"Fulmer is one of the most important conductors and musicians working with contemporary music, and it was exciting to hear an example of his composing. His piece was a gorgeous, abstractly lyrical set of dramatic gestures and juxtapositions. The scoring, for piano, flute, harp, bass, and percussion (mostly metallic and tuned) showed an impressive imagination and the kind of technique that gives one confidence the music is operating with utter clarity."
-New York Classical Review
“Mr. Fulmer, a dizzyingly skillful violinist, served as the soloist in his piece. Mr. Fulmer’s [violin] concerto, in 10 continuous movements packed into an eventful 18 minutes, was ruthlessly atonal and treacherously difficult. Grainy microtonal passages and sonorous electronic episodes figured into a constantly shifting musical terrain; Mr. Fulmer’s part came in and out of focus amid a welter of competing sensations. Information overload and a lack of obvious cues made the going tough; Mr. Fulmer’s piece would not reveal all in a single hearing. Still, the ear was repeatedly seized by arresting combinations of timbre, like a glowing mix of harp, percussion, harpsichord and celesta that surfaced near the end, and Mr. Fulmer’s prodigious playing commanded attention throughout.”
– New York Times
“Fulmer’s String Quartet No. 2 (2005), is performed by the Tetras String Quartet. Near the quartets end, there is a single silence, and then finally all the separate elements are brought together in a true "ensemble" format. What started as individual and isolated presentations, become styles evenly distributed between all four performers. This presents a striking aggressiveness as its climax. String Quartet No. 2 is an engaging piece and exhibits virtuoso writing and performing. David Fulmer should continue to be heard from as a performer and composer.”
– Living Music
“Fulmer followed that by conducting Milton Babbitt's 1957 "All Set," in which Webernian 12-tone intricacy meets an eight-member jazz band. California didn't have anything to do with this piece either, but Babbitt, an echt-East Coast Modernist from Mississippi, did here prove for the first time that serialism could cook.”
– Los Angeles Times
"Special bravos are reserved for David Fulmer, who played like a man possessed: his stage presence, tone, bow control and finger technique were simply stunning."
-New Music Connoisseur
“. . .and then the real kicker: violinist David Fulmer’s delivery of ‘Piece for Violin and Eight Instruments,’ for soloist with horn and wind ensemble. Shapey mentioned in his video remarks that he wrote so ‘musicians could see what was inside my head.’ Fulmer saw it, and Shapey would have known he did.”
– Boston Herald
“Solo violinist David Fulmer made a powerful impression in his full mastery of the demanding central role of Piece for Violin and Eight Instruments, with the Soria Chamber Players conducted by Orlando Cela.”
– Boston Phoenix
“The solo part requires both absolute solidity and soaring imagination; violinist David Fulmer supplied them.”
– Boston Globe