New demonstrated Friday night while leading her first program with the Minnesota Orchestra.

New did more than wave a baton during Friday evening's concert at Minneapolis' Orchestra Hall. The principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony led the ensemble with her entire body, twisting, reaching, lunging, striding. Bursting with energy, she made the orchestra's athletic music director, Osmo Vänskä, look low-key by comparison.

Imagine my surprise when New and soloist Sunwook Kim collaborated on the most subtle and involving interpretation of the Brahms concerto I'd encountered in many a moon. The pianist was both delicate and assertive, precise and passionate. What could have been one emotional overload too many instead was one of the most successfully executed collaborations with a soloist the orchestra has presented this season. New helped shape the concerto's delicate pianissimos into a gossamer web of sound.

Read the full article here.