"Fancher and Raimi communicated like friends who know each other well. Their performance was riveting." --Karen E. Moorman, Classical Voice of North Carolina, January 2019.
"A good neighbor and colleague, Branford Marsalis, playing soprano saxophone, joined Susan Fancher and Inara Zandmane for Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D minor - a favorite of string players. Their performance, articulate and sensuous, surpassed my musical expectations, possibly creating a new gold standard for modern performance. The treacherous twists and turns of the final movement and the problem of the endless bow in the slow movement - no problem. But what really set this reading apart was the musical grace and pure joy the players projected. I'm in love, once more, with a dusty old warhorse." -- Karen E. Moorman, Classical Voice of North Carolina, March 2016.
Review of CD "Hawk: The Saxophone Music of Stuart Saunders Smith," in Saxophone Today, Jan/Feb 2016.
"I first heard Susan Fancher play at the 2009 World Saxophone Congress in Bangkok, where she exquisitely performed Hilary Tann’s Shakkei. As I was hearing her for the first time, I kept thinking, 'Here is a major artist!' and that opinion has never wavered in all the subsequent performances of hers I’ve heard. " --David DeBoor Canfield, Fanfare, Mar/Apr 2016.
"If anyone could inspire the creation of more pieces for what is a very beautiful medium – the instrument could often be mistaken for oboe or cor anglais – it is the brilliant Fancher, who shows a quite phenomenal tone control and flexibility of phrasing." –Gwyn Parry-Jones, Music Web International Review, February 2015.
“The (Red Clay) sax quartet is first-rate and soprano saxophonist Susan Fancher stood out both by virtue of the exciting part she had to play and because of the sweet expressive tone she coaxed from her instrument.” --Peter Perret, Classical Voice of North Carolina, September 2012.
"(Susan Fancher) is an eminently capable and virtuosic guide through the sophisticated landscapes of 'In Two Worlds,' a journey well worth taking." —Judith N. Barber, Classical Voice of North Carolina, March 2010.
"...Ms. Fancher genteely and gently wailing with great focus and an achingly beautiful purity of tone.” —Mark Keresman, ICON, February 2010.
"Fancher is technically impressive, invariably true in pitch, remarkable in breath control and responsive to the various interpretive opportunities offered by this unusual music...For the adventuresome and for the fans of electroacoustic music, this is a feast." —Ronald E. Grames, Fanfare, Jan/Feb 2010.
"Susan Fancher in one of the reigning wonders of the saxophone." —John W. Lambert, Classical Voice of North Carolina, April 25, 2009.
“Instead of dazzling us with computing power, Fancher reminds us why we were interested in this disc in the first place: the soloist.” –Jay Batzner, Sequenza21, April 2009
"A much-sought-after player, Fancher realized the demanding piece with extraordinary flair." —Karen Moorman, Classical Voice of North Carolina, February 2008.
"Susan Fancher proved that she has completely mastered her instrument…Breathtaking.”—Steve Bergeron, La Tribune, Sherbrooke, Quebec, April 29, 2002.
"(Mark) Engebretson joined (Susan) Fancher, both on alto saxophone, for Wings by Joan Tower. The two saxophonists managed to create an amazing array of lush, harmonic effects, using overtones to create the sensation of a hall full of birds.”—Jan Jezioro, The Buffalo News, July 14, 2001.
“The Evening with Philip Glass produced what was possibly the most exciting moment of the (June in Buffalo) festival, the Amherst Saxophone Quartet’s performance of the 1995 Concerto for Saxophones…The Amherst ensemble delivered an absolutely riveting performance, with mind-numbing ensemble precision in the freight-train allegro sections and ravishingly beautiful nuances of tonal color in the lamenting slow movement.” —Herman Trotter, American Record Guide, September/October 2000.
“An unusual shared program in the Chautauqua Amphitheater Thursday evening began with the Arcata String Quartet giving a heartfelt and rhapsodic performance of the Dvorak ‘American’ Quartet, followed by the Amherst Saxophone Quartet in an extraordinarily rich and centered view of the Glazunov Saxophone Quartet, a true masterpiece of the genre.”—Herman Trotter, The Buffalo News, July 17, 1999.
