Issue 2 | December 2013 Vol. 2 Issue 1 December 2013 e-Newsletter Message from the President The IVS continues to grow. In Issue No. 1 of these Carlos María Solare E-News, sections in Thailand, Portugal and the Netherlands were announced as being “in the Dear fellow violists, works”, all of which have in the meantime joined It has been some time since the previous issue of the organization. In addition to them, this year we the IVS E-News, and I apologize for the delay in welcomed Italy as the IVS’s 19th and latest national bringing out this second one. The elections for the chapter. new IVS Board have been taking up a lot of our In 2013, one of time of late. Following an interim period as acting the IVS’s youngest President, I have now been elected for a full term sections—the starting in January 2014, and I thank you deeply Polish Viola for your trust. It is my pleasure to introduce to Society, barely 4 you today the members of the newly elected IVS years old—has Board, who will work with me for the next three hosted the 41st years: Jutta Puchhammer-Sédillot (Canadian VS) International as Vice-President, Louise Lansdown (British VS) as Viola Congress. Secretary, and Danny Keasler (Thai VS) as Treasurer. I am sure that all The appointment of the two Executive Secretaries attendees of this will soon be forthcoming, but we don’t want to hold historic event back the E-News any longer. The names will be will agree with announced in due time in the IVS website. me that it was an Very special thanks are in order for IVS Past unalloyed success. President Michael Vidulich, who after 12 years is PVS President approaching his last period of service as the all- Bogusława Hubisz- Carlos María Solare time longest-serving IVS board member. It was my Sielska deserves Photo credit: Verena Richter Alves pleasure last October to confer on Dr. Vidulich IVS the most heartfelt Honorary Membership, as a small token of gratitude congratulations for all these years of service to our organization. and thanks for the wonderful week of music she Hopefully we will still be able to profit from his gave us. Many colleagues from the Eastern part of experience and wisdom for many years to come. Europe were attending their first International Viola Congress and introduced us to music from Bulgaria, Contents Ukraine and Poland itself. A report on the 41st IVC, President’s Message . 1 written by ANZVS member Andrew Filmer for the John White (1938–2013) . 2 Journal of the American Viola Society, is included in Impressions of the 40th IVS Congress . 4 this issue of the IVS E-News (pp. 21–29). You may Finnish Viola Competition . 6 indeed notice a large proportion of contributions Tokyo International Viola Competition . 7 from “Down Under” in these pages! This was Central Coast Concerto Competition . 13 unforeseen, and due mainly to the willingness Solo Viola Sonata Follies of 1937 . 15 of contributors to submit suitable material—the In Review: the 41st IVS Congress . 21 previous issue arguably had a US/Canadian bias. Cinderella: Some More! . 27 Ideally, we would like to achieve in each issue Letter from 2014 IVS Congress Host. 29 The Viola Music of Louise Lincoln Kerr . 30 1 a balanced proportion of articles originating in events large and small that may make a detour worth as many of our sections as possible. Therefore, I your while (www.landesmusikrat-berlin.de). encourage all of you to submit reports on local The IVS in its present form is now over twenty years events, information about your research projects, old. Times have changed a lot since then, and, as and any other items you would like to see reach a— the saying goes, one should move on and change literally—world-wide interested readership. with them, if one is not to be left hopelessly behind. After the Polish congress, Portugal—an even younger The new IVS Board is committed to bringing—and IVS section—is organizing the 42nd International keeping—the IVS in tune with a rapidly changing Viola Congress, scheduled for November 2014. Please world. For this we need your help and support: Please see the host’s message on p. 29. don’t hesitate to get in touch with us! In Berlin, where I live, the State Music Council With kindest regards, (Landesmusikrat) has declared the viola—or rather die Bratsche— “Instrument of the Year” for 2014. Hartmut Rohde, viola professor at Berlin’s University of the Arts, has agreed to be patron of this year-long event. Should you be anywhere near Berlin, watch Carlos María Solare out for a continuing series of concerts and other President of the International Viola Society British Viola Society Newsletter 2013 quartet he encouraged many of them to write for the John White (1938–2013) viola, and they responded with works dedicated to by Michael Freyhan | British VS Newsletter him. This article was written as a 75th birthday tribute. He