Critical Acclaim for Together!
“All in all, this disc is smart, fun, and marvelously played.” - Fanfare Magazine, James Reel
"Not for nothing was the first CD Salerno-Sonnenberg released with the orchestra entitled "Together"...it's a testament to the unanimity and cohesiveness with which these artists have joined forces." - Gramophone Magazine, Joshua Kosman
"Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg continues to bring vitality to this already accomplished and acclaimed ensemble. Her debut album with the NCCO has a Latin flavor...There is a warm, romantic feeling to much of this music, and despite the considerable technical demands of these bravura pieces, the music and those strong emotions are never overshadowed." - Strings Magazine, Greg Cahill
“Salerno-Sonnenberg was and most definitely is a force to be reckoned with [and] the superb musicianship of her cohorts ensured that it was far more than her show… a marvelous CD that should help propel the NCCO into the national spotlight.” – San Francisco Classical Voice, Jason Serinus
“The New Century CO is a 23-member group of great finesse and obvious passion… I hope Nadja continues this excellent programming with her new band. This recital is played to perfection and offers an hour of sheer enjoyment.” – Fanfare Magazine, Steven E. Ritter
"Violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg has been a solo artist for many years. By teaming up with the New Century Chamber Orchestra she's stretching into [a new] world...and totally digging it! Their first recording is bursting with the joy these musicians are experiencing as they make music, 'Together.'" - Minnesota Public Radio, Julie Amacher
"Salerno-Sonnenberg looks toward a future in which concert music neither ignores popular music nor aspires to be part of it...the Piazzolla proves an effective showcase for the theater-of-equals idea Salerno-Sonnenberg is developing as both soloist and music director of the all-virtuoso NCCO...This disc makes one eager to hear their future work, with the single caveat that this may prove a hard act to follow." - All Music Guide, James Manheim
“A beguiling portrait of this new chapter in the group's history…You can hear right away the electricity and verve that Salerno-Sonnenberg has brought to the ensemble's playing” – San Francisco Chronicle, Joshua Kosman
“Sonnenberg is still at the top of her game as she leads 25 ace string players in an interesting and eclectic program……The New Century Chamber Orchestra has been around since 1992 with former directors now leading orchestras at the L.A. Opera and NYC’s Mostly Mozart Festival. As I have not heard the orchestra until now, I cannot attest to the previous standards. What I will attest to is the amazing Sonnenberg’s famous energy and creativity in offering a showcase for what is obviously a very fine string orchestra." - Audiophilia.com, Anthony Kershaw
“From that live wire Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and her New Century Chamber Orchestra comes their first collaboration on disc, recorded at Skywalker Studios in Marin under her own NSS Music label and titled, fittingly enough, "Together." ....I'm particularly taken with the Argentine composer's tango-ized riff on an idea first musically rendered by Vivaldi. Piazzolla's "seasons," although originally written separately for his own quintet, were later rearranged into a suite for Gidon Kremer's Kremerata Baltica, and it is this arrangement that Salerno-Sonnenberg fell madly in love with and performs with such fire and sensitivity on this disc.” - Contra Costa Times, Sue Gilmore
“In San Francisco's New Century Chamber Orchestra, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg takes on two novel roles, as music director and orchestra member, specifically, as concertmaster. She's an excellent fit on “Impressions: Suite for Chamber Orchestra,” by Brazilian composer Clarice Assad. The five-movement piece is dynamic, fresh and sharply played.” - The Aspen Times, Stewart Oksenhorn
“Anyone who’s seen violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg knows the electric intensity she communicates. For her first recording with the New Century Chamber Orchestra, you don’t need visuals for her talents to mesmerize, and the CD’s bright, up-close acoustic only adds to the sense of “being there...Salerno-Sonnenberg’s solos are by turns sensuous, sassy, shimmering and soulful, grabbing one’s attention as few performers can.” - Raleigh News & Observer