“Susan Fancher, Sabine Zwick, Thomas Schön and Mark Engebretson received justified ovations – they have been for a long time an unsurpassable, top-notch ensemble.” —Edwin Baumgartner, Wiener Zeitung, March 18, 1997.
"Susan Fancher shaped all of the works with her characteristic perfection and ability, filling even the most complex notation with life." —Christian Heindl, Wiener Zeitung, February 21, 1995.
"Impressive from the very beginning was American Susan Fancher with her soprano saxophone...With superb technique Susan magically produced the high notes making it look easy as could be and later in several superb solos...Susan let us understand that here was an extraordinary talent." —Göran Mattsson, Götlands Allehanda, November 20, 1991.
"If anyone could inspire the creation of more pieces for what is a very beautiful medium – the instrument could often be mistaken for oboe or cor anglais – it is the brilliant Fancher, who shows a quite phenomenal tone control and flexibility of phrasing." –Gwyn Parry-Jones, Music Web International Review, February 2015.
“The (Red Clay) sax quartet is first-rate and soprano saxophonist Susan Fancher stood out both by virtue of the exciting part she had to play and because of the sweet expressive tone she coaxed from her instrument.” --Peter Perret, Classical Voice of North Carolina, September 2012.
"(Susan Fancher) is an eminently capable and virtuosic guide through the sophisticated landscapes of 'In Two Worlds,' a journey well worth taking." —Judith N. Barber, Classical Voice of North Carolina, March 2010.
"...Ms. Fancher genteely and gently wailing with great focus and an achingly beautiful purity of tone.” —Mark Keresman, ICON, February 2010.
"Fancher is technically impressive, invariably true in pitch, remarkable in breath control and responsive to the various interpretive opportunities offered by this unusual music...For the adventuresome and for the fans of electroacoustic music, this is a feast." —Ronald E. Grames, Fanfare, Jan/Feb 2010.
"Susan Fancher in one of the reigning wonders of the saxophone." —John W. Lambert, Classical Voice of North Carolina, April 25, 2009.
“Instead of dazzling us with computing power, Fancher reminds us why we were interested in this disc in the first place: the soloist.” –Jay Batzner, Sequenza21, April 2009
"A much-sought-after player, Fancher realized the demanding piece with extraordinary flair." —Karen Moorman, Classical Voice of North Carolina, February 2008.
"Susan Fancher proved that she has completely mastered her instrument…Breathtaking.”—Steve Bergeron, La Tribune, Sherbrooke, Quebec, April 29, 2002.
"(Mark) Engebretson joined (Susan) Fancher, both on alto saxophone, for Wings by Joan Tower. The two saxophonists managed to create an amazing array of lush, harmonic effects, using overtones to create the sensation of a hall full of birds.”—Jan Jezioro, The Buffalo News, July 14, 2001.
“The Evening with Philip Glass produced what was possibly the most exciting moment of the (June in Buffalo) festival, the Amherst Saxophone Quartet’s performance of the 1995 Concerto for Saxophones…The Amherst ensemble delivered an absolutely riveting performance, with mind-numbing ensemble precision in the freight-train allegro sections and ravishingly beautiful nuances of tonal color in the lamenting slow movement.” —Herman Trotter, American Record Guide, September/October 2000.
“An unusual shared program in the Chautauqua Amphitheater Thursday evening began with the Arcata String Quartet giving a heartfelt and rhapsodic performance of the Dvorak ‘American’ Quartet, followed by the Amherst Saxophone Quartet in an extraordinarily rich and centered view of the Glazunov Saxophone Quartet, a true masterpiece of the genre.”—Herman Trotter, The Buffalo News, July 17, 1999.
“Susan Fancher, Sabine Zwick, Thomas Schön and Mark Engebretson received justified ovations – they have been for a long time an unsurpassable, top-notch ensemble.” —Edwin Baumgartner, Wiener Zeitung, March 18, 1997.
"Susan Fancher shaped all of the works with her characteristic perfection and ability, filling even the most complex notation with life." —Christian Heindl, Wiener Zeitung, February 21, 1995.
"Impressive from the very beginning was American Susan Fancher with her soprano saxophone...With superb technique Susan magically produced the high notes making it look easy as could be and later in several superb solos...Susan let us understand that here was an extraordinary talent." —Göran Mattsson, Götlands Allehanda, November 20, 1991.
