The Hamilton Philharmonic (Canada)

"British conductor Robert Trory made his debut with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra at Hamilton Place Thursday night and proved that the works of the Great Romantics ripen with age.

"Trory imbued his reading of Gabriel Faure's 'Pelleas et Melisande' Suite with an innate sense of musical line. With his gestures he drew out a warm, sweet sound from the strings. The second movement was appropriately supple and gossamer. In all, Trory uncovered the latent pathos of the score.

"Earl Carlyss was soloist in the Max Bruch First Violin Concerto. This was an autumnal reading ... and while this gave the impression that Carlyss was more a servant of the music rather than ego, one felt that the driving force behind the performance was the conductor.

"Liszt's orchestration of the slow movement of Beethoven's 'Archduke Trio', so vivid and inventive, was given a searching reading.

"Beethoven's Eighth Symphony has long been considered a jewel in late classical literature. Trory's forceful account made a convincing argument to place this work squarely in the mould of the Third, Fifth and Seventh Symphonies. With the HPO Trory produced results that were exciting and roundly applauded by the audience."

Hamilton Spectator