"Besides being excellent actors, the employed artists, equally without exception, have voices suitable for the roles they performed, including good timbral diversity. In this aspect, our sincere compliments to conductor Cláudio Cruz, responsible for the selection of the singers, and who knew how to competently lead the young Theatro São Pedro Orchestra, as well as the equally young Choir. Cruz chose faster tempos, without overdoing it in sections where many conductors get lost, such as in the aria Finch’han dal vino (he allowed the singer to pronounce all words clearly, which does not always happen), and he knew how to highlight some of the score's most emblematic points (such as the funereal accompaniment that underscores the Commendatore’s passages)." D. Giovanni, Teatro São Pedro (São Paulo) Érico de Almeida Mangaravite, movimento.com October 2017 "The Colombians played well, also because of Cláudio Cruz: at 45 years old – 23 of them as concertmaster of Osesp – the current conductor of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of the State combines technique, energy, and fantasy." Concert at the Campos do Jordão Winter Festival, with the Youth Orchestra of Colombia Sidney Molyna, Folha de São Paulo (Date not provided in original) "To this magnificent effect, Antonio Meneses’ cantabile playing contributes a lot, just like the orchestra’s inspired music-making. Much praise is certainly due to the Brazilian conductor Claudio Cruz, as he wonderfully and expressively implements the concerto’s voices in the orchestra. The last movement truly becomes 'con spirito,' as the composer demands. The interpreters of Sir Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto are measured – no ifs, ands, or buts – against Jacqueline du Pré’s version. And precisely this comparison makes the Meneses-Cruz interpretation appear in a particularly good light: their range of expression is rich and allows Elgar’s music to affect us pleasantly and vividly. Cruz occasionally counters the lyrically singing cello with powerful accents, thus creating contrasts that provide tension and color. And because both performers constantly harmonize, a stimulating dialogue emerges." supersonic pizzicato September 2012 Rhytmisch und rasante "The Vogtland Philharmonic knows how to deal with guest conductors. The range extends from maximum accommodation to polite, but firm insistence on their own achievements. At the orchestra's most recent symphony concert on Wednesday evening at the Reichenbach Neuberinhaus, Claudio Cruz was at the front. He is the principal conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the southern Brazilian city of Ribeirão Preto, and also one of the best violinists in his country. Under the Latin American Cruz, a different Vogtland Philharmonic was heard, more gripping, louder, more rhythmic, more exhilarating, yes, certainly also a bit less intimate and mysterious than usual. One could basically not do otherwise, because the guest is a maestro of true grit, not only masters his metier, but also possesses charisma, flexibility, the magic of gesture, and, despite all this, still conveys the likeable impression of being an equal among equals. The audience in Vogtland was highly pleased with everything that happened on Wednesday and unleashed an equally powerful and loud applause. The evening began with Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras n.4, one of the nine suites honoring Johann Sebastian Bach by the Brazilian composer. The orchestra found a sound that was both penetrating and finely nuanced, and a gratifying balance. In doing so, Bach’s freely flowing wonder across the ocean was as well captured as Villa-Lobos’ genius and the magic of Brazilian folklore (...)" Volker Müller, Freie presse Reichenbach 2012 "The unexpected and formidable surprise was provided by the Brazilian Philharmonic Orchestra, initially slated for a supporting role – partly because it became ingrained in people’s minds, thanks to foolish prejudices, that Chopin wrote poorly for orchestra. Cláudio Cruz, an exceptional violinist, now also shines remarkably in conducting. Orchestra and conductor demonstrate the composer's competence in his first foray into the orchestral genre. In addition to the precise strings, the woodwinds and brass performed well. But Cruz and his commanded musicians showed their strengths already in the first part. The brilliant reading of Symphony No. 5, which Mendelssohn composed in 1831. The idea was to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Luther's Reformation. Therefore, Mendelssohn weaves, in the Choral - Finale, variations on Luther's hymn Ein Feste Burg. Well-defined and precise phrases; coherent dynamic arches; excellent woodwinds and brass. Cruz not only rehearsed extensively with the orchestra, but also went into detail in constructing a personal reading, which is only possible when the conductor has the musicians entirely under his command. The conductor Cláudio Cruz is not a surprise, evidently; but it is great to know that he is ready to be the next big surprise in Brazilian conducting." João Marcos Coelho O Estado de São Paulo March 2010 "The opening was by Osesp, but all the brilliance went to the youth orchestras on the first weekend of the 43rd edition of the Campos do Jordão International Winter Festival. (...) The astonishment came earlier, in Sunday's morning concert by the São Paulo State Youth Orchestra, which, under the baton of Claudio Cruz, performed Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony" and Dvořák's Eighth Symphony. The 'Estadualzinha,' as it is affectionately called, was reformed no more than six months ago. And the result is impressive. Battling against precarious instruments and the ungrateful acoustics of the Cláudio Santoro Auditorium, its callow musicians, among whom there is no adult, performed true feats of sonority, musicality, and phrasing." Irineu Franco Perpétuo Folha de São Paulo (Date not provided in original) "Cláudio Cruz offered an intimate reflection that was never less than exhilarating. Performed with reduced forces; with its melodic lines soberly and efficiently ornamented; conducted with a very light hand, the Messiah that Cláudio Cruz conducted on Thursday at Sala São Paulo reserved gratifying subtleties for us. The vision Cruz offered was not that of the solemn oratorio, of externalized majesty, but that of intimate reflection on the mysteries of the birth, death, and resurrection of the Savior. The frequently chamber-like textures of this type of approach, instead of making the performance lukewarm, gave it internalized dramatic intensity, as each gesture gained intense meaning. Within this very human vision of the piece, its melodic beauties also gained prominence, due to the delicate way they were executed (...) And the reflective way Cláudio Cruz polished the majestic final sequence of "Worthy is the Lamb... Amen" led this Messiah to a moving conclusion." Lauro Machado Coelho O Estado de São Paulo September 2008 "And this original mix in Bachiana Brasileira n.4 – melancholy and pathos, chorale and polyphony, lively rhythms and unbridled joy of life – was used by guest conductor Claudio Cruz for an impressive debut." Vogtland Philharmonie in Greiz Dr. Eberhard Kneipe, Ostthüringer Zeitung 2012 "The Youth Orchestra can compare itself with the best in the country. Everything perfect, silky, musical, stimulating. Cláudio Cruz, who is a formidable conductor, knew how to train and extract from these young people a truly extraordinary artistic quality." Pre-tour 2015 Jorge Coli, movimento.com March 2015