Reviews
"A great presence before the whole orchestra as well as its individual sections, Duilio Dobrin made a grand impression. A program drawn from the rich and spectacular Russian repertoire allowed him to shine. He began the concert with the brief and boisterous “Festive Overture” by Shostakovich, with a devilish sense of musical detail and an infallible sense of rhythm. As a piece de resistance, he chose the Fourth Symphony by Tchaikovsky. It is the most clamorous of them all; with its wall-shaking brass fanfares. He led the young orchestra to a maximum of intensity, enthusiasm, and power, while constantly bringing out its harmonic detail."
La Presse, Montreal
"He began with a Berlioz Le Corsaire Overture that was beautifully drawn out, without a hint of lag. There was a wonderful sense of flow and an understanding of precisely how the musical line should unfold, and Dobrin had the full support of the players, who were at their spit-and-polish best… Probably not even Saint Saens himself could have played this piece [Piano Concerto Nr. 5] to a stodgy accompaniment, and fortunately [ Santiago ]Rodriguez didn't have to. In my limited gallery of live performances, Rodriguez received the best accompaniment of all from Dobrin--a really joyous job… It takes a glorious masterpiece like Franck's D minor Symphony to follow such stuff and make an impact, and Dobrin's performance did. He caught the almost religious aura of its mystical dusk; understood precisely how the horns and winds simulate the reed stops of an organ; gave the English horn solo, exquisitely played, its unhurried space and stirred up the finale to an incandescent glow."
Miami Herald
"Under the baton of its able young conductor, the orchestra responded with a performance that zipped buoyantly along with skill and zeal"
The New York Times
“Musicians followed Dobrin with great concentration and showed off a very clear and brilliant sound; – very American – which was, no doubt, the outstanding work of the conductor”
La Prensa, Buenos Aires
"Sensational concert of Celia Cruz with the Philharmonic. The orchestra was brilliantly conducted by Argentine maestro Duilio Dobrin, the force behind this [Latin Pops] series, …he was also responsible for all the musical arrangements…all attendees, both Anglo and Hispanic agreed that this was an unforgettable evening."
Diario las Americas, Miami
"Dobrin kept the impetus high: tempos did not draw attention to themselves, but the music, consistently, did...the sound was balanced, detailed and handsome. Somehow, the Argentine-born American was able to make climactic points with musical content rather than sheer sound, and fill the room without overwhelming it. All this reflected the confidence he was able to nurture in the players. Strings sounded warm at all levels of volume and resilient in the pizzicato figures of the Scherzo. The brass section played securely and with roundness or brilliance as required. Horn intonation was excellent and woodwind ensembles were fresh in colour.”
The Montreal Gazette
"The overriding impression was one of dark, poetic imagery, of brooding nights under a sky of melancholy stars. Dobrin lavished particular care on those reflective passages...It was refreshing to hear such an evocative, imaginative score, and to hear it conducted and performed with such sensitivity."
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
"Bravos and a standing ovation greeted the conductor of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra...a superb concert...Dobrin did a superb job...producing an absolutely glorious sound from start to finish."
Palm Beach Daily News
"It was anything but workaday Mozart in Dobrin's deft handling. In fact, it counts among the more insightful performances of the Symphony No. 40 I've encountered. Dobrin led it with gentle strength and exceptional understanding for its subsidiary lines. It was light textured and transparent, each phrase imbued with meaning.”
Miami Herald
"Duilio Dobrin filled in admirably [for Peter Nero].... he has all the attributes, great musical knowledge and conducting skills, an ebullient personality and the ability to make his audience his friends.... he also has a distinctive flair on the podium."
Miami Digest
"For intensity, execution and sheer entertainment, FPO's Saturday matinee may rank as one of its most satisfying performances this unexpected warmth of sound with powerful punctuation by strings and timpani. The riveting last movement was marked by an expansive, brilliant sound."
The Palm Beach Post
"Under the baton of young and talented Argentinean Maestro Duilio Dobrin, the evening began with Schubert's Unfinished performed by the ensemble and its conductor spaciously and solemnly, in a manner that can only be qualified as in the purest of classical styles. The Grand Canyon Suite was rich in melodic expression, its colors excelled under the Maestro."
Diario las Americas, Miami
"Dobrin coaxed the Philharmonic into a performance [of Dvorak’s “ New World ”] that was pure silk in the strings and glowing in the brass and wind choirs. It had plenty of might and majesty when needed but, above all, there was a sensuousness to the slow movement that was really irresistible."
Miami Herald
"Florida Philharmonic, Dobrin shine in all-American program."
Miami Herald
"Dobrin rounded his festive program with a refreshingly vigorous, yet also subtly evocative La Mer by Debussy. It was virtuosic in the Philharmonic’s playing and revealing in Dobrin’s probing of the score’s shifting moods. There was plenty of dreamy ecstasy without loss of vitality or clarity—no mean feat."
Miami Herald
"[Duilio Dobrin] led shining performances of Prokofiev's satirical Lt. Kije and Shostakovich's captivating Ninth Symphony, evoking both its seriousness and hint of circus flavor."
Miami Herald
"Duilio Dobrin led a first-rate Tchaikovsky Little Russian Symphony with breath, warmth, verve and style."
Miami Herald