Acclaim

Clarinetist Chad Burrow and the pianist Amy I-Lin Cheng offered a bright, genial account…

[Burrow] convinced the audience [of the value of the composition] and moved them. It was so emotional and intense, that one forgot time and place...Not least Chad Burrow’s body language was priceless and exactly matching with the music, which incorporated piercing sounds, frantic jumps, playful and sentimental moments, - yes humor and gravity. That this was brilliant is just mentioned as a matter of form

[Burrow is] an eminent performer…as a critic, you risk being short of superlatives...Get the dictionary of synonyms and use the most beautiful words. They are all true

Brilliant technique and tonal beauty mixed with an expressive ferocity…played without compromise, with great virtuosity, energy, and power.

Chad Burrow's recital was one of the finest of the entire symposium. From the contrasting repertoire selections to the thoughtful execution of each phrase, every moment was engaging. The recital began with a beautiful rendition of Brahms' F minor Sonata. Next was Berio's Sequenza IX, and Burrow displayed his brilliant extended technical facility while also making the piece accessible. The Cahuzac Variations sur un air du Pays D'oc was blissiful in its perfection. He closed the program with KlezMusik (1995) by Simon Sargon, and the audience was quick to their feet in a standing ovation for a musician that is both entertaining to watch and awe-inspiring to hear.

Next, Chad Burrow stunned the afternoon audience with a seamless blend of clarinet and piano lines in Flourish: A Concertino in Perpetual Motion, by Kristopher Maloy, with pianist Amy I-Lin Cheng...Burrow ended his recital with pure raucous fun in the Sonatina for Klezmer Clarinet and Piano by Paul Schoenfield.”

I played this CD over and over and will continue to do so, not as a critic, but rather as an astonished listener - how do these two artists, at every turn of phrase, find new meaning and depth to this well-known and often played music...Mr. Burrow possesses a colorful, focused yet plush tone quality, excellent legato, faultless technique and wide dynamic range. These attributes are coupled to a very special lyricism all his own...Together these performers produce an entity that becomes larger than the sum of its parts - the utter clarity and total unanimity of their ensemble, their perfect balance, the variety of their attacks and the way they pass phrases and build excitement make these performances unique and of the very highest level. They have obviously studied this music deeply and have thought through not just every phrase, but every note in fantastic detail...Imaginative playing of this level permeates the entire disc... we should be grateful that Mr. Burrow and Ms. Cheng have made their spectacular artistry available to us.

"My initial impression of this disc is that it is one of the most beautiful, pure and clean recordings I have reviewed over the past 15 years. The ensemble is tight and clear and blends well to perfection resulting in performances that are expressive and filled with beautiful colors and textures. Each performer has opportunities to be featured and brings an expressive voice with great character and purity of sound. The clarinetist, Chad Burrow, plays with great sensitivity and beauty, and manages to maintain what I would consider the perfect clarinet tone throughout the performance, and the entire recording.”

(speaking of Bartok's, Contrasts) “One is able to hear clearly the relationships and interaction of lines, which is refreshingly compelling. It is the most beautiful performance of this piece that I have heard, which in itself makes it unique and different than other recordings currently available. The performers still played with great energy, contrast, and flair, but never pushed their sounds beyond their natural capacity. Chad Burrow provides a great performance which shows great mastery of tone, technique, and musical sensitivity.