The Sacramento Gazette - 2004
"First up was Laurel Zucker, the accomplished flutist who has perfomed with the orchestra on several occasions in the past. On this evening , she showed both her outstanding musical talent and no small amount of an actor's sensibilty as well, as she played and mimed her way through what might be best called a dialogue for solo flute.
The piece "Oliver Knussen's Mask" (1989) is marked by a verbal dispute between two imaginary friends. Ms. Zucker moved between three stations on the stage as she played this demanding work, stopping occasionally to act the parts of the two conversants. It was a remarkable performance of a most unusual work.
She returned to the stage to perform another atonal work, "Song for solo Flute" by Jennifer Higdon. This quixotic piece composed last year, like the Knussen work, makes technical demands that few would dare attempt let alone conquer. Ms. Zucker did both."
E. Haig - The Sacramento Gazette - 2004
CONCERT TOUR IN RUSSIA - 1994
"The Magic Flute of Laurel Zucker - The second evening of the festival was dedicated to chamber music. As the day before, the hero of the evening was Laurel Zucker, the honorable guest of the festival. She performed the Prokofiev Sonata and Debussy's Syrinx. Her instrument can sing and cry as it is alive, lingering in the clouds ...Laurel's understanding of the music is fantastic. Her music can make people forget about their troubles. It brings comfort, excitement and hope. Such talent can be given only by God."
SUMARA NEWS - Russia 1994
"Laurel Zucker is a discovery for us. In America she is one of the best young musicians and composers. She takes part in concerts, competitions, and festivals and always with great success. Laurel is very photogenic. She is always a welcome guest on television."
MOSCOW NEWS - Russia 1995
Concerto Performances of the Foss Flute Concerto
with Camellia Symphony
"Laurel Zucker was featured in the Lucas Foss Flute Concerto. The piece even featured an exciting flute-tambourine duet, only one segment that showed off the superb talents of Zucker. Her agitated flute scales in the 1st movement, whose early bars sound East Indian, her trills, her use of suspenseful breath notes in the final movements all reveal the primitive other-worldly quality of the flute."
SACRAMENTO UNION 1991
"The Camellia Symphony opened its season with a superb performance of Lucas Foss's Renaissance Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, featuring guest artist Laurel Zucker on flute. Laurel Zucker is an accomplished graduate of Juilliard; but more importantly she sounds as good as anyone playing on the world stage today. In the Recitative she sounded like James Galway, producing a full, rich and luscious sonority. she proved her technical abilities in the 4th movement, Jouissance, by producing strings of 32nd notes with ease."
SUTTERTOWN NEWS 1991
"Despite rumors to the contrary, modern classical music can be melodic and fun...That fortunate audience at Hiram Johnson Auditorium, got to hear flutist, Laurel Zucker. Zucker, a nationally recognized flute soloist, interpreted the four movement concerto with playful exuberance and extraordinary technique. In the Recitative, where the lower register predominated for the flute, Zucker was most expressive. Long, luscious, low notes came from her instrument with seaming ease ....Zucker's playing gave off a soft-white glow."
SACRAMENTO BEE - Robert Masullo 1991
California Wind Orchestra Concert
"There is a long florid flute solo that was beautifully
played by virtuoso Laurel Zucker."
SACRAMENTO BEE - 2000
FEATURE ARTICLE IN THE SACRAMENTO BEE - ENCORE SECTION 1993
"Theres Wind in Her Sales... Flutist Laurel Zucker, the owner of Cantilena
Records, has just released its first two CDs: Laurel Zucker Virtuoso Flutist,
and An American Flute Recital. The first features lovely and loving interpretations
by Zucker of four standards: Prokofiev Sonata, Poulenc Sonata, Debussy Syrinx,
and Chaminade Concertino. In the second album Zucker is more experimental
but no less lyrical playing three of her own compositions and five by other
American 20th century composers: Aaron Copland Duo, Kent Kennan Night Soliloquy,
Alec Wilder Sonata No. 2, and Daniel Kingman Scenario Musicale. Zucker says
"I want to record as much of the flute literature as possible- virtually
everything that has been written for the instrument. Its a never-ending
life-long project......"
SACRAMENTO MAGAZINE - Leading Lady 1997
"Once she heard it - at the tender age of nine - she was hooked - Mozart's Concerto in C for Flute and Harp...
SACRAMENTO BEE - ENCORE COVER STORY - April 11, 1999
"Flutes and fanfare, bells and whistles.....CSUS flutist, Laurel Zucker....
SACRAMENTO Gazette - 2002
"First up was Laurel Zucker, the accomplished flautist who has performed with The Gold Country Orchestra on several occasions in the past. On this evening she showed both her outstanding musical talent and
no small amount of an actor's sensability as well, as she played and mimed
her way through what might be described as a dialogue for solo flute. Oliver
Knussen's Masks, is marked by an angry verbal dispute between two imaginary
friends. Ms. Zucker moved between three stations on the stage as she played
this demanding work, stopping occasionally to act the parts of two conversants.
