Acclaim

“Beethoven’s “Seventh Symphony” heated up the entire second half of the program.  Conducting without a score, Roger Kalia displayed both his love of the symphony and his careful attention to the symphony’s many musical challenges.  And it was worth it…A thrilling performance of which Kalia and the orchestra should be proud.”
–Courier & Press 

“Roger Kalia showed his musical mettle from the very beginning of the program, with the Dances of Galánta of Zoltán Kodály. The composition is a setting of dance-like themes and rhythms that suggest the gypsy-inspired street bands of Kodály’s youth. With a great variety of tempos, irregular rhythms and solos for many instruments, the work surely taxes the ability of the conductor to control the ensemble. These demands presented no problem for Kalia, who danced along with the music yet seemed to offer just the right cues and direction.”
–Courier & Press 

“…what a remarkable performance [of the Mendelssohn “Scottish” symphony] — from the refined elegance of the first movement to the jaunty second movement (with wonderful solo clarinet played by UE faculty member Thomas Josenhans, recently returned from England for this event) to the dramatic third movement and finally to the tumultuous fourth with its triumphant coda in A major. Mendelssohn’s paean to the rugged beauty of that northern nation came alive in this fine performance, with the EPO under the extraordinary leadership of Kalia.”
–Courier & Press 

“Mr. Kalia did beautiful things with that much-beloved piece [New World Symphony].  His reading as conductor is strong and powerful, evoking its most muscular and evocative beauty…Responding to overwhelming emotion and enthusiasm from both audience and players, they encored the last few moments of the piece.  It was a triumph.”
–The Glens Falls Chronicle 

“What was effectively a “pick-up” symphony orchestra of outstanding musicians from around the world led by the brilliant young American conductor Roger Kalia “hit the ball out of the park.”  The rendering of the two-piece program absolutely overwhelmed an audience that buried the musicians with non-stop shouts of “bravo,” comprising a lengthy standing ovation.”
-The Glens Falls Post Star

“Roger Kalia…emerges to my ear as the festival’s secret weapon.  His enthusiasm and positivism, at least from my vantage as an observer, is unbounded.  His leadership, impressive. “
–The Glens Falls Chronicle 

“The wildly positive crowd response prompted Kalia and his enthusiastic cohort to perform a clearly unplanned encore replaying one movement of Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9.  The obviously familiar piece was rendered with vigor and joie de vivre that engulfed the listeners like a tsunami…I found the performance to be one of the most memorable I have ever experienced, as many in the audience very obviously did as well.”
-The Glens Falls Post Star

“He has envisioned an unboundaried venue where popular music meets classical—and here, he has the wherewithal to realize that vision, to overwhelmingly engaging ends.  How could he not be thrilled?   Again, this was most clearly thrilling for him, as well as for the audience and the musicians.  Lucky, lucky all of us.  Music making should always be such juicy pleasure.”
–The Glens Falls Chronicle 

“Kalia led with passionate intensity and a clear beat…He’s one to watch  “
– Long Beach Gazette 

“…the entire orchestra, under conductor Roger Kalia, were all fantastic, clearly caught up in the moment and launching it and us into a musical bliss.”
–The Glens Falls Chronicle 

“It’s hard to imagine any orchestra anywhere playing Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony better than they [Lake George Music Festival Symphony Orchestra] played it that night.  This festival has a limitless horizon.”
–The Glens Falls Chronicle 

“It was readily apparent that he [Kalia] and the musicians had a very positive rapport going on, and the results were obvious in the quality of the music-making…and given the warmth of the response he received from the audience after the concert, it’s clear that the audience connected with him too.
– Daily Telegram

“Kalia is a very fine young conductor with a solid technique, some really good musical ideas, and the strength as a conductor to work those ideas out in collaboration with the orchestra.”
– Daily Telegram

“Kalia was able to bring out lovely dynamic contrasts…and move seamlessly between tempi and meters.”
– Arts Memphis

“Kalia brings a fresh view to classical music.”
– The Republic