gained further professional experience playing Sadly, John White passed away on December 1, 2013. in the London Philharmonic Orchestra and London Michael Freyhan’s text is printed here as an homage to Mozart Players but was drawn by instinct to the Honorary President of the British Viola Society and teaching. Accepting a post at Hockerill College in doyen of research into the viola Bishop’s Stortford, he developed repertoire. the musical life of the College, Born in the Yorkshire coal- bringing in musicians from mining village of Royston, outside to give concerts and near Barnsley, John White provide inspiration for the received his first violin students. He was much in demand lessons from his father. He as a chamber music coach and continued his musical studies began to conduct and train young at Huddersfield Technical players in organisations such as College, where he took the the Brentwood Youth Orchestra. decision to switch to viola. He went on to become viola tutor While serving out his national for the European Youth Orchestra. service he was awarded a As his reputation spread abroad scholarship to study with he was invited to sit on the juries Watson Forbes. He proceeded of international competitions. to the Royal Academy, where He was the first British violist to he became a founder member give master classes at the Beijing of the Alberni Quartet. This Conservatory. He held long- later brought him into contact term appointments, teaching with Britten and other British at the Royal Academy for more composers. After leaving the than thirty years and serving John White (1938–2013) 2 Photo credit: Melanie Strover high quality string instruments for purchase & rent wide selection of accessories, bows, cases, & sheet music detailed instrument maintenance financing available exceptional customer care Shop anytime — store.pottersviolins.com Sign-up with us on Facebook and Twitter for special offers and instrument care tips. Friends of The Potter Violin Co. @pottersviolins 301.652.7070 • 800.317.9452 • www.pottersviolins.com 4706 Highland Avenue • Bethesda, Maryland 20814 USA Promo code: IV Promo on the committee of the Lionel Tertis International from his private archive, stored on the first floor of Viola Competition for a similar period. He his house, though no-one outside the close family has continued to edit and publish, recently bringing been allowed to see it! Some of the Tertis treasures out collections of Tertis arrangements, from the came to him from the late Harry Danks, former original manuscript or transcribed from recordings, student of Tertis, whom John White acknowledges as as well as previously unpublished works by Alwyn an irreplaceable friend and mentor. and Bowen. His Anthology of British Viola Players, His answer to retirement, and equally to ill- published by Comus Edition, dates from 1997, and health, was to work, and in his 75th year he was as his monumental biography of Tertis, Lionel Tertis, productive as ever: his last book, on cricket, was the First Great Virtuoso of the Viola, first published by published last October. John is survived by his wife Boydell and Brewer in 2006, has just been updated Carol— his companion of almost 50 years—as well as and reprinted in paperback. It draws on material by their daughter and son. Suomen Alttoviuluseuran Tiedotuslehti http://www.suomenalttoviuluseura.com/finnishvs.htm Impressions of the 40th Concerts International Viola Congress Atar Arad truly impressed me and the full house by his intensive performance of his own composition 2012: Eastman School of Music, Epitaph for viola and string orchestra, as well as with Rochester, NY, USA his speedy and compelling performance of the Bach- Kodály Chromatic Phantasy. Max Savikangas The 40th International Viola Congress, brilliantly co- hosted by George Taylor, Carol Rodland and Phillip Ying at the famous Eastman School of Music, was probably the largest IVC ever with ca 600 participants and also probably one of the most diverse by its programming (view online: http://www.esm. rochester.edu/ivc2012/ivc-daily-schedule/). Eastman School of Music was also the venue for the fifth IVC back in 1977, then with performers such as William Primrose, Paul Doktor, Walter Trampler and Francis Tursi. This long traditon was interestingly presented John Graham performing on his viola connected to live-electronics at in the programme booklet and at the exhibition the Kilbourn Hall of the Eastman School of Music. located in the library. John Graham gave a cultivated recital with a programme for viola and live electronics and/or soundtracks. Especially positive impression left his premiere of Mikel Kuehn’s (holding PhD in Composition from Eastman, by the way) energetic and imagintive new composition Colored Shadows [Hyperresonance IV] for viola and Interactive Electro- acoustics (2012).