“The first thing that strikes you about Wood’s playing is the sheer full-bodiedness of her sound”

The Strad

“Another good experience was hearing violinist Alexandra Wood at Wigmore Hall on March 26. In this Young Artists’ Platform award-winners concert Wood followed the clear-voiced Canadian soprano Gillian Keith and the expressive oboist Katy Mackintosh, both well accompanied by Simon Lepper, but she quickly asserted her authority. I was almost persuaded that Hugh Wood’s dreary Poem was a superb lyrical effusion. Even better was Debussy’s Sonata, in which Wood and pianist Huw Watkins were able to be spontaneous without losing control or stylistic unity. She enjoyed her Wieniawski Polonaise Brillante and so did we….She is certainly a talent to watch. An encore was clearly desired by the audience but perhaps it would have been unfair to the earlier participants”
Tully Potter, The Strad

“The PLG was giving a second showing to Watkins’s 1999 Sonata. This passionately lyrical and skilfully argued work was played this year by Watkins and the 24-year-old violinist Alexandra Wood.Her highly charged yet imaginatively refined playing had already set into bright relief the Three studies by David Matthews. And she and Watkins had made Daniel Giorgetti’s Dialogue 2000 leap from the page. This world-premier performance exploited the extremes of both violin and piano, but to witty rather than sensational effect, demanding quite extraordinary physical and imaginative dexterity from the players.”
Hilary Finch, The Times

“Chroma was followed by Alexandra Wood, a fiery violinist who, in company with pianist/composer Huw Watkins, gave a wonderfully assured account of Hugh Wood’s Poem. Here the piano provides a kind of emotional support for the overwrought violin, and Alexandra Wood does overwrought very well indeed. Earlier, she negotiated the pitfalls of David Matthews’s Three Studies, producing a wild rush of sound that any folk fiddler would have been proud of.”

The Observer

“freshness and musical intelligence”

The Independent

“Wood is impetuous, passionate with fibrous tone and tightly coiled phrasing to match. It was a combination that caught the neurotic quality of Schumann’s Violin Sonata in A Minor, while Poulenc’s sonata was appropriately brittle, with more voluptuous hints in the slow movement. Watkins was able to play with the lid fully open (always preferable), a tribute to both the power of Wood’s delivery and to his own sensitive, though equally dazzling, accompaniment……With artists of this calibre, Monday nights will never be the same again”

Barry Millington, Evening Standard

"an exceptionally accomplished violinist"

Michael Kennedy, The Sunday Telegraph

"dazzling virtuosity on the violin"

Carol Main, The Scotsman

“The later concert featured virtuoso stuff for violin (Alexandra Wood)…, abetted by the composer-pianist Huw Watkins. Enhanced by Wood’s impassioned attack, David Matthews’ Three Studies, Hugh Wood’s Poem and Watkins’ recent sonata proved that there is still plenty of life in neo-Romanticism”

David Murray, The Financial Times

“The Kirckman concert society concert at the Purcell Room on 3 July had charm, brevity, romance and excitement, but not all at the same time! It was given by violinist Alexandra Wood who has poise and outward passivity and pianist Huw Watkins, who has deference and inner creativity. The charm was notable in Mozart’s B flat major sonata which introduced Wood’s glowing tone and serene style. The dainty runs in thirds with the piano had a magical effect….Schumann’s A Minor sonata was indulgently romantic, its broad first movement passions veering between the turbulent, sweaty and feverish and the gentle, retiring and introspective…Excitement was the chief effect in Bartok’s thrilling First Sonata which Wood played with aggressive certainty and featherlight trills. Her prayerful Adagio was pleading but not urgent over cool pools of piano tone, while the finale produced such power, intensity and drama as seemed unlikely with the violinist reading from the score.”

Rick Jones, Musical Opinion

“Alexandra Wood made a strong showing, opening with David Matthews’ Three Studies, robustly lyrical and inventive pieces that really bring out a performers personality…The Poem by Hugh Wood, a compact piece which typifies his approach to tonal expression. Alexandra Wood effortlessly conveyed its mood of passion suffused into tranquillity: she is clearly a musician to watch out for.”

Richard Whitehouse, Seen and Heard

“The work ends in serenity with ‘Louange à l’immortalité de Jésus’. This time it is the violin that carries the long melodic line with the piano in mainly gentle support. In this further expression of Messiaen’s faith Alexandra Wood was as inspired as had been Robin Michael earlier on. She mixed passion and serenity in a fine, eloquent reading that suggested the vast spaces and horizons of eternity. The music faded into silence and was followed by an extended silence before the applause began. This delay was, perhaps, the best compliment that the audience could pay the performers after a splendid and very committed performance of this truly unique work.”
John Quinn, Musicweb International

“ I have greatly enjoyed the musicianship of Alexandra Wood and Huw Watkins on this disc, and wish to compliment them on their excellent taste in providing us with such an intriguing and stimulating programme of new music”

Musicweb International

“Perhaps most memorable of all was the fire which Alexandra Wood and Huw Watkins brought to several of Matthews' gift pieces and to movements of Britten's early duo, which on this hearing sounds to have become under-rated.”

