By Scott Cantrell | The Dallas Morning News
[Richard McKay’s] program was imaginative and appealing, and it was very well performed, with particularly eloquent contributions from Danny Goldman (clarinet) and Rebekah Lorenz (horn).
The concert’s first half featured illustrative works from the early 20th century [Ottorino Respighi’s Trittico botticelliano, and Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending]. The second half was devoted to Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony.
In both works, McKay drew clarity, color and expressivity from his musicians… It’s impossible to imagine a finer performance of the solo part than Tuesday’s by violinist Sarah Ying Ma. Everything was fastidiously executed, in an amazing coloristic range from warmly glowing low notes to top notes sweetly singing or gleaming, as required. In art concealing art, apparent spontaneity was supported by a keen sense of proportion and structure.
In the Beethoven McKay was pretty close to the composer’s metronome markings for all but the slower second movement, but even his more relaxed pace there had plenty of momentum. Less the usual monumental Beethoven, this performance was freshly athletic and aerobic — surely what the composer wanted.