Reviews of Original Music:
...and Nothing Remains the Same (Recording) "Sklar's Two Journeys is an intimate soul voyage in two movements: Third Eye and The Inward Journey, both of heartrending beauty..." Recorded by Eight Strings & a Whistle, Ravello. Lesley Mitchell-Clarke, WHOLE NOTE
...and Nothing Remains the Same (Recording) "In the middle, Two Journeys manipulates the strings with a low, nearly sci-fi exploration in the very cautious landscape, while the title track is a minimal yet powerful display of sublime and very precise chemistry between the viola and cello." Recorded by Eight Strings & a Whistle, Ravello. TAKE EFFECT
Auditorium of the International Institute, Madrid, Spain (Live)
"Pamela Sklar - "The Chains of Love", voice, piano and two flutes (world premiere). Inspired by Cervantes' poem 'Chains of Love', this very dramatic piece consists of contrasts and is enriched by the timbres of the two different flutes." Soledad Bordas, ARTE DE LA FUGA
Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center, NY (LIve)
"Pamela Sklar's intricately lyrical The Chains of Love (2016), set to Cervantes' poem Las Cadenas de Amor, brought on flutes (Falzon and Sklar) to accompany...and open the superb second half." John Osburn, OSBURNT.com
Original CD Reviews:
NEW YORK TAPESTRIES 2Flutes-Falzon and Sklar
"Beautiful and engaging...a real clarity of line...great balance between instruments...performance is poetic and expressive." Nick Peros, PHOENIX CLASSICAL
"...haunting interaction...beautiful...an evocative tonal pallet. This CD is a listening joy." Patricia George, FLUTE TALK
"More engaging still is Flashes of Inspiration and Joy, written by Pamela Sklar... This is beautifully constructed and written by someone with a clear gift of melody; and Sklar knows how to showcase that melody, too, with effective use of the simplest techniques...The piece was inspired by the Native American writer and artist of the Muscogee Creek Nation, Joy Harjo. At one point the melody seems to soar high like a bird; a lovely musical image." Colin Clarke, FANFARE MAGAZINE
"New York Tapestries— reflects the emotional, spiritual, and ethnic inspirations of their composers. ...Pamela Sklar’s hypnotic Native American flute solo complemented by Laura Falzon’s alto-flute’s richly-toned lower register...create an absorbing, spiritually resonant atmosphere. Sklar’s warmly immersive playing bespeaks a deep involvement with instrument and idiom alike. Careful attention to line, phrasing, color, tempo, and ensemble, which combined with their intuitive insights, beautifully vivify the interior world of everything they play... Pamela Sklar is a composer whose Flashes of Inspiration and Joy is a tribute to artist Joy Harjo, a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation. ...impressive, telepathically linked synchronicity and spontaneity. ...excellent...accomplished artistry... A captivating program of new music..." Robert Schulslaper, FANFARE MAGAZINE
SILVER PHARAOH An Original Tribute to Ancient Egypt
"Flutist Pamela Sklar has produced a most unusual recording, but then she is a most unusual artist. ...The program Sklar presents is essentially a series of tone poems...a variety of colors with suggestions of other genres...delivered through a variety of instrumental combinations...the highest quality of both performance and recorded sound...it skillfully draws on an ancient aesthetic to enliven contemporary composition..." Peter Westbrook, FLUTE JOURNAL
"Pamela Sklar is an American flutist-composer and this release is her musical tribute to the culture of Ancient Egypt. Evocative... Hatshepsut is a fascinating duet for bass flute & percussion that would not sound out of place as background music to a documentary of its subject. ...evokes a surreal state...the flutist veritably soars against a deep and dark combination. Sklar moves with ease through the flute family, and her spotless playing is a delight to hear. ...an accessable program with works for unusual combinations presented with excellent sound and balance." Todd Gorman, AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE
