Reviews—Conductor
Oregon Artswatch
December 2019. Concert “Christmas in Ukraine” Portland, OR
[The audience was] “made breathless by the sheer beauty of the singing.” F. Heuer
New York Concert Review
March 2014, Concert “A Cappella Next” at Weill Hall/Carnegie Hall
“The energetic Marika Kuzma led her ensemble through this varied program with precise attention to detail…. It was all given an excellent performance.” J. Williams
Fanfare Magazine
February 2014, CD review I cried out to the Lord, Naxos International
“If you think an hour of unaccompanied choral music can become monotonous, think again.” D. Morrison
Voix des Arts
July 2013, CD review I cried out to the Lord, Naxos International
“From start to finish, this is a wonderful disc that introduces the listener to the music of a truly original voice…. With performances of this quality achieved by Marika Kuzma on this disc, the music of Bortniansky seems poised for rediscovery.” J. Newsome
San Francisco Classical Voice
April 2009, Britten War Requiem
“A stirring and spectacular performance before a large, enrapt audience. Marika Kuzma and a supporting cast of hundreds thoroughly vitalized the work.” J. Langert
San Francisco Classical Voice
March 2006, Bach Matthaus-Passion
“I will give the crown in this performance to director Marika Kuzma, for the choruses were divine. This is an extremely difficult piece for the chorus, yet every nuance, every character shift was absolutely there.”
R. Ahrendt
Washington Post
May 1995 “Icons of Slavic Music” Chamber
“The singing was intelligent, responsive, and well balanced.”
J. Reinthaler
Reviews—Chorus Master
San Francisco Classical Voice
April 2017, Shostakovich Symphony No. 13, Babi Yar
[The choral singing]: “chill inducing.”
San Francisco Chronicle
May, 2015, Adams, Death of Klinghoffer
“The chorus, directed by Marika Kuzma gave potent voice to all of it.”
J. Kosman
Le Devoir (Montreal, Quebec)
January 2008, Wagner Tannhäuser, Montreal Symphony
“Choeur exceptionnel.” C. Huss
La Presse (Montreal, Quebec)
December 2007 Bach Weihnachts-Oratorium, Montreal Symphony
“Pour le choeur, je note: discipline et ferveur.” C. Gingras
New York Times
October 2006, Purcell King Arthur, Mark Morris Dance Group
“…superior musical performance by the London cast and conductor, Jane Glover, paired with Philharmonia Baroque and the first-rate UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus.” J. Rockwell
San Francisco Chronicle
March 2002, Liderman Song of Songs
SF Contemporary Chamber Players
“The most stirring contribution was the beautifully nuanced singing of Marika Kuzma’s UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus.” J. Kosman
Opera News
December 1995, Handel Saul, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra
“The powerful concentration of Marika Kuzma’s University of California Chamber Chorus provided an exciting backdrop for the soloists.”
S. von Buchau
San Francisco Examiner
September 1995, Handel Saul
“All might have taken a diction lesson from Kuzma’s lusty choristers who left no syllable unarticulated and no musical marvel unexplored.”