Reviews

Touring Australian and New Zealand with The Metropolitan Orchestra conducted by the amazingly talented Sarah Grace Williams was one of the greatest highlights of our long career. Sarah Grace was the ultimate Conductor for us, interpreting the music with the perfect combination of her passion, emotional strength, and a beautiful command of every note the Orchestra created. I must add that the Sydney Opera House Concert, in my opinion, was the greatest show of our career, thanks to you, Sarah Grace. With love and respect for your immeasurable talent.G

Just recently we had the opportunity to play some amazing shows in Australia and New Zealand with the Metropolitan Orchestra, with Sarah-Grace Williams as the conductor. Not only was the orchestra amazing, but Sarah-Grace was an absolute gem. She was so well prepared and an absolute professional. Not to mention that she helped clean up our pre-existing string charts that proved to be a little subpar. You could see that she had respect from her peers as she had mine as well. Not only that, she made everyone feel very comfortable as she transitioned into our show seamlessly. She was very comfortable on stage with us, as you might think she’d done a ton of shows with us. Having Sarah-Grace’s presence assured me that we would have very successful shows throughout the tour, and that was definitely the case. I can say that I look forward to working with Sarah-Grace in the future. It would be an honour and a pleasure!

Many thanks and my unending gratitude to Sarah-Grace and The Metropolitan Orchestra. Sarah-Grace's attention to detail and willingness to go over and above the call of duty cements her as one of the foremost professionals in the country. Sarah-Grace is as flexible as she is hardworking and as professional as she is talented. I hear she can cook two-minute noodles in under a minute.

"Williams is an expansive and impressive conductor, and of of great authority, who has a point of view and the ability to express it clearly, paying great attention to detail."

“Under the strict and inspirational influence of their highly-talented and charismatic conductor, Sarah-Grace Williams, the orchestra re-invigorated some of the well-trodden paths of the musical repertoire. I thought I already knew this work well, but it came alive with new insights; the tempi were exhilarating and the ensemble playing beautifully balanced”

"TMO is a fun orchestra, but would not be at the incredibly impressive standard it is without their outstanding conductor, Sarah-Grace Williams, who is able to draw out the musicality in each player and weld them into a wonderful orchestra with a great sound."

"Working with Sarah Grace Williams was a great joy to me. She is a wonderful conductor and so caring of the soloist you know you are in excellent hands. Her musicality and discipline enables one to give of one's best and I just loved working with her so much. Our collaboration on the Rachmaninov Third Piano Concerto was so exciting and satisfying, and that is truly a challenging work. I do hope to work with her more in the future."

"TMO is an outstanding professional orchestra.  Williams galvanises her forces with an elegant clarity and achieves performances of the highest level from her ensemble."

“Williams succeeds in creating very pioneering and open soundscapes, creating an attractive new interpretative world”

”Outstanding conductor, Williams, is able to draw out the musicality in each player and weld them into a wonderful orchestra with a great sound.”

“From the first opening chords from the full orchestra you knew this was going to be an exciting concert. … It is a pleasure to watch Sarah-GraceWilliams in action, the clarity of her directions to the players becomes an additional and visual component which enhances the overall experience of the concert. She has worked hard to create an orchestra that inspires its audiences with its sense of vitality and purpose. Throughout the concert I felt as if I was a part of the performing process and not merely a bystander, with all the excitement of being right in there and none of the responsibility!”

“The fluid movements of Williams shone above the room, the talented musicians following her every move.  The audience was captivated, almost holding their breath in time to her gentle hands, inhaling with a mighty passion as she engulfed the orchestral sound in her arms. At times she looked like a music box dancer, her movements so graceful and dance like and her facial expressions so noble it was hard to believe she was real.”

"What can I say???? I am stunned by the quality, power, precision!!!! My IDEAL Eroica. Can you believe me if I tell you it is a highlight of my life. I will never forget that performance! Maestra Williams is magnificient"

“In the interpretative hands of Williams this work became a tour de force of exceptional poise, eloquence and atmosphere”

“Such a captivating performance of Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto no 3 with David Helfgott and The Metropolitan Orchestra. From the moment Sarah-Grace Williams stepped on stage to conduct TMO, she commanded the best from the players and that’s what was delivered. The communication and intimate understanding of this challenging work shared between Sarah-Grace and David was incredible. David’s wife, Gillian told me after the performance that he had never related so well with a conductor before. The Rach 3 is always a joyous pieces to hear, but this performance took it to another level"

“Both classics were given freshness by conductor Sarah-Grace Williams’ thorough interpretation and attention to layers of motivic interest across the orchestra. With cleanly defined themes, and vibrant tempi, the finale of the London Symphony dazzled.”

“Much entertainment royalty is involved in this newly commissioned work under the baton of Sarah-Grace Williams. She leads her instrumentalists (Southern Cross Soloists) with Katie Noonan to perform the score impeccably”

“Conductor Sarah-Grace Williams took to the podium (with West Australian Symphony Orchestra) for pieces by De Falla and Ginastera. Her brisk competenceeliciting an exciting and gritty precision from the orchestra”