KYLE NAIG
CONDUCTOR | PIANIST | COACH | ARRANGER
Reviews & Press
Ercole su'l Termodonte (Vivaldi)
PACIFIC OPERA PROJECT | US PREMIERE
"POP often [mounts] farcical opera productions, but with high musical standards. As you walk in, a chamber orchestra is tuning up in its makeshift pit, the musicians dressed in 18th century garb... Kyle Naig conducts with flair from the harpsichord."
LOS ANGELES TIMES
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"The result is a total Baroque lavishness of sound. Music Director/Conductor Kyle Naig and the orchestra memers do marvelous work bringing the gift of Vivaldi's music to life. Truly impressive work."
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STAGE RAW
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"The three-part introductory sinfonia, self-borrowed by Vivaldi from his earlier opera Armida, at once showed the skill of POP’s small band of 18th century-clad and bewigged players, with clean, virtually vibrato-free articulation from the string quintet (two cellos), led by concertmistress Boryana Popova and underpinned by Jason Yoshida on the long-necked theorbo, and all propulsively directed by Kyle Naig at the keyboard. The numerous brief instrumental coverings of scene changes [selected and] added by [Naig] featured some exquisite oboe and flute solos, with a stentorian trumpet occasionally added to the mix."
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LA OPUS​
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Don Bucefalo
PACIFIC OPERA PROJECT | MODERN US PREMIERE
"Pacific Opera Project, L.A.’s goofiest opera company, has never been goofier nor made goofiness so radiant as in its revival of a super-obscure 19th-century satire, Antonio Cagnoni’s “Don Bucefalo.”"
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LOS ANGELES TIMES
Best of 2024: Eleven bright spots in classical music during a dark, complicated year | POP Pops Up
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"Under the baton of musical director Kyle Naig, this intricate music was brought to life with vitality and precision. The upstage orchestra, cleverly reduced [in Naig's arrangement] to suit the smaller performance space, never overwhelmed the singers but instead supported them with a transparent, lively sound that allowed Cagnoni’s score to sparkle. Particularly striking was the use of woodwinds, whose playful interjections mirrored the comedic antics on stage, adding an extra layer of humor. Naig’s leadership ensured that the pacing never lagged, keeping the energy high from the playful overture to the final notes of the ensemble finale."
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STAGE AND CINEMA
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Tartuffe
POCKET OPERA
"Music director Kyle Naig conducted the composer’s zingy reduction for 15 players with confidence and superb timing. Mechem’s witty, sometimes sardonic score is both distinctive and varied. He finds some unexpected musical jokes — I can promise that you’ll laugh out loud at one of them — and touches affectionately on historical operatic styles."
SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE​
Pocket Opera's Sly Tartuffe is a Plus-Size Hit
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"The success of this opera starts with the storyline, which is one of the great farces of all time. On top of that, Mechem’s music, particularly the orchestral support conducted by Music Director Kyle Naig, is delightfully tonal and accessible. Lyrics offer clever rhymes and rhythmic series of things. And for those not enthusiastic about farce, the music acts as another dimension that seems to temper the silliness."
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CORDELL REPORTS
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Four Lost Santas/Amahl and the Night Visitors
OPERA ORLANDO | WORLD PREMIERE, Four Lost Santas
"From a creative perspective, this double offering creates a unique challenge – create a fun and colorful setting for 4 LOST SANTAS as well as a more reverent and classic feel for AMAHL. But Opera Orlando accomplishes both... Conductor Kyle Naig leads an orchestra that sounds beautiful on both scores."
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BROADWAYWORLD
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"Kyle Naig gets great sound from his musicians, who provide the needed color to accompany the singing."
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ORLANDO SENTINEL
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La scuola de' gelosi
PACIFIC OPERA PROJECT
"From the overture’s sparkling opening, Salieri’s command of orchestral texture is evident. POP’s reduced orchestra, led with precision by an extraordinarily expressive and effervescent Kyle Naig, also on harpsichord, highlights the composer’s sophisticated use of woodwinds as dramatic voices rather than mere accompaniment."
STAGE AND CINEMA​
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COVID fan tutte
PACIFIC OPERA PROJECT
"Conductor Kyle Naig arranged the Mozart score for soloists and a group of chamber players, eliminating the chorus altogether and cutting the performance time down to a mere two hours with no intermission. He drove the POP ensemble at a brisk pace with vigorous motions that evoked silken tones and eloquent eighteenth century style from the players."
BROADWAYWORLD​​
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Il barbiere di Siviglia
OPERA SANTA BARBARA
"Special thanks to the superb orchestra and nuanced continuo from Kyle Naig."
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SANTA BARBARA VOICE MAGAZINE​​
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