1965
In his February 16, 1965, for the Chicago Tribune, critic Thomas Willis praised the Contemporary Chamber Players of the University of Chicago for their technical mastery, specifically highlighting Max Neuhaus as the anchor of the performance.
Willis lauded Neuhaus's "extraordinary" ability to interpret complex avant-garde scores, particularly his delicate handling of Morton Feldman’s The King of Denmark.
Active Listening: The review noted that the "uncompromising" program, directed by Ralph Shapey, demanded a new level of focus from the audience, moving beyond traditional musical enjoyment toward a more rigorous engagement with sound.
Willis noted the group's "extraordinary" ability to handle the fragmented and complex scores of the avant-garde under the direction of Ralph Shapey.
The review specifically identified Neuhaus’s percussion work as a highlight, describing his performance of Morton Feldman’s The King of Denmark and other works that required delicate, almost microscopic control of volume and timbre