August 20, 2020
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
"...distant, ethereal atmospherics of Sally Beamish’s Reed Stanzas, its opening offstage incantation by Scots second violinist Donald Grant imbued with eerie folksiness, like a delicate touchpaper catalysing the airy, agile mysticism that ensued, illuminated by the crystalline lucidness of the full ensemble."
Ken Walton reviews the Elias String Quartet's Edinburgh International Festival 'Chamber Music Soundscapes' filmed concert, featuring 'Reed Stanzas', for The Scotsman
November 13, 2019
"Harmonically bountiful, ever subtle"
November 12, 2019
"It’s inspiring for a composer to write for players she knows well" - Sally Beamish
November 12, 2019
"She knew that the piece should really be a celebration, but when writing the music it came out as an elegy."
October 05, 2019
"Incorporating subtle quotes from Bach, Handel, and Mendelssohn respectively, its three short movements sparkled with grace and stylistic variety in this nimble performance."
July 16, 2019
"Sally Beamish’s A Myndin’ is a beautiful, light-textured, gentle work"
Tim Homfray reviews Endellion String Quartet's 40th Anniversary concert at London's Wigmore Hall, featuring specially commissioned piece A Myndin'.
May 29, 2019
"weaves echoes of Scottish folk music into a beautiful study of memory and nostalgia that aspires to timelessness"
★ ★ ★ ★
Tim Ashley reviews Endellion String Quartet's 40th Anniversary concert at London's Wigmore Hall, featuring specially commissioned piece A Myndin'.
May 26, 2019
A fiery journey with Branford Marsalis through Europe and beyond
★ ★ ★ ★
May 17, 2019
"wistful and distant as if heard over water, strings enhancing the mystery" - David Cusworth
Bachtrack
January 25, 2019
Laura Volpi talks to Sally about her composing and performing career.
San Francisco Classical Voice
November 06, 2018
"Crabb and Marwood were worthy collaborators indeed"
Jessica Balik reviews the New Century Chamber Orchestra with soloists Anthony Marwood (violin) and James Crabb (accordion) for SFCV, including a performance of Seavaigers.
Citiblog
April 19, 2018
"a spellbinding, immersive ballet which creates an utterly convincing undersea world"
Chris Gregg reviews Northern Ballet's The Little Mermaid at Milton Keynes Theatre for Citiblog.
The Reviews Hub
April 19, 2018
* * * *
"The 27 piece Northern Sinfonia orchestra truly does justice to Sally Beamish’s excellent score"
Maggie Constable reviews Northern Ballet's The Little Mermaid at Milton Keynes Theatre for The Reviews Hub.
Buckingham Today
April 17, 2018
"The music, specially written for the show by Sally Beamish, was a delight"
Hannah Richardson reviews Northern Ballet's The Little Mermaid at Milton Keynes Theatre for Buckingham Today.
Bachtrack
March 24, 2018
* * * * *
"A MASTERPIECE"
Kirsty Morgan gives a shining 5-star review of Northern Ballet's The Little Mermaid on Bachtrack.com
Edinburgh Guide
March 24, 2018
* * * *
"The Little Mermaid is a production saturated with talent and grace, from conception to execution."
Katie Stephen gives a 4-star review of Northern Ballet's 'The Little Mermaid' on EdinburghGuide.com
Herald Scotland
March 23, 2018
* * * *
"Nixon’s choreography – like Beamish’s specially commissioned score – shifts persuasively between the fluidity of the undersea realm and the more grounded energies on land."
Mary Brennan give's Northern Ballet's 'The Little Mermaid' four stars in The Herald.
The Reviews Hub
December 12, 2017
Sally talks to hocTok about her life, music, method and inspiration.
The Reviews Hub
December 07, 2017
"Full bodied, cinematic and lush, the music moves along with the ebbs and flows of the sea."
Holly Spanner reviews The Little Mermaid at Leeds Grand Theatre for The Reviews Hub.
The Gay UK
December 07, 2017
* * * *
"The original score (...) flits between the primarily light and playful to the romantic and finally to the dramatic, feeling cinematic and engaging"
Paul Szabo reviews The Little Mermaid at Leeds Grand Theatre for The Gay UK.
Review: The Judas Passion - Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment - St John's Smith Square, London
The Spectator
October 06, 2017
Painted more shades of grey than a Farrow & Ball catalogue: The Judas Passion reviewed
Alexandra Coghlan reviews The Judas Passion, performed by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment at St John's Smith Square.
