THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY Chapter of INTERNATIONALE VIOLA-FORSCHUNGSGESELLSCHAFT OFFICERS HAROLD KUTZ, SECRETARY MAURICE W. RILEY, PRESIDENT DWIGHT POUNDS. VICE PRESIDENT ANN WOODWARD, TREASURER 1024 Maple Avenue 512 Roosevelt Blvd. 1713 Daren Court 209 W. University Drive Evanston, tL 60202 Ypsilanti, MI 48197 Bowling Green, Ky 4210' Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Violisl in Chicago Symphony. 313 - 482·6286 Western Kenlucky University University of North Carolina Emeritus Professor of Violin-Viola Advertismg for AVS Newsletter Eastern Michigan University MYRON ROSENBLUM, PAST PRESIDENT 39-23 47th Street Sunnyside. NY 11104 Queensborough Community College EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS DAVID DAlTON Archivist. International Primrose Viola Archives, EOditor, A.V,S. Newsletter Brigham Young University Provo. Utah 84602 PAUL DOKTOR 215 West 88th Street New York, NY 10024 Juilliard School Mannes College of Music MILTON KATIMS 8001 Sand Point Way NE 'C-44 Seattle, WA98115 LOUIS KIEVMAN 1343 Arnall!! Drive Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 Private Teacher in the los Angeles Area DONALD MciNNES Professor of Viola School of Music University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI48109 ROBERT OPPELT 26305 Coolidge Avenue Oak Park, MI 48237 Private teacher in Detroit area JOSEPH DE PASQUALE 532 Lafayette Road Merion Statton. PA 19068 Principal Viola, Philadelphia Orchestra Prof. of Viola, Curtis Institute ROBERT SLAUGHTER 1705 North Riley Road Muncie, IN 47304 Ball State University THOMAS TATTON 2705 Rutledqe Way Stockton, CA 95207 University of the Pacific MARCUS n40MPSON 19 Florence Street Cambridge, MA 02139 Mass. Insl. of Tech., New England Conservatory FRANCIS TURSI 16 Coniston Drive Pochestar NY 14610 Eastman School of Music COORDINATOR WITH THE CANADIAN VIOLA SOCIETY A. BAIRD KNECHTEL 103 North Drive Islington,ONT M9A 4R5 Canada Pres-cent. Canadian Viola Society HONORARY PRESIDENT DR. WILLIAM PRIMROSE deceased Rare instruments and bows Expert appraisals Hours 10-5:30 Tuesday-Saturday 410 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60605 Telephone (312) 663-0150 The 1985 Viola Congress MA 02115; or telephone (617) 262- by 1120. Maurice Riley Editor's Note: Some teachers may have had a similar experience with the The XIII International Viola effect of a viola congress on stu­ Congress will be held in Boston on the dents. Namely. this ambience can be campus of the New Engl and Conservatory the catalyst which changes an inter­ of Music. June 12-16. 1985. Three ested viol a student into one who is members of the Conservatory facul ty , enthused and resolved. violists Burton Fine. Marcus Thompson. and Walter Trampler will perform. Marcus Thompson is the host chairman in The XII International charge of programming. Viola Congress Other artists who will perform and by conduct master cl asses are Atar Arad. Louis Kievman Paul Doktor. Rosemary G'l y de , Joseph De Pasqual e. Mi 1 ton Thomas. Abraham Skernick. Ann Woodward. Kim Kashkasian. The XII International Viola and Cynthia Phelps. Congress was convened at the Isl e of The United States Air Force Orches­ Man. British Isles. August 22-30. tra. conducted by Lt. Dennis M. Though separate events. the Congress Layendecker will present two even i ng and the Lionel Tertis International concerts featuring viola soloists who Viola Competition ran at the same time will perform works by Simon Bainbridge. and local e. J.N. Hummel. Henri Laz a r of . Anthony Participants came from several Newman. Niccolo Paqanl ni , Hans s t t.t. countries and programs were by est­ and Ralph Vaughan-Williams. ablished violists of various nation­ The John Oliver Choral with John al ities. There were one or more Oliver. music director. will present master classes. lectures and seminars choral works featuring the viola by daily. with solo recitals every Klaus G. Roy. and Ralph Vaughan- evening. Will iams. It was obvious from the question One evening concert is to be devoted and answer periods which often 1asted to chamber music which contains well beyond the schedul ed ti me. that prominent parts for the viola. all programs were of great interest Lectures and panel discussions of and filled a need. The recitals were topics pertinent to viola performance brilliantly performed and particularly and viola pedagogy are also planned. gratifying because of the individual In addition to exhibits of music. style of pl aying displayed by each recordings. and books related to the performer. The recitals varied in viola. there will be an exhibit of format. Some devoted to modern music. violas and bows made by contemporary others to classical. one to English luthiers. This exhibit will be music for the viola. while others were sponsored by a member of the Vi 01 in of an eclectic nature. The result was Society of America. musically satisfying for the listen­ For further information regarding er. and the performances outstanding. registration fees and housing reserva­ Every afternoon at 5:30 there was a tions write to: Gail Eaton. Director pre-dinner drink (wine) with hors of Publ i c Mfairs. New Engl and Conser­ d'oeuvres sponsored by a different vatory. 