“Kelly Kuo led a taut, propulsive reading in the pit, relishing the sweep of the soaring passages, investing the Music Hall pastiche numbers with jaunty verve, and beautifully controlling the dark, sinuous churnings without descending into indulgent melodrama...Kuo also partnered with, and cued his cast with impeccable control and his inspired reading of this compact tale made the 95-minutes go by with a perfectly paced momentum. ”

“Conductor Kelly Kuo handled the fast-moving action well, crafting a sense of ever-mounting forward momentum. ”

“Conductor Kelly Kuo was able to handle the myriad moving parts with elan. The music was tart, romantic, spooky, and lovingly performed. ”

“The Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra under conductor Kelly Kuo, delivered the score with considerable punch. ”

“The conductor Kelly Kuo was authoritative and precise in the pit.”

“Conductor Kelly Kuo led a fresh, exciting account of the score.”

“Conductor Kelly Kuo made his company debut, leading the orchestra in a colorful and nuanced performance of Bizet’s beloved score.”

“The conductor, Kelly Kuo, led the orchestra in a fine, well-paced performance that showed easy familiarity with Donizetti’s special idiom.”

“Maestro Kelly Kuo conducts the stellar Minnesota Opera Orchestra, fifty members strong, in a stirring presentation of the score...The musical conduction, staging and choreography, and design team do this work proud, and moreover, conspire to create an atmosphere of fun from the first note played to the drop of the final curtain.”

“Conductor Kelly Kuo propels the Minnesota Opera Orchestra along at a lively pace that serves the comedy well.”

“Conductor Kelly Kuo gave Mozart’s vivid score a sleek, energetic profile that kept the action moving brightly along, even as he made space for the piece’s more somber, reflective passages.”

“The evening got off to an enlivening start, with conductor Kelly Kuo leading a taut and dramatic account of the wonderfully wrought overture.”

“Abundant stylistic nuance from conductor Kelly Kuo and attentive playing from the company’s orchestra highlighted the charms of the new scoring (of Cendrillon) at every turn.

The orchestra responded with admirable subtlety to Kuo’s well-paced, elegant account of the intricately constructed score (Savitri).”

“In both operas, Kelly Kuo conducted the small orchestra with detail and consistency and, most notably in Cendrillon, ensembles satisfyingly coalesced with assuredness and ease. ”

“Kelly Kuo led another strong performance by the Wolf Trap Orchestra, who played with ease and accuracy. ”

“(The orchestra) also amplifies the surging emotion and highlights the beauty and pain in the writing under Kelly Kuo’s expert conducting.”

“Conductor Kelly Kuo and his small but superb orchestra are a seamless match for the singers in this work.”

“Yet there is grace in this tragedy – grace in the sound of Bird’s inimitable horn reflected through the prism of a 16-piece orchestra under the fluent leadership of Kelly Kuo.”

“Conductor Kelly Kuo led the 16-member chamber ensemble in a vital performance that sounded well-prepared and coordinated with the stage action.”

“Lyric’s instrumentalists are pure perfection, and under the steady direction of Kelly Kuo, they weave their way through Schnyder’s dark, jazzy music.”

“Young American conductor Kelly Kuo seemed adept at making the constant shifting from one genre, era and set of techniques to another go smoothly.”

“…supported by the Lyric Opera Orchestra under Kelly Kuo, a most useful young conductor to have around on these occasions.”

“In the pit, conductor Kelly Kuo led a nuanced performance of Glass’ score...Kuo partnered seemlessly with the singers.”

“Kelly Kuo, in his Cincinnati Opera debut, led skillfully in the pit, with a chamber orchestra comprising... members of the Cincinnati Symphony. Balances between stage and pit were excellent.”

“The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s accompaniment from the pit seemed colorful and judiciously paced under the baton of Kelly Kuo.”

“Conductor Kelly Kuo…led an exciting performance and also kept pit and stage in balance.”

“Top honors, however, should probably go to conductor Kelly Kuo. The sound… was full and taut as Kuo brought out the drama and lyricism. The orchestra played with robust enthusiasm and accuracy.”

“Kuo led the Louisville Orchestra...with considerable verve, and no shortage of idiomatic delicacy…the sound was balanced and quite full.”

“Madison Opera’s decadent production of Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte” lights up the Capitol Theater this weekend with a talented ensemble cast and fine orchestra conducted by Kelly Kuo. Kuo’s flowing, smooth conducting style fits the piece well.”

“Conducting the score…from the harpsichord, another Madison newcomer, Kelly Kuo, ran a tight ship. And I loved his clever keyboard noodlings into which he slipped at least two quotations from other Mozart scores — the “Rondo alla turca” and the Don Giovanni Serenade.”

“The conductor Kelly Kuo drew lush and expressive playing from this group. Rarely have I heard this orchestra in such good form.”

“Bravo to conductor Kelly Kuo, whose candidacy for Music Director of the CCO should be beyond question after last night’s music making. The young maestro’s...manner (on and off the podium) belies rock solid musicianship, not to mention a total dedication to eliciting the best sound from what should be his orchestra.”

“He is a leader of exceptional musical gifts, who has a clear technique on the podium and an impressive rapport with audiences. As has been the case all season, the musicians performed exceedingly well for him.”

“Kuo has transformed this chamber group into...a band of professional, enthusiastic and superior musicians, playing confidently as one unit.”

“Conductor Kelly Kuo led his orchestra through the challenging music with a steady hand and a positive aura. Overall, this collaboration between Ballet Fantastique and the Oregon Mozart Players was well-crafted and wonderfully realized.”