AVS RETROSPECTIVE THE PRIMROSE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION’S EARLY YEARS

by Dwight Pounds activated following his death and for Viola, Strings and Harp with contributions began to be solicited. the National Arts Chamber The Artist, the Fund, and the The AVS Executive Board deter- Orchestra. Carla-Maria Rodriguez Competition mined that the fund would have to placed second and Paris reach $10,000 before interest from Anastasiadis third. They were given The great William Primrose earnings could be dedicated to $300 and $200 respectively and enjoyed numerous recognitions in awards. When Congress XIII con- performed in congress master class- his lifetime and still more were vened in Boston at the New es. Jurists included Robert Oppelt, bestowed upon him following his England Conservatory of Music in chair, David Dalton, Rosemary passing in 1982. Late in his career 1985, the fund had matured to Glyde, Nathan Gordon, Louis he was knighted as a Commander $8500. In the November 1986 Kievman, Dwight Pounds and of the British Empire by Queen issue of the JAVS, Past President Ann Woodward. Elizabeth II and in 1975 he was Maurice Riley announced that the awarded an Honorary Doctorate fund had a base in excess of by Eastern Michigan University in $10,000 and President David Ypsilanti at ceremonies during Dalton in the same issue Congress III. Concurrently he was announced that the William given an award unique in the Primrose Scholarship Fund American Viola Society, the AVS Competition would be held in Scroll of Distinguished Service. In conjunction with the 1987 Ann further actions by AVS leadership, Arbor congress. In 1989 the Primrose was also named Board created the Primrose Honorary President of the Society Memorial Fund and the Primrose and Honorary Chairman of the Memorial Scholarship Lynne Richberg and Executive Board. International Competition, giving each function Carla-Maria Rodriquez Viola Congress XI, convening in its own designation.1 Houston, Texas, in 1983, was ded- In 1989 and with Congress XVII icated to his life and artistry, the The First 10 Years convening on the campus of first such dedication in AVS or Redlands University in California, IVS history. He was made an hon- The first Primrose Memorial the second PMSC was won by orary member of the International Scholarship Competition was held, Daniel Foster, a student of Jeffrey Viola Society posthumously. An as scheduled, in June 1987, in con- Irvine. Ming Pak took second annual memorial concert/master junction with Congress XV in Ann place and Kai Tang Third. Foster class was established at Brigham Arbor, Michigan, and was won by played the world premier of Young University in his memory— Lynne Richburg, a student of Wayne Bohrnstedt’s Concerto for and this is by no means a defini- Donald McInnes. The winner Viola and Orchestra with the tive list. The William Primrose received $800 and performed Alan Redlands Symphony. Jurists Memorial Scholarship Fund was Shulman’s Theme and Variations included Louis Kievman, chair,

VOLUME 19 NUMBER 2 41 David Dalton, Alan de Veritch, Bloomington, Indiana. Second In 1995 the first prize cash award Roberto Diaz, Rosemary Glyde, place was taken by Kathryn had grown to $1500 with $1,000 Donald McInnes, Dwight Pounds, Lockwood. Judges included going to the second place contest- Sven Reher, and Karen Tuttle. William Preucil, chair, David ant, if awarded. The prize also car- Todor Pelev was the competition Dalton, Mary Arlin, Paul Coletti, ried the obligation for a solo per- coordinator. William Magers, and Thomas formance at the next congress; the Tatton. Lisa Hirschmugl was the runner-up was guaranteed a master competition coordinator. class performance in conjunction with the current congress.

The winners and finalists in the Primrose Memorial Scholarship Competitions, representing many American, Asian and European nationalities, languages and proud musical traditions, have gone on to distinguished careers in perform- ance and teaching—giving cre- dence to Primrose’s observation Dan Foster, second PMSC winner, receiv- that the idea of the “solo violist” as Nokuthula Ngwenyama, winner ing congratulations from Donald McInnes of the fourth Primrose Memorial a professional was a myth—and following the competition at Redlands. Scholarship Competition. have made the competition a truly international celebration of the At Ithaca College of Music, Ithaca, First place in the fifth PMSC, held viola. By way of update, the New York, in 1991, and held in with Congress XXIII in American Viola Society 2003 conjunction with Congress XIX, Bloomington, Indiana, in 1995, Directory and various websites the third PMSC was won by was taken by Catherine Basrak, have yielded the following infor- Kirsten Docter, a student of Jeffrey student of Roland Vamos. The sec- mation on the PMSC winners and Irvine, with Kin-Fung Leung plac- ond prize went to Joan finalists through its first ten years, ing second. These were the only DerHovsepian and third to Scott though some listings may not be awards given. The winner per- Lee. Continuing with the prece- current. Among the winners, formed again a world premier, dent set in Evanston, Basrak gave a Lynne Richburg is principal violist Richard Lane’s Aria and Allegro solo recital and was promised a with the San Francisco Chamber with the USAF Symphony. Jurists featured appearance in Congress Orchestra, a member of the New were Emanuel Vardi, chair, Harold XXV, the Silver Jubilee, to be host- Century Chamber Orchestra, and Coletta, David Dalton, Rosemary ed by the University of Texas in an active studio musician in Los Glyde, Pamela Goldsmith, and Austin. The previous winner, Angeles, having performed on over John White. Nokothula Ngwenyama, played a 100 motion pictures including A solo recital and performed the Beautiful Mind and Seabisquit. The fourth PMSC was held during Shulman Theme and Variations She revisited Alan Shulman’s Congress XXI in Evanston, with the USAF Symphony. Jurists Theme and Variations in a Illinois, in 1993, and won by included Donna Lively Clark, February performance with the Nokuthula Ngwenyama, a student James Durham, Csaba Erdélyi, NCCO and was joined by the of Alan de Veritch. Ngwenyama Abram Skernick, Thomas Tatton, composer’s son, Jay Shulman, in performed a solo recital and was and Marcus Thompson. Laura this tribute to his father and his scheduled for an appearance in Kuennen-Poper was the competi- music. Dan Foster is affiliated with Congress XXII in 1995 in tion coordinator. the University of Maryland, is

