“I couldn’t help but find myself smiling and tapping my foot or slapping my thigh.” Leonard added, “The seats in the recital hall restrained the audience unnaturally — we should all have been dancing.”
~ Dan Kipp, The Kenyon Collegian September 15, 2011 (link to review source)
“This was an infectious and utterly captivating concert that obviously resonated with the sizable number of people in attendance.”
~ Edward Reichel, Reichel Recommends September 12, 2011 (link to review source)
“All [pieces] were entertaining, appealing and done superbly well with a sense of informality and fun. Not to be outdone by all that plucking, bowing and blowing of instruments, the soprano used a wide range of textures with her fine voice, altering it as the context demanded.”
~ Jann Benson, Early Music Colorado Quarterly Fall/Winter 2006-7
“The Mississippi Academy of Ancient Music has scored again, with this wonderful presentation which was greatly appreciated by the unusually large and enthusiastic audience.”
~ Glen A. Gentry, The Continuo Review January 2007
“The two-hour presentation was done with fully professional aplomb – some of the music carrying a snappy rhythmic thrust, onto which I could groove.”
~ Tom Aldridge, Nuvo Arts Magazine of Indianapolis June 2005
“Houston’s early music groups make old up-to-date.”
~ Charles Ward, Houston Chronicle Preview September 22, 2002 (link to review source)
“Performances of the sung music were consistently high.”
~ Charles Ward, Houston Chronicle September 30, 2002 (link to review source)
“Istanpitta took such upbeat material and played it with enthusiasm and an enjoyment that filtered throughout the audience.”
~ Robi Polgar, Austin Chronicle October 4, 2002 (link to review source)
“The energy the musicians put into the tunes and their obvious delight in playing them kept this show from being a mere educational exercise in early musical forms. This music lives and breathes and stamps its feet, showing little sign of its advanced age.”
~ Michael Toland, High Bias February 23, 2002