Quotes

"Derek Bermel's "Voices", a concerto for clarinet, with the composer playing the solo part brilliantly, was fun, music with brash humor, clever scoring, evocations of elegiac Irish bagpipes in the slow movement, and Led Zeppelin in the finale."

- THE NEW YORK TIMES

De jury prees "Continental Divide" van Derek Bermel al l'veel-belovend'....Bermel studeerde hoorbaar bij Louis Andriessen en houdt van een swingende puls, zijn flink bezette compositie verloopt steeds brutaler en abrupter." ["The jury praised "Continental Divide" by Derek Bermel as 'forward-looking....Bermel studied composition with Louis Andriessen, and prefers a swinging pulse. His broadly orchestrated work is bold and striking."]

- NRC HANDELSBLAND

"Derek Bermel's "Wanderings" is keen in sonic imagination."

- CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER

"The slow movement (of the Bolcom concerto) gave Bermel ample opportunity to demonstrate the beautiful tone the clarinet is possible of producing in the hands of a master....Bermel left little room to doubt his command of the instrument as he easily handled the demanding passages in [the final] movement."

- NEWS AND RECORD, Greensboro (NC)

" Derek Bermel's "Hot Zone" features virtuosic, dynamic orchestrations and colors via heavily syncopated tutti rhythms which contrast nicely with melismatic solo writing for English horn and cello."

- NEW MUSIC CONNOISSEUR

"Bright night - Westchester Philharmonic pulls off a dazzling 'Exchange' Bermel's sophisticated orchestration ["Thracian Echoes"] and meticulous part-writing made every stage direction and sound effect a vital part of this highly evocative, but never-once-incidental work. He created a powerful work of art that speaks a language all its own and is built-to last."

- THE JOURNAL NEWS, [New York]

"Guest conductor Derek Bermel presided over appealing works in a number of styles. Bermel's "Continental Divide" makes no claims to monumentalism, instead shooting musical accents off long notes and exuding jazzy energy. Hints of lyricism peek through the textures, as do passages of gleeful cacophony. The composer led a crisp account of his inviting nine-minute piece."

- CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER

"["The Ends"] was cute, funny and brilliantly orchestrated -- the longest, most elaborate bowing out in music after Beethoven's Fifth."

- WASHINGTON POST

"The bold, brisk composition ["Dust Dances"], based on the marimba-like gyil music of Ghana, was an invigorating, percussive delight. And for all its microtonal passages and motoric, Minimalist phrasing, it had refreshing charm."

- COMMERCIAL APPEAL [Memphis]

"Bermel showed great accomplishment in setting voice with orchestra ["At the End of the World"], and drew marvelous effects from the players."

- METROLAND [Albany, NY]

"Bermel set the texts inventively "Nature Calls" / "Three Songs on Poems by Wendy S. Walters". Vocal lines moved effortlessly from song to speech to halfway between. The scores even seemed to ask for the dramatic movement and gestures that Timothy Jones used to make his performances almost magical."

- HOUSTON CHRONICLE

"'Three Rivers" by Derek Bermel, a new-music composer who has dipped into rock and African music, finessed the distinction between big band and chamber ensemble. As the themes overlapped, grappled, fused and pulled apart, the earthy beat and angular melodies made the music swagger like a more abstract "West Side Story.'"

- THE NEW YORK TIMES

"Derek Bermel's "Voices," a concerto for clarinet and orchestra, is a crowd-pleaser that is likely to enter the repertory of every orchestra that had a representative in the audience. Part of the appeal lies in the virtuosity and charisma of the composer, who was soloist. There doesn't seem to be anything Bermel can't do with the clarinet; but the appeal also lies in the music, which adds dimensions of wit and intelligence to melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic elements of immediate popular appeal. This is the kind of piece that makes your day."

- BOSTON GLOBE