AVS Educator Mini-Grant Program
The AVS Educator Mini-Grant Program supports viola pedagogy and education by investing in viola teachers, providing our valuable viola educators with funding to enhance the quality and/or scope of their teaching. The program issues a call for proposals each spring, awarding up to five (5) individual grants of $500 annually in support of teacher development and studio enhancement programs. Educators must be AVS members at the time of submission and throughout the duration of the grant process, and must submit a grant report upon completion of grant activities.
Possible uses for AVS Educator Mini-Grant Funding include:
- Developing new programs for students
- Commissioning new repertoire for students
- Pedagogical/teaching supplies (one-time large investments)
- Travel support to educational events
- Seed money for larger projects
- Professional development/continuing education for teachers (i.e., Suzuki teacher training, Rolland certification, string pedagogy workshop tuition, etc)
Examples of funded AVS Educator Mini-Grant projects include:
Shelley Beard (2023)
Settlement Music School received a 2023-24 mini grant from the American Viola Society to commission Cotten – a viola quartet by Chris Dahlke, a violist, composer, and alum of both Settlement and Oberlin. The piece premiered in September 2023 and has been performed multiple times by young violists from the school, including a performance at the 2024 AVS Festival. Directed by Shelley Beard, the ensemble champions new viola works. Cotten honors folk musician Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten, reflecting her unique guitar style through pizzicato textures, extended techniques, and audio clips of Cotten’s voice and music.
Watch “Cotten” here
Kaylie Pugh (2023)
The HEBISD Suzuki Strings program hosted a Viola Day workshop for elementary students across 10 district schools, supported by an American Viola Society Educator Mini-Grant. The event featured performances and a talk by D.J. Cheek, principal violist of the Fort Worth Symphony, and included junior high students. Clinicians Rachel Samson and Camille Day Nies led group classes and a viola history session. Students gained new skills, met peers from other schools, and were inspired by professional musicians. The event boosted motivation and practice among participants and helped foster a growing viola community within the district.
Christina Ebersohl Van-Scyoc (2023)
With support from the AVS Mini-Educator Grant, Christina Ebersohl-Van Scyoc commissioned a piano reduction of Egyptian Concerto No. 2 by ‘Attiya Sharara, a neo-Romantic work blending Egyptian folk music and Western classical style. Dr. Michael Delfin completed the reduction in October 2023, enabling the piece to be performed in studio and recital settings. A preliminary performance took place in December 2023, followed by revisions. The finalized version will be presented to Sharara’s family in Egypt in September 2024 before publication. The project aims to expand the viola repertoire and promote underrepresented composers in classical music.
Sigrid Karlstrom (2024)
As a performer and educator, I sought to deepen my understanding of Paul Rolland’s pedagogy through Level I endorsement at the Paul Rolland Workshop, supported by the AVS Mini Grant. The six-day online workshop featured around twenty expert presenters, covering Rolland’s The Teaching of Action in String Playing. Sessions addressed techniques from instrument hold to bowing, with applications for violin, viola, cello, bass, and classroom settings. The diversity of teaching styles and anecdotes from Rolland’s former students offered fresh insights. The experience revitalized my teaching, especially in developing tension-free bow technique, and provided valuable strategies for both individual and group instruction.