“…I discovered an orchestra which is highly motivated, extremely competent, well-prepared. The performances were enthusiastic, brilliant and replete with admirable musical values…”
Lorin Maazel

“… The Orchestra has such enthusiasm and good preparation, the audiences were very welcoming and receptive, all of this making the time I spent in Taiwan a highlight of my tour of the Far East… The National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan has now a grand tradition of playing that will continue…”
Ivo Pogorelich

“… I was so impressed with the orchestra and their dedication to great music making. In rehearsals, you can see and hear their great work ethic from all the sections of the orchestra will be building new traditions in excellence…”
Joseph Alessi　PRINCIPAL TROMBONE NEW YORK, PHILHARMONIC

“The young orchestra rendered most of the great climaxes with aplomb, and within the context of a temperate. ..With some impeccable singing in addition, it was an impressive start to a pioneering and historically significant event.”
Financial Times, British (9/2006)

“The concert demonstrated not only the NSO’s amazing ability that keeps up with the world but Taiwan’s strength in music and art.”
Fan-Fu Chow, Hong Kong music critic(2/2007)

The third movement of Rachmaninov’s Symphony No.2 was full of  rich harmony, flowing melody lines and charm. Although the orchestra already played passionate music, its accurate and solid timbre, meticulous sound expression and complete structure of the composition showed that they continued to put up a better performance.
Hiroshi Miura from the Hokkaido Shimbun Press(7/2007)

Personally, I think this orchestra is an excellent ensemble. As an Asian orchestra, its woodwind balance and rich timbre of the string section were quite outstanding. The string section made an all-out effort to demonstrate the beauty of accompaniment in the second theme of the fourth movement of The Great.
Tojou Hiroo, Music Critics, Janpan(5/2008)

By and large, the performance was quite classical with a hint of Romantic expression, and therefore the tone color was richer while the changes of strength were more apparent. The sincere attitude that the orchestra takes towards music makes me look forward to their development.
Yoshiyuki Fujita, Ongaku No Tomo, Janpan(7/2008)

There was also a convincing performance of the Adagio from Mahler’s 10 th Symphony, Lü’s carefully calibrated rendering capturing the angst… The second     programme offered a liltingly upstaged by an utterly dazzling performance of Brahm’s Paiano Quartet in G minor arranged by Schoenberg.
Robert Hilferty, Gramophone, UK(9/2009)

It is not an easy task to walk this monster, Bruckner’s Symphony No.5, through its difficult and bumpy trail for 80 minutes without falling apart. When this piece can be tamed it is worth it even at the expense of busted lips and a bruised body. Amazingly, The NSO approached this hard-to-reach state under Shao-Chia Lü’s magnificent and effective direction.
Wei-Tsu Fan, Performing Arts Review(7/2008)

“The accolade of ‘Asia’s premier orchestra’ has been banded about by several outfits, the latest being the 21-year-old
Philharmonia Taiwan.”
The Straits Times, Singapore (2/2007)

“… Auch klanglich kann sich das Orchester durchaus hören lassen. Streicher und Holzbläser agieren sicher, sie machen einen alerten, homogenen Eindruck.”
Die Opernwelt, Germany (11/2006)

“L’orchestre (NSO) est ample, opulent, enivrant même, avec des cordes dēbordant de sensualitē au premier acte de Die Waikure.”
Opera Magazine, France(11/2006)

“It is quite rare for a production of Ring with a Chinese cast to display such a high level. It is a pride of Chinese people.”
Jimmy Shiu from Radio Television Hong Kong Radio4(10/2006)

Sunlight after Snowfall skillfully and successfully displayed the features of both Western music and Eastern drama. This has raised Taiwan’s visibility through the performing arts which highlights the country’s unique international position.
Ming-Yu Shih, Christian Tribune(11/2007)

The NSO members had to act and position in an unconventional way of performance without compromising their skills. The 14 musicians didn’t dilute the focus of the music, which was a combination of classical and popular appeals, with overstating acting. They were at ease when dealing with the time-and effort-consuming chamber music repertoire.
Fang-Yi Lin, PAR(7/2009)

The audience was impressed by the convincingness of Maestro Herbig as well as the confidence of the NSO. In terms of the brilliance of the acoustic sense, the NSO was extraordinarily close to those well-known international recordings.
Yong-Sin, Lee, PAR(4/2009)

The real applause, though, goes to conductor Yin-Fan Chang, who gracefully led her 10-piece ensemble through a veritable obstacle course of musical styles. Wearing mouse-eared bowler hats and a rather playful interpretation of tail-coats, the musicians negotiated quick turns from Jazz to Broadway to Stravinsky-like underscoring with no dips in the dramatic through-line.
Ken Smith, Financial Times, UK(3/2009)

Brunkner is a cathedral-builder in music, and Günther Herbig, the son of an architect, clearly knows how to keep such vast structures in shape. The NSO handled the big climaxes and much else with aplomb.
Bradley Winterton, Taipei Times, Taiwan(12/2008)

It (Shostakovich) works on a gigantic scale and as a result the NSO, no tub-thumping orchestra, is in many ways its ideal interpreter. This performance(Shao-Chia Lü & NSO Live CD)must rank high among world recording of the Fourth, and it’s a pity it isn’t being issued by an international record company.
Bradley Winterton, Taipei Times, Taiwan(11/2008)

In the Mahler(NSO LIVE CD), the slow third movement is heart-breakingly beautiful (far more so than the bonus Adagietto from the Symphony No.5 for some reason).It’s one of the finest renderings you’re likely to hear anywhere. All instruments seem caught up in the spell of this music.
Bradley Winterton, Taipei Times(4/2008)