San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 September 2006

By JAMES CHUTE

It was only with Saturday's concert, in the Beethoven Violin Concerto, that the orchestra's and the [new] hall's true capabilities became evident. The concerto has its share of high notes for the soloist, which even in the hands of the most masterful violinists are too often strident and forced, such is the need to project them into large, contemporary concert halls. But because of the acoustics (and the way they ever-so-slightly sustained the tone, rather than immediately cutting it off), an inspired, impassioned Midori was able to float those notes in perfect, bell-like, spine-tingling passages.

[Conductor Carl] St.Clair slowed the second movement almost to the breaking point, but Midori stayed with him note for note, sustaining each line ....