Viola V19/N1
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AT THE GRASSROOTS Ohio Viola Society, 2002 under was Annalisa Boerner. to benefit talented young violists in Greetings from the Ohio Viola Annalisa is from Columbus, Ohio Ohio through the annual OVS Society! 2002 was an exciting and and studies with Deborah Price. Viola Competition. memorable year for violists in the Second Place went to Paul McIntyre Buckeye state. of Westlake, Ohio. Paul is a student The program consisted of arrange- of Peter Slowik. Honorable ments and original music from We began our year, as many chap- Mention in Division I was awarded various stylistic periods, including ters did, with the first-ever Viola to Justin Auschenbener of the Canzons XII and XVI by Super Sunday event, held on Strongsville, Ohio, and Alexandra Giovanni Gabrieli (arr. by Patrick January 13, 2002. Violists from Green of Shaker Heights, Ohio. Connolly) and the Water Patterns local communities and professional Justin is a student of Peter Slowik, for Eight Violas and Solo Viola orchestras joined with students and and Alexandra studies with Louise (1991) by Nathaniel Tull Phillips. faculty from Ohio’s colleges and Zeitlin. Whether it was the beautiful conservatories under the baton of melodic lines of pieces like the Pie Maestro Peter Slowik to play Winner of the Division II Jesu from Gabriel Faure’s Requiem arrangements of familiar works like “Donald Crossley Memorial Viola (arr. by Tracey Rush) and the Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Berlioz’s Prize” for ages 14-17 was Benjamin Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 by Roman Carnival Overture, and Lee. Benjamin, of Hudson, Ohio, Heitor Villa-Lobos (arr. by Patrick Sousa’s Star Spangled Banner. The studies with Ann Smith. Rachel Connolly), or the rhythmic vitality event helped to attracted many new Ward was awarded Second place in of the Brazilian Waltz Medley members to the OVS and AVS. Division II. Rachel is a student of (2002) (arr. By Paul Ferguson) and Nancy Buck and is from Maumee, the Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 We’d like to thank the Amateur Ohio. Jonathan Epstein won this by Johann Sebastian Bach, the Chamber Music Players Inc. for year’s Best Bach Award. Jonathan is ensemble beautifully expressed the their grant to cover costs of arrange from Pepper Pike, Ohio and is a viola’s rich sonorities and expressive the event, and to Baldwin-Wallace student of Louise Zeitlin. timbre. The evening also included College Conservatory for the use Congratulations to all participants! the Divertimento for Four Violas by of the hall. Thanks also to Louise Kenneth Harding, the Entr’acte Zeitlin for her hard work in organ- Judging this year’s competition from Rosamunde by Franz Schubert izing the event locally. were Marcia Ferritto for Division I (arr. by Robert Stoskopf); and the and Roger Chase for Division II. Festival Overture (1999) by Michael On Sunday, March 3, we held our Kimber. second annual Student Northeast Ohio viola enthusiasts Competition. Participants (and their had a rare opportunity to hear an The OVS is grateful to the violists parents) braved high winds to travel entire program of music dedicated of the Cleveland Orchestra for to Oberlin College in Oberlin, to the beauty and expressive range their support of the OVS and our Ohio to compete for the top prizes of the viola. The Viola section of Viola Competition. The members and receive comments from this the Cleveland Orchestra per- of the ensemble include Principal year’s judges. formed an evening of music at the Violist Robert Vernon, who did Cleveland Museum of Art’s double duty as conductor and Winner of the Division I Gartner Auditorium. The concert, soloist throughout the evening; “Bratsche” prize for ages 13 and held on April 26, raised over $600 First Assistant Principal Lynne VOLUME 19 NUMBER 1 61 Ramsey, who performed as soloist at The Cleveland Institute of success. Eighteen violists of all in the Festival Overture and Music and Encore School for ages gathered on the stage of Water Patterns; Assistant Principal Strings. Lembi, who has been an Clapp Recital Hall at the Stanley Konopka; and section OVS Board member since our University of Iowa to read some members Lisa Boyko, Patrick inception, is a member of the very fun works. What a sound! Connolly (who arranged many of Cleveland Orchestra and is on the The evening concluded with the the pieces on the program), faculty of the Music School Bach Brandenburg Sixth Yarden Faden, Mark Jackobs, Settlement. Many thanks to Concerto with Rosemary Arthur Klima, Eliesha Nelson, Louise Zeitlin for all her hard Chancler at the piano. Then we Lembi Veskimets, and Richard work and leadership during her all headed down to The Mill Waugh. We would also like to tenure as president, and we wish Restaurant and had a great time. thank Cleveland Orchestra guests her well in her new position as We’re already looking