Reviews
National Gallery Series Concert
West Garden Court, December 21, 2003
Joseph McLellan, The Washington Post, December 23, 2003
The National Men's Chorus, (under its founder and conductor, Thomas Beveridge, combined operatic, patriotic and seasonal material in its program Sunday evening in the National Gallery's West Garden Court. The program opened with operatic choruses by Verdi, Mozart and Gounod, but much of the rest was composed or arranged by Beveridge, who has more than 500 works,to his credit, plus numerous arrangements for men's chorus.
Men's Chorus: Burnished Reassurance
"The chorus sang with firm, burnished, superbly blended tone and a clear, precise diction that any professional opera chorus might envy."
-- Joseph McLellan
The Washington Post
December 11, 2001
'Masters' of Harmony
Joseph McLellan, December 7, 1999
"The National Men's Chorus made a triumphant debut before a capacity audience Sunday
at Western Presbyterian Church on Virginia Avenue NW with "Masters in This Hall,"
a program focusing on the music of Christmas and Hanukah. . . . "
Cherubini
John Pitcher, April 11, 2000
"...Beveridge's reading revealed Cherubini's uncanny grasp of shading... the 42 member chorus gave a polished and occasionally effervescent performance. The ensemble opened with a worthy interpretation of Gounod's Mass for Male Voices and Organ."
Jefferson and Mozart
Joseph McLellan, March 27, 2001
Lovers of neglected music had a rare opportunity Sunday when Thomas Beveridge and the National Men's Chorus performed Mozart's Masonic music with a chamber orchestra and solos by tenor Benjamin Warschawski and bass Paul Appeldoorn. The performances, superbly styled and introduced with short, informative commentaries by the conductor, were given in the most appropriate available auditorium: the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria.
. . . . The National Men's Chorus, founded less than two years ago, has already developed
a distinctive profile. The chorus sang with smooth, well-blended tone, emotional
conviction and a clarity of diction that was a pure joy, particularly in the eloquent
texts of "Testament of Freedom," which were written by Thomas Jefferson.