"When principal clarinetist Richard Hawley stepped out to play two concertos Friday morning, it was an example of the real virtuosity that lies within the ranks of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra"


"It was also a feat of stamina - Mr. Hawley tackled Copland's Clarinet Concerto and Debussy's Premiere Rhapsodie back to back."


"If Mr. Hawley's interpretation of the Copland Concerto didn't swing quite as much as that of Benny Goodman, for whom Copland wrote the piece, it was fluid, witty and absolutely convincing. Mr. Hawley's phrasing sounded natural and fresh, and his personality projected through the music."


"With the orchestra painting a luminous backdrop, his opening phrases seamlessly captured the serene mood. The cadenza linking the two movements was beautifully paced, as he balanced lyricism with the work's jazzy elements."


"Most impressive, though, was the unified spirit between orchestra and soloist. Nowhere was this so evident as in Debussy's First Rhapsody, a sublime collaboration between Mr. Hawley's long, arching phrases and the sensuous sound of Mr. Jarvi's orchestra".

Janelle GelfandCincinnati Enquirer