Review: The Judas Passion - Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment - St John's Smith Square, London
Bachtrack
September 27, 2017
To the field of blood: Sally Beamish's The Judas Passion
* * * *
"In the 21st century, the secular resonances of this piece can't help but compel."
Benjamin Poore awards four stars to The Judas Passion, performed by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment at St John's Smith Square.
Review: The Tempest - Houston Ballet
Houston Chronicle
May 25, 2017
Houston Ballet's 'Tempest' a sophisticated spectacle
"Bintley's choreography brings the complex elements of William Shakespeare's late-period romance evocatively into focus, without words, on the wings of Sally Beamish's atmospheric score and Rae Smith's riveting designs."
Molly Glentzer reviews Houston Ballet's US premiere of The Tempest.
Interview: The Tempest - Houston Ballet
Houston Chronicle
May 18, 2017
Composer conjours aural magic for Houston Ballet's 'The Tempest'
"When Bintley discovered Beamish a few years ago, he knew he'd finally found a composer whose help could deliver all he imagined."
Molly Glentzer interviews Sally and director David Bintley ahead of the US premiere of The Tempest.
Review: Piano Concerto No. 3 City Stanzas - RSNO / Biss / Oundjian - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Herald Scotland
April 08, 2017
****
"City Stanzas reminds us, with a quiet confidence, of the excitement (and importance) of music as response to the human condition"
Rosie Davies reviews the RSNO's Glasgow performance of Sally's third piano concerto City Stanzas, with soloist Jonathan Biss and conductor Peter Oundjian.
Review: Piano Concerto No. 3: City Stanzas - St Paul Chamber Orchestra / Biss / Santora - Ordway Concert Hall, St Paul, Minnesota
Minneapolis Star Tribune
January 20, 2017
Politics shades Beamish concerto premiered by SPCO
"a punchy, pugnacious addition to the concerto repertoire and should travel successfully well beyond the Twin Cities"
Terry Blain reviews the world premiere of Sally's Piano Concerto No. 3 City Stanzas, performed by Jonathan Biss and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra under conductor Mischa Santora at Ordway Concert Hall, St Paul, Minnesota.
Review: Piano Concerto No. 3: City Stanzas - St Paul Chamber Orchestra / Biss / Santora - Ordway Concert Hall, St Paul, Minnesota
Twin Cities
January 20, 2017
SPCO finds bliss with Biss, Beamish and Beethoven
Rob Hubbard reviews the world premiere of Sally's Piano Concerto No. 3 City Stanzas, performed by Jonathan Biss and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra under conductor Mischa Santora at Ordway Concert Hall, St Paul, Minnesota.
Review: Piano Concerto no. 2: Cauldron of the Speckled Seas - BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra / Dausgaard / Roscoe
Herald Scotland
December 10, 2016
"one of the finest, and undiluted, celebrations of contemporary music it has been my delight to revel in over the last 30 years"
Michael Tumelty gives a glowing 5-star review to the BBC SSO's Scottish Inspirations concert at Glasgow City Halls with conductor Thomas Dausgaard, featuring Sally's Piano Concerto No 2: Cauldron of the Speckled Seas with pianist Martin Roscoe.
Interview: Why The Tempest is set to cause a storm in Sunderland
Sunderland Echo
September 14, 2016
“I rarely make a full-length ballet without a new score. Quite often I have an idea and it connects with a composer.”
Katy Wheeler speaks to Birmingham Royal Ballet director David Bintley about new ballet The Tempest, with score by Sally Beamish.
Review: Merula Perpetua - BBC Proms
Classical Source
August 28, 2016
Proms Chamber Music 7: Armida Quartett, Lise Berthaud, David Saudubray
It is strongly programmatic music with a personal connection to the late Peter Maxwell Davies"
Antony Hodgson reviews the final Proms Chamber Music concert of 2016, including the world premiere of Sally's Merula Perpetua.
Review: 'A Cage of Doves' - BBC SO / Vedernikov - St Magnus Festival 2016
The Scotsman
June 26, 2016
Pickacoy Centre, Kirkwall - St Magnus International Festival 2016
* * * *
Carol Main gives 4 stars to the BBC SO's performance at St Magnus International Festival under conductor Alexander Vedernikov - including Sally Beamish's 'A Cage of Doves'.
Feature: 'La Mer' - Hebrides Ensemble
The Scotsman