forward to Thomas Sperl, violone, Richard Secretary for the AVS, and as a Viola Super Sunday 2004. Weiss, violoncello, and Joela continuing OVS Board member. Jones, harpsichord, who per- – Jeff Williams The next day the Society hosted formed in the Brandenburg guest violist Peter Slowik, and Concerto No. 6. Iowa Viola Society pianist James Howsmon, at the Preucil School of Music. Slowik On Sunday, November 17, the The Iowa Viola Society inaugurat- and Howsmon performed an OVS held our fourth annual ed its 2002-03 season with the excellent recital of music by Lidl, Master Class Day at The annual Viola Day, which was held Bartok, Gershwin, Vieuxtemps, Cleveland Institute of Music. on Oct. 6, 2002 in Dubuque, and Brahms. The performance Junior High, Senior High, Iowa at the Northeast Iowa was followed by a reception for College, and Adult Amateur vio- School of Music. The day began the artists and Viola Society lists participated in the event, with an excellent master class by members. which was attended by over 50 Spencer Martin, Instructor of –Christine Rutledge-Russell people. Lisa Boyko, Roger Chase, Viola at Luther College in Mark Jackobs, Stanley Konopka, Decorah, Iowa. After the annual Jeffrey Irvine, Laura Shuster, Peter membership meeting we had a Utah Viola Society Slowik, Lembi Veskimets, and great performance of Warlock’s Super Sunday Louise Zeitlin coached the partic- Pavane by Dubuque area high ipants in 30-minute blocks. school students, followed by The Utah Viola Society Super Observers, participants, and their Guido Papini’s Quartet performed Sunday was a great success. The families were able to attend the by Christine Rutledge, William event took place January 19, 2003 four simultaneous sessions. Preucil, Spencer Martin, and Julia at the University of Utah in Salt Attendees noted that the event Bullard. Then all in attendance Lake City. Roberta Zalkind, was extremely rewarding. The day (this year we had over 25 partici- Associate Principal violist of the ended with socializing together pants) gathered to read some Utah Symphony Orchestra, and a over refreshments. favorite ensemble works for mul- viola instructor at the University tiple violas. The day concluded of Utah, hosted the event. Many Finally, in news from the OVS with a recital featuring Tracey thanks to the music administra- Board, we welcomed new board Rush, Maura Sullivan, Julia tion of the university for allowing member Lisa Boyko and incom- Bullard, Christine Rutledge, and us free use of their facilities. ing president Lembi Veskimets in Spencer Martin. Our second June. Lisa is a member of the annual Viola Super Sunday, held Michael Palumbo, professor of Cleveland Orchestra and teaches on January 19, 2003, was a huge viola at Weber State University in JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY 62 Ogden, Utah, organized the event "finished product.” The group Chicago Viola Society which drew together 21 violists, read a variety of music, inter- including 5 members of the Utah spersed with a brief break to par- The Chicago Viola Society will be Symphony Orchestra, university take of nourishment (eat junk sponsor the 1st Annual Midwest students, and other members of food), and socialize. Works that Viola Conference on Saturday, the viola community, for 2 hours were read ranged from an opening April 26, 2003, at the Chicago of music and food. performance of three movements College of Performing Arts at from the Six Canonic Sonatas of Roosevelt University. The featured Claudine Bigelow, professor of Telemann, to the finale without artist is British violist Simon viola at Brigham Young which such a gathering wouldn’t Rowland-Jones who will present a University, and president of the be complete, the first and third masterclass and a recital. UVS invited Christian Asplund of movements of Bach’s Instrument displays and demon- the BYU faculty to compose a Brandenburg No. 6. Christian strations will be in conjunction piece for the event. Christian is an Asplund played the cembalo part with the American Federation of accomplished violist, in addition on the piano, and Michael Violin and Bow Makers who is to being a composer. His new Palumbo and Wilson Hsieh holding its annual general meet- work, Piece for 4 or More Violas, played the gamba parts on viola. ing in Chicago the same weekend. was composed in the form of a Unfortunately we didn’t have a For more information please visit canon. After a brief explanation of cellist, but the performance was the Chicago Viola Society website the instructions for measure and still very satisfying. at: viola.com/chvs. section repetition we set off to read the music with Christian It’s amazing how fast two hours conducting. Various aleatoric ele- flies by when you are engrossed in ments including unspecified num- chamber music. We had far more bers of repeats in various sections, music than we were able to read and individual rhythmic interpre- in the time we had available.