It was a remarkable performance of the a most unusual work. She returned to
perform Song by Jennifer Higdon - this quixotic piece makes technical demands
that few would dare attempt let alone conquer. Ms. Zucker did both."
SACRAMENTO BEE 2001 - FRENCH ARTS FESTIVAL
"Professor of Flute at CSUS, Laurel Zucker has organized
a seven day celebration of the French arts on campus; it reached a classical
culmination with the support of Henrik Jul Hansen and the Gold Country Orchestra.
The evening found a high point with Zucker as soloist in the Flute Concerto
of a 20th century composer Jean-Michel Damase. ...Zucker, one of those musicians
who seems to become the music they're playing."
Concerto Performance with Gold Country Orchestra
September 17, 2001
"Music often has the power to make us feel better, which
is why Mayor Fargo told the audience to go ahead with their concert despite
the terrible events of 9/11 last week.
....Zucker whose commanding powers have been demonstrated so brilliantly in
the past, was in her usual form in the performance of the Nielsen concerto
and Mozart Concerto in C for flute and harp, with harpist Sarah Voynow...."
SACRAMENTO Bee - Glackin
BORNE AND MOZART CONCERTI WITH MERCED SYMPHONY - 2002
"As flutist Laurel Zucker performed Carmen Fantasy for
Flute and Orchestra, patrons eyes rose and mouths gaped as she flew through
the piece with astounding speed and skill. One patron could not contain his
astonishment and whispered loudly 'Phew" before the performance was complete.
The flutist is a very fine soloist. She is up there with the top players in
the world. She has wonderful tone and an excellent way of shaping a musical
phrase. The performance elicited sighs of delight and thunderous applause
from the audience."
Merced Sunstar - Nov. 2002
WIND PLAYER MAGAZINE 1998 - Feature Article
"A Warm -Up That Works - Laurel Zucker...."
NEW YORK POST - Musica Sacra Concert - 1980
"Laurel Zucker..brilliant."
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Walnut Street Theater - Marlboro Music Festival Tour - 1977
"The second movement rose to its greatest emotional
achievements in the soaring flute solo played by Laurel Zucker."
THE WASHINGTON STAR - Smithsonian Baird Auditorium
Marlboro Music Tour - 1977
"...extraordinarily gifted young wind player..Laurel
Zucker."
THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE at Clark Museum
Marlboro Music Festival Tour - 1977
"Laurel Zucker..is a soloist in her field, a fact which
shown through as the evening progressed."
THE WASHINGTON EVENING BULLETIN
Smithsonian Baird Auditorium - Marlboro Music Tour - 1977
"...the flute provided an Indian-summer quality of secure texture."
PRINCETON TOWN TOPICS - Music from Marlboro Tour - 1977
"...displayed an impressive tonal range...and the flute
was sparkling."
NEW YORK TIMES - Peter G. Davis - 1981 - Avery Fisher Hall
"Not the least of the evening's musical pleasures was
provided by the superb instrumentalists who played the important obligato
parts, a group made up of Jean Ingraham, violinist, Andre Emelianoff, cellsit,
Ronald Roseman, oboist, Laurel Zucker, flutist, David Jolley, French hornist,
and Martin Berinbaum, trumpeter."
NEW YORK TIMES - Edward Rothstein - 1981 - Carnegie Hall
"...Jean Ingraham's solo in Bachs 4th Brandenburg Concerto
restored our species reputation for personality and intelligence, incisively
aided by flutists Paul Dunkel and Laurel Zucker.'
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE - 1989
"Armer's Pipe dreams was also enthusiastically received.
This was a piece in three parts, written for flutist Laurel Zucker, who presented
its premiere..a joyfulaccount of what can be expected from the flute in terms
of flamboyant gutsiness, erotic heat and just-plain sweetness."
SACRAMENTO BEE - 1989
...an emerging musician of talent..played her magic flute
Monday evening...displayed an uncommon attention to the music .....she justifiably
can show off and handle the most exacting scores in a supple and seamless
manner."
SACRAMENTO BEE - 1989
"Flutist Laurel Zucker showed her own impressive mettle in
Pipe Dreams by Elinor Amer. Zucker's tonal subtlety, her expressive phrasing
and the fluid way she played the delicate phrases of 'Poppies" were outstanding."
SACRAMENTO BEE - 1990
"Zucker, an accomplished performer, has been busy on
the local concert scene since arriving in 1988. As they say in sports of a
first rate athlete, she came to play. The Boehm piece 'Nel Cor Piu" is
largely a display piece, but pretty to hear all the same; she stated the theme
in flowing, liquid tones and a lyric style, and then tore into the florid
variations with impressive articulation of the phrasing and the individual
notes!"
OTHER STAGES NEWS - Washington Square Church in New York City - 1982
Dances from the Repertoire of Isadora Duncan
"Quinlan-Krichels dancers presented a varied program of Duncan dances
and two musical interludes, including a contemporary composition, the lovely
'Aurora for violin and harp' composed by Laurel Zucker."
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