290 Hunti ngton Avenue. Boston. civic organization. Following 3 recital s, there was a late night Master Class "Bratsche Bar," and on one afternoon, Rivka Golani CANADA Solo Recital the community prepared what was called Lynn Hasti ngs & George Rubino US.8 a "Manx Tay". Social and musical needs Lecture: "Bowm a k t nq . Care and were. well sati sfi ed. Maintenance" The solo recital s brought home to Louis Kievman US.8 Master Class & me the vast difference between the Lecture: "Practicing the Viola" viola world today and that of my Alfred Likpis DDR Solo Recital & student days in New York. During the Master Class five years of my conservatory period Donal d McInnes Solo Recital & there was only one viola recital in Master Class New York City, given by Louis Bailley. Paul Neubauer USb Solo Recital At my first chamber music class there Michael Ponder UK Lecture Recital: were violinists and cellists, but no "Rebecca Clarke" vi 01a pl ayer. Sascha Jacobsen ordered Tully Potter UK Lectures: "Si r us violinists to borrow a viola and to Arnol d Bax" & "The Engl ish Viol ist" 1earn the c l ef. After two weeks, we Maurice Riley USb Lecture: "Contri­ commenced taking turns at the viol a butions of the IVS" desk. So much for viola instruction Lillian Tertis UK Seminar: "Lionel in those days <1929-19311! Today, of Terti s " course, the Juilliard School, all Emanuel Vardi Solo Recital & conservatories, and most schools of Master Class music have not one, but several viola John White UK Seminar and multiple instructors on thei r respect i ve viola group (Mr. White is president faculties. of the British Viola SOCiety and There are a number of th i ngs wh i ch was the moving force and organizer have contributed to the continuing of the Congress.) growth in the stature of the viola. There is a growing and improved HI-e XII In t ern at ion a 1 Vi 01 a repertoire; new teaching materials, Congress proved the worth of the fine instructors, new instruments effort that made it possible. The being supplied by modern Iuth ter-s , and next congress in Boston, 1985, not the least, the importance and undoubtedly will do the same. effectiveness of the work of the International Viola Society. In another generation or two at the most, one may expect to see the viola regain its long lost place of equality in the world of string performance. Listed are those who participated in the congress and their presenta­ tions: John Chambers UK Recital with voice and piano Bochmann Quartet UK Recital Man-Seng Chan SinQapore Lecture: "The Demand for The Small er Viola" David Dalton USA Lecture: "The Primrose Legacy" Harry Danks UlS Viola Ensemble & Seminar: "Lionel Tertis" Hirofumi Fukai JAPAN Solo Recital & 4 Competitions. and the al ists is firmly establ ished on the Lionel Tertis, 1984 concert ci rcu it and enj oys record­ by i ng contracts as well. In 01 iviera, David Dalton who gave a guest performance at Brigham Young University about a year before his Moscow success, one "Competitions are for horses, not recognized a highly gifted violinist for musi cians s " Ba rt6k is reputed to in command of his art. But the have said. If so, why has there been question lingers if Oliviera or any of a remarkable increase in the concours the three mentioned would have secured d'archet and other musical contests in a place on the solo stage in t oday t s the last few decades? Can they be competitively-minded world if they had justified as a legitimate artistic simply struck out on their own in endeavor? During the events on the pursuit of management, fame and Isle of Man, I wondered if these fortune? rivalries carry even subliminally the In a national periodical, the spirit of manly conflict such as the pianist, Ruth Laredo, who has a ancient Vikings against the Manx on solo career and has recorded some the plains of Sky Hill, or the spirit highly regarded discs, was featured as in our modern day of competition more an exception to other artists of her closely identified with contests on stature precisely because she had !J.Qj; the playing field or in the ring where arrived via the competition route. there is a declared winner and a Then there are the renowned arti sts loser? of an earlier generation who actually If in art, and among arti s t s • were losers. For instance, Oistrakh greatness lies more in the individual­ at Warsaw and Starker at Geneva. ity of expression--more in its differ­ Primrose tol d me that he was not ence than in its sameness--can in di­ psychologically built for this age.