Peter Graham Woolfe, Musical Pointers

“Alexandra Wood proved an excellent violinist. This trio is definitely one to follow”

Philip Fisher, Chantrey Vellacott DFK

“Wednesday’s programme was a vibrant example of all that is exciting about Mixing Music, framing three very recent works for violin and piano with two earlier pieces. To all of them soloist Alexandra Wood and pianist Huw Watkins brought performances of commitment and immense character. Wood plays with panache and absorption and Watkins, himself a composer, with a touching sympathy. Together they share a partnership of almost supernatural rapport”

Christopher Morley, Birmingham Post

“These gifted musicians have performed several times in Cheltenham and, thankfully, their youthful exuberance shows no sign of abating. From the start they demonstrated their instinctive musical rapport with a high spirited performance of Beethoven’s Sonata in G. Ysaye’s brief Sonata No 6 for Solo Violin, Alexandra Wood made light of the complex habanera rhythms, stunning the audience with her virtuosic insights”

Gloucestershire Echo

“soloist, Alexandra Wood, in a brilliant performance gave it (Mendelssohn Violin Concerto) full expression. The orchestra responded well to her playing and together they produced what was clearly the high point of the evening”

Uckfield Paper

“The young up-and-coming violinist gave a stunning account of Lalo’s five movement Symphonie Espagnole encompassing all the technical demands, especially those in the dramatic Andante and brilliant Finale, with consummate ease.”

Southampton Paper

“The Countess of Munster sponsored a hugely enjoyable recital by Alexandra Wood and Huw Watkins…Wood’s full tone had colour and character. The finale’s emotive content was conveyed with a passion that carried the full measure of Elgar’s muse…The rare purity and simplicity of Part’s Spiegel im Spiegel was evoked with treasurable beauty. Sonata No.8 by Beethoven, the duo’s opening work was an excellent choice. Rapidly setting the high standard of performance and rapport they maintained throughout their recital. The Wood-Watkins duo appears to make a perfect partnership”

Daily Echo, Bournemouth

“Alexandra Wood, the soloist in Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto combined beauty of tone with virtuosity that one would find difficult to surpass. She possesses an extraordinary musical talent and she will surely become one of the British Musical stars of the future”

E Brand, Derbyshire Times

“A convincing account of the Sibelius Violin Concerto was marked by a superb performance from soloist Alexandra Wood, a young but extremely talented violinist who plays with astonishing naturalness and matches verve with elegance. She produced a delicious tone in the Adagio. Then came her vigorous and fluent account of the fast moving finale.”

David Hammond, Huddersfield Examiner

“I have, over many years attended dozens of violin recitals and have treasured memories of a gifted few. I have added to that number after hearing Alexandra Wood at Louth and District Concert Society recital. The concert opened with Bach’s Sonata in G Minor for solo violin. Alexandra performed this major work with supreme authority and musicianship. From the first chord it was apparent that the demands Bach made on the executant, particularly the taxing fugue, held no terrors for Alexandra who allowed the audience to enjoy the great music. Alexandra was then joined by Stephen in a riotous outpouring by Lutoslawski, in which the duo displayed their formidable technique. The first half ended with Schubert’s Rondo in A. Schubert would have been delighted that his zest for life was so beautifully communicated to us”

Charles Baron, Louth Standard

“Berkshire-born violinist Alexandra Wood and pianist and composer Huw Watkins gave a delightful recital in the young artists lunchtime concert series. Their lovely performance displayed sensitive musicianship and fine technique. A good sized and appreciative audience enjoyed hearing this music played by two such accomplished musicians, and it is to be hoped the Newbury’s Music lovers will not have to wait long for an opportunity to hear them again”

Grisell Davies, Newbury Weekly News

“This is the first of this season’s concerts that I have been able to attend. Once again the reward was a stimulating performance by two highly skilled artists, still in their early twenties. The talent spotters of Wallingford Chameleon Arts must have very sharp ears. Violinist Alexandra Wood comes girt with prizes from Cambridge and almost every music competition you could shake a bow at. Playing a Landolfi instrument, and with intense concentration, Wood opened the concert with the unaccompanied chaconne form Bach’s Partita No2. This complex structure of 64 variations on a chord sequence to which it repeatedly returns exploits every potential of the violin: arpeggios, trills, leaps, double-stops and dynamic changes from major to minor, all negotiated with aplomb”

Jeanine Alton, Oxford Times

“An audience of around 150 displayed tremendous admiration for the highly talented playing of Alexandra Wood, the winner of the 10th Haverhill Sinfonia Soloists Competition. Her brilliant fingering of the strings and presentation demonstrates a great future in store. Three recalls reflected the audience appreciation of her performance.”

East Anglian Daily Times