"...the rhythms of Hatsepshut seem on one plane primal, on another they carry a jazz-like undercurrent. The rather sensual arrival of A Memory of You comes as a surprise. Silver Pharaoh seems to invoke Stravinsky in neoclassicist garb and is frankly delightful, especially when spiked with the occasional reference to jazz (a little more authentic, in Sklar's case, than Stravinky's efforts in this direction). The combination of bass flute and contrabassoon is a new one for me, and it works excellently in Styx. Taken from the Book of the Dead, Spell 166...the use of five flutes creates something of a magical sound...expertly written. Sklar creates a fascinating exploration of Ancient Egypt using a contemporary sound. Well worth exploring." Colin Clarke, FANFARE MAGAZINE
"These works by Sklar are the exciting edge of modern music where folk (a la Middle Eastern and North African traditional music) meets the exotic and chamber works in inventive ways that are very compelling. Especially appealing to the "world music" crowd, this is very accessable modern music that builds on...Borodin and other Romantic era composers whose work was inspired by, and infused with Eastern influence." DELMARVA WSCL Radio
A NATIVE AMERICAN-JAZZ TRIBUTE A Tune for America
"Audible glimpses of American grandeur like Monument Valley." George W. Harris, JAZZ WEEKLY
"...a beautiful showcase of Native American flute melodies blended with jazz rhythms." MURUCH entertainment
"Sklar’s debut CD titled “A Native American-Jazz Tribute” is a lovely album of music composed and improvised by American flutist Pam Sklar...a wonderful combination of jazz improvisation and Native American inflection and melody. Sklar is a wonderful and inventive flutist and composer, and she plays all the flutes with great sound and polish. Pam has given us a snapshot of American styles in this thoughtful and delightful cd." Barbara Siesel, THE FLUTE VIEW
"...the listener is transformed into another time and place...hauntingly beautiful...full of colors...excellent...mastery." Kimberly Goodman, THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY
"Very listenable music that straddles world music and jazz. Flutist Pamela Sklar has produced this album which puts together Native American musical styles and jazz which have engaged her imagination and soul. She improvisies on various sorts of flutes...I especially liked Wood Spirit..." John Henry, AUDIOPHILE AUDITION
"Pamela Sklar, a God-gifted musician...her rare sound is a story teller. Her new release "A Native-American-Jazz Tribute" is astounding...spectacular...marvelous." SMOOTH JAZZ MAGAZINE
"...Sklar is at home in many musical genres...creative...superb." FLUTE TALK
Reviews As Performer:
"…stimulating…hearty applause...delightful listening..." THE NEW YORK TIMES
"...engaging...piquant...delightful..."
THE NEW YORK TIMES
"Sklar, a master of control and dynamics, conjured up delicious imagery…rich, pure sound.”
THE BOSTON GLOBE
“Sklar continued to beam her beauteous radiance through her flute.”
THE ANN ARBOR NEWS
"Flutist Pamela Sklar's purity of tone and agile execution were well suited to Claude Bolling's Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano."
THE WASHINGTON POST
“…flawless intonation…lovely and lively…
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
“…dazzling technique…”
THE DENVER POST
“…sensual solos from the flute…an uncanny ability to switch from Baroque or Classical themes to jazz...fresh enthusiasm and vigor…the lush sweetness of Sklar’s three flutes was a joy.”
THE NEWS TRIBUNE, TACOMA, WASHINGTON
“The spectacularly outfitted Pamela Sklar was an adroit and style-conscious performer.”
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR
"...flutist Pamela Sklar presented a sparkling evening...talented...stirring..."
THE CALGARY SUN, CANADA
“Sklar is engaging and especially piquant…a sweet-toned player, she displayed excellent control and a fine sense of dynamics even in the fleetest, most demanding passages.”
THE HARTFORD COURANT
"Flutist Pamela Sklar was deft in adapting her style to Claude Bolling's jazz-classical crossover music."
THE TIMES TRIBUNE - PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA
"...can improvise and swing...nice embellishments by the chamber group, especially flutist Pamela Sklar."
ATHENS DAILY NEWS/ATHENS BANNER HERALD, GA
"Pamela Sklar joined Bolling for sections from the wonderful 'Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano'. Sklar is a young charmer and she can play! She too has a full understanding of the scores and the style. She switched around between several instruments...bass flute...mild, blue sound...alto flute- nice and warm."
DARIEN NEWS, CT