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY 42 principal violist in the National Society.3 Carol Rodland is on the called Mad Juana), Ming Pak, Kai Symphony Orchestra, and is a faculty at the New England Tang, Man-Qin Zhang, Mike JAVS contributor.2 Kirsten Docter Conservatory and serves on the AVS Kelly, Matthew Phillips (who may is on the viola and chamber music Executive Board. Rodland, recently be playing in the Buffalo faculties at the Cleveland Institute elected to the AVS Executive Board, Philharmonic), and Ken of Music, violist with the Cavani has come full circle as a PMSC Mathewson. The international String Quartet, and has appeared finalist and now serves on the com- character and appeal of the PMSC as soloist and ensemble member in petition committee. truly has become one of its most Europe and North and Central Joan DerHovsepian played many enduring hallmarks and continues America. Nokuthula Ngwenyama seasons with the Everest Quartet to mark the legacy of this still rela- has performed as soloist with sev- which for at least two years was in tively young event. eral major symphonies and in residence in the Midland-Odessa recitals at the Kennedy Center, the (Texas) region and may have a Notes: Louvre and the White House. position now in Houston. Scott Ngwenyama was the recipient of Lee, 1996 Concert Artists Guild 1. The Primrose Memorial the 1996-1997 Fulbright Grant to Competition winner and Lionel Scholarship Competition should study at the Conservatoire de Tertis Competition finalist, is a not to be confused with the sin- Musique in Paris and also received faculty member at the University gle 1979 Primrose International the 1997 Avery Fisher Career of Missouri-Kansas City Viola Competition which took Grant. She graduated from the Conservatory and at the Idyllwild place in Provo, Utah, before the Curtis Institute of Music in Chamber Music Festival and opening of Congress VII. Philadelphia and resides in Boston. Workshop in California and is par- Geraldine Walter won first Cathy Basrak is assistant principal ticularly active in chamber music. place, Jun Takahira took second, violist of the Boston Symphony Kathryn Lockwood performs and and Patricia McCarty third. Orchestra, principal violist of the records with the Lark Quartet, the Judges were William Primrose, Boston Pops, is affiliated with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Trio Ralph Aldrich, and Joseph de Boston Conservatory and active Solisti, Muir Quartet, Pasquale. with faculty ensembles there. Concertante, and Triple Helix. She Predictably, many PMSC finalists serves on the faculties at University 2. Dan Foster’s article, also have established high profile of Massachusetts, Amherst, “Preparation and Performance careers. Carla-Maria Rodriguez Concordia Conservatory and the of Richard Strauss’s Don records and performs with the San Boston University Tanglewood Quixote and Ein Heldenleben” Francisco Silverwood Ensemble. Institute. Gilad Karni won the is published in JAVS Vol. 18 Susan DuBois, former prizewinner Lionel Tertis International Viola No. 1, 2002. and recitalist at the Lionel Tertis Competition 1994, is a former International Viola Competition member of the New York 3. Lembi Veskimets’ interview with and winner of Artists Philharmonic Orchestra, and has Bloomington PMSC winner, International’s 23rd Annual performed internationally as a Cathy Basrak appears on page Auditions, is viola professor at the soloist. Karni is currently the 49 of this issue of JAVS. University of North Texas. Lembi newly appointed principal violist Veskimets is a member of the of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. Cleveland Orchestra, teaches at the Other PMSC finalists who com- Cleveland Music School peted at a congress include Settlement and the Encore School Heather Bentley, Amalia for Strings, and currently serves as Daskalakis (who performs electric President of the Ohio Viola viola with a modern ensemble

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY 43