In the Press
“There was first-rate playing from the Washington Ballet Orchestra. Scott Speck paced the score to perfection…”
—The New York Times
“Elliot Goldenthal’s lushly burnished score (with echoes of Prokofiev and Shostakovich, plus subtle riffs of jazz) is vividly played by the Chicago Sinfonietta, led by Scott Speck.”
– The Chicago Sun Times
“Scott Speck’s sensuous and exciting interpretation took the audience by storm. His sure, free and expressive style of conducting electrified and swept away the Russian musicians. The sophisticated Moscow public, which has heard many masterful interpretations of [Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony and Piano Concerto no. 1], was extremely generous with long and enthusiastic applause… another small but illustrative detail, which did not go unnoticed by the audience: Speck never opened the score of the music in front of him.”
—Pravda, Moscow
“Scott Speck and the orchestra gave another sizzling reading during performances last week at the War Memorial Opera House.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“The San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, in resplendent form under the direction of Scott Speck, alone would be worth a trip to the Opera House. Speck’s conducting was masterful — magical in its balance of purely musical and extramusical values.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“Maestro Speck is as energetic as he is talented.”
—Baltimore Sun
“Scott Speck is a buoyant, expressive young conductor with a charismatic personality that leaps over the footlights. The young maestro brings the listener to the level of the music, not the reverse.”
—Hilton Head Island Packet
“SYMPHONY WOWS AUDIENCE…Scott Speck and the orchestra gave an exquisite, beautifully sculpted performance that brought the piece to glorious life.”
—Savannah News-Press
“The absolute highlight of this concert was Speck’s conducting. Speck, not using any score, kept the orchestra totally under his formidable control. This performance must be rated among the best I have ever heard.”
—Whitehall Beacon, Michigan
“Speck is doing for our orchestra what Leonard Slatkin did for St. Louis: bringing living American music to the forefront of his programming. Not only does he have the courage to program the music, he also has the ability to induce the orchestra to play that music with conviction. “The improvement since Scott Speck took over is nothing short of phenomenal. The strings sounded better than they have in 20 years, and the brass playing was probably the best ever heard from this orchestra.”
—Muskegon Chronicle
“Scott Speck is a consummate musician with a natural musical gift. His ears are among the finest I have ever encountered — a factor that is critical in building a great orchestra.”
—Christopher Wilkins, Music Director Emeritus, San Antonio Symphony
“Scott Speck is a great artist and musician. He has a rare combination — even for a very high class conductor — of sensitive interest in the interpretation of the soloist and his own extraordinary musical creativity. I have never met such a responsive and sensitive conductor; he created the performance of my dreams.”
—Yuri Rozum, pianist, People’s Artist of Russia
“Scott Speck is the most enthusiastic conductor I have ever worked with. He is extremely well-prepared and has outstanding interactive skills with audience and orchestra alike. With Scott Speck, we always get 200 percent.”
—Roger Daily, Director of Education, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Former Director of Education, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
“Scott Speck’s popularity at the Honolulu Symphony is phenomenal! Even conducting sixty concerts a year, his performances remain fresh and exciting, eliciting a consistently enthusiastic response from the players and the public.”
—Joseph McAlister, Education Director, Honolulu Symphony
“The positive feedback from the orchestra and the public has been overwhelming! Scott Speck’s ability to establish an instant rapport in a concert hall of 3,000 people is truly amazing. He seems to have an instinctive communication link with his audience.”
—Patricia Vemer, Education Director, Oregon Symphony
“Scott Speck was a great find. He delivered polished performances of three different programs with an absolute minimum of rehearsal time. His rapport with the orchestra and the audience was outstanding. The players commented on his thorough preparation and well-run rehearsals. We look forward to working again with Scott Speck.”
—Charles Calmer, Artistic Administrator, Oregon Symphony, Former Artistic Administrator, Detroit Symphony
“Scott Speck’s concert with the Columbus (OH) Symphony Orchestra was a huge success. So much so that we have immediately re-engaged him for next season. The ease with which he negotiated a complex program with the orchestra and audience was amazing. He has a refreshing demeanor, outstanding musicality and superior baton technique. A very rewarding experience for all.”
—Dan Hart, Executive Director, Buffalo Philharmonic, Former President and Executive Director, Columbus (OH) Symphony
“It was a great pleasure working with Scott Speck…. he was enthusiastically received by both the musicians and the audience, and led especially effective performances. We look forward to having him back.”
—Rod Martell, Artistic Operations Director,Virginia Symphony
“Scott Speck is a great communicator of classical music, both as a conductor and as an eloquent spokesman. He exudes his passion for music in every gesture and every word.”
—David Styers, Artistic Services, American Symphony Orchestra League, 1998