Journal of the American Viola Society Volume 15 No. 3, 1999
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JOURNAL ofthe AMERICAN ViOLA SOCIETY Section of THE INTERNATIONAL VIOLA SOCIETY Association for the Promotion ofViola Performance and Research Vol. 15 No. 3 FEATURES 15 Professor Emil Seiler: In Memoriam ByKaiKopp 29 The Athletic Musician: A Review By Ralph Fielding and joan C. Firra 33 Orchestral Training Forum By Robert Vernon 43 Living Rhythm: Just Do It! By Heidi Castleman OFFICERS Peter Slowik President Proftssor of Viola Oberlin College Conservatory 13411 Compass Point Strongsville, OH 44136 peter.slowik@oberlin. edu William Preucil Vice President 317 Windsor Dr. Iowa City, !A 52245 Catherine Forbes Secretary 1128 Woodland Dr. Arlington, TX 76012 Ellen Rose Treasurer 2807 Lawtherwood Pl. Dallas, TX 75214 Thomas Tatton Past President 7511 Parkwoods Dr. Stockton, CA 95207 BOARD Victoria Chiang Donna Lively Clark Paul Coletti Ralph Fielding Pamela Goldsmith Lisa Hirschmugl john Graham ]erzy Kosmala Jeffrey Irvine Karen Ritscher Christin Rutledge Pamela Ryan juliet White-Smith EDITOR, JAYS Kathryn Steely Baylor University Waco, TX 76798 PAST PRESIDENTS Myron Rosenblum (1971-1981) Maurice W Riley (1981-1986) David Dalton (1986-1990) Alan de Veritch (1990-1994) HONORARY PRESIDENT William Primrose (deceased) ~ Section ofthe Jnternationale Viola-Gesellschaft The journal ofthe American Viola Society is a peer-reviewed publication of that organization and is produced at Brigham Young University. ©1999, American Viola Society ISSN 0898-5987 ]AVS welcomes letters and articles from its readers. Editor: Kathryn Steely Assistant Editor for Viola Pedagogy: Jeffrey Irvine Assistant Editor for Interviews: Thomas Tatton Production: Quinn Warnick Linda Hunter Adams Advertising: Jeanette Anderson Editorial Office and Advertising Office: Kathryn Steely School of Music Baylor University P.O. Box 97408 Waco, TX 76798 (254) 710-6499 Fax: (254) 710-3574 [email protected] ]AVS appears three times yearly. Deadlines for copy and artwork are 15 December (Spring Issue), 15 April (Summer Issue), and 15 August (Winter Issue); submissions should be sent to the editorial office. Ad rates: $125 full page, $80 half page, $45 one-fourth page. Classijieds: $30 for 30 words including address; $50 for 31-60 words. Advertisers will be billed after the ad has appeared. Margin graphics courtesy of Violin-Making as It Was and Is, by Edward Heron Allen (London: Ward, Lock, & Co., 1885). TABLE OF CONTENTS From the President. .......................................... 5 Announcements ............................................. 8 Professor Emil Seiler: In Memoriam ............................. 15 byKai Kopp About Violists ............................................. 24 The Athletic Musician: A Review ............................... 29 by Ralph Fielding and joan C Firra Orchestral Training Forum ................................... 33 by Robert Vernon Living Rhythm: Just Do It! ................................... 43 by Heidi Castleman New Acquisitions in PIVA .................................... 55 Searching PIVA Online ...................................... 56 AVS Chapters .............................................. 62 Competitions .............................................. 66 Viola Connotations ......................................... 67 AVS Directory ............................................. 73 The Primrose International Viola Archive announces agenerous gift by Peter Bartok ifseveral hundred copies ifthe Facsimile of the Autograph Draft of the Viola Concerto by Bela Bart6k • Hardback in black, 12 by 16 inches, 84 pages including photo page. • Priface by Peter Bm16k & Commentary by LaszloSomfai (Text in English, Hungarian, German, ]apanes~ and Spanish). • Fair transcription of the drcift with notes prepared by Nelson Della maggiore. Any donor, past orfuture, contributing $150 or more to the construction if the PIVA and Primrose rooms in the BYU library will receive this handsome book as agift from Brigham Young University. Send your donation to: Primrose Account BYU Development Office C-389 ASB Brigham Young University Provo, UT 84602 5 I FROM THE PRESIDENT By the time you get this, the rum of the cenrury will be here. A new year, a new century, and for some of you (depending on your reading of the calendar) a new millennium! What better time for action! Bold, life changing action! We're talking "Gerring-a-Friend-ro-Join AVS" kind of action! This is the beginning of rhe final push, folks, in the AVS 2000 for 2000 campaign, the membership drive that can forever change the future direction of the viola in the Unired States! Does this sound like a bir of rurn-of-the-wharever hype ro you? Does it matter if AVS expands its membership base? Why should you make the effort ro get at least one member ro join? To pur it in strict Ameri canese: "What's in it for me?" REAso UMBER ONE: Expanding our membership reduces the "per member" fixed costs for the sociery. Journal production, presentation of Congresses, and general administration costs are largely fixed, regardless of the membership. Doubling rhe membership would mean that we could reduce the administrative cost of each membership, keeping mem bership affordable for years ro come. REAso UMBER TWO: Expanded membership will allow the AVS Peter Slowik board ro pursue worthwhile projects. An expanded membership base in the last two years has led to the establishment of the country's largest local viola competition (the Chicago Viola Soci ety's annual solo competition, with over $10,000 in prizes) and the first viola srudent writing competition on a national level (see p. 13 for derails on the David Dalron Viola Research Com petition). The AVS board is considering coproducing a reference volume on the great violas of the world, publishing out-of-print items from the archives, and hosting regional "mini congresses." The bulk of income &om new memberships could be used ro support these and other projects. REAsoN NUMBER THREE: "The more the merrier!" Why are yo u a member of AVS? To be "in rouch" with the viola-playing community of the United States, through performance, research, and fellowship. Wouldn't ir be an asset for each of us if that community represented by AVS membership were as complete as possible? REAso UMBER FOUR: The future of AVS depends on it. Each year we are one year away from extinction as a society. The infusion of new energy, ideas, and creativity from new mem bers serves to revitalize AVS , increasing its outreach through national and local events. An expanded membership means greater likelihood of chapter expansion, bringing viola activities right to "your own back yard. " I can hear you right now: "I'm no salesman! I can't get 857 members to join!" I have confidence in you, viola comrade! I am sure that you know several violists who are nor yet members (or worse yet, have let their memberships lapse!). Speak with them about the joys of AVS membership-show them the continually expanding and im proving Journal. Check out viola.com on the Internet and see all of the neat things that are being done through local AVS chapters such as Chicago, Southern California, and Rocky Mountain. You will be able ro convince several of them ro join AVS (and if applicable, your local society). You don't need ro bridge the gap ro 2000 yourself-just do the easy thing and get two ro £ve of your friends to join. That way you can relax, feel proud of your effort, and not have ro feel guilty when you read the Journal for the next year. Thanks in advance for your help. I look forward ro the productive fruits of our efforrs, and I wish each of you happiness and success in the new year! nowhere else inthew011d .. study privately with today's leading professionals, "' studio musicians and freelance artists can JOU ••• ~ be a part of a unique orchestral experience .\) performing symphonic jazz and chamber music J : ~ ~ work with renowned composers and conductors I from the film & recording industry ~ the ~ better prepare for your career in music )~ en manc1n1• • • itute JACK EWOTT MUSIC DIRECTOR 19~ Faculty I Jeremy Cohen (violin) Former member of Turtle Island String Quartet • Co-ncertmaster on Unda Rondstadt's latest recording • Soloist with various U.S. orchestras August2000 Irving Geller (violin) Former associate concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic • Member of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra UCLA Richard Greene (violin) Leading blue grass, jazz, and folk violinist • LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA Recorded and performed with Jerry Garcia, Herbie Hancock and Bruce Springsteen Aimee Kreston (violin) Concertmaster of the lA Mozart Orchestra • Served five years as concertmaster of Orchestre de Paris • Active soloist and studio musician Lesa Terry (violin) Former member of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra • Co-founder of the Uptown String Quartet • Performed with Ella Rtzgerald, Max Roach and Joe Williams Carole Mukogawa (viola) Served as principal violist with Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Jaffrey Ballet • Recorded with Henry Mancini, Frank Sinatra, and Mel Torme James (Jimbo) Ross (viola) Classical, blues, jazz and rock violist • Recorded with Rod Stewart, Tori Amos • Featured soloist with the Don Ellis Orchestra Antony Cooke (cello) Performed as soloist under Sir Colin Davis • Former principal cellist of London Mozart Players • Leading studio musician in the Hollywood recording industry Roger Lebow (cello) Principal cellist of the LA Mozart Orchestra • Founding Jack Elliott conducts the HMI Orchestra with the Turtle Island String Quartet member of the new-music group XTET • Leading studio musician