Presenters: Hannah Levison Gregory K. Williams Sheila Browne Karen Ritscher’s influence on the viola world is unmeasurable, as she worked with so many students at institutions including the Manhattan School...
We are so excited to welcome you to the 2026 American Viola Society Festival! Check in and pick up your festival credentials, materials, and swag bag! Registration is the first...
Presenters: Gabrielle Padilla Moly Wilkens-Reed Our session is a deep dive into Suzuki viola book 1 and the Suzuki philosophy as it applies to teaching young violists. We will discuss...
Presenters: Anna-Sofia Botti Nicholas Lindell Francis Poulenc’s 1940s Sonata for Cello and Piano carries a notorious reputation for its diabolical difficulty. After dreaming of stepping up to the challenge, I...
Teacher: Jeffrey Boynton Join Jeffrey Boynton for a special 5 Rhythms workshop honoring the life and legacy of violist and educator Karen Ritscher. Rooted in movement, rhythm, and creative expression,...
Presenter: String Quartet of Northern Virginia The String Quartet of Northern Virginia, Ensemble-in-Residence for the American Viola Society Festival, leads this invitational masterclass featuring selected festival ensembles. Participants will perform...
Presenter: Hannah Levinson Though advanced viola repertoire skews toward the 20th and 21st century, beginning and intermediate violists are rarely offered training in contemporary harmonic, rhythmic, and timbral languages. This...
Presenter: Douglas Temples This lecture recital draws from my doctoral research into the legacy of Maurice Vieux (1878–1951), the Paris conservatory professor who shaped the modern French viola school. While...
Presenter: Peter Slowik Observe master teachers in action during these open lessons with festival participants. Students will work one-on-one with Teachers in Residence in a traditional private lesson setting, while...
Presenter: Braunwin Sheldrick This session introduces Paul Rolland’s motion-based pedagogy as applied to viola bowing, with a focus on developing freedom, balance, and ease of movement. Rolland’s principles—natural posture, balanced...
Presenter: Lynne Ramsey Violist Lynne Ramsey works with selected festival participants in this engaging masterclass, offering insight into technical refinement, musical interpretation, and expressive performance. Attendees are invited to observe...
Presenters: Danielle Wiebe Burke Ayn Balija David McCormick Johanna Beaver Sam Suggs What sounds might a visitor to Monticello have heard? Music was often in the air - Thomas Jefferson...
Presenter: Freya Downey This interactive workshop introduces violists to Pauline Oliveros's "Deep Listening" technique and structured improvisation as tools for expanding artistic expression and enhancing practice effectiveness. Participants will engage...
Presenter: Maxwell Lowery Molly Wise Maxwell Lowery is a violist and composer who writes programmatic concert music for the viola and small ensembles. His vividly pictorial compositions tell musical stories...
We invite you to explore the exhibitor hall and connect with distinguished luthiers, bow makers, publishers, and vendors from across the viola world. Discover exceptional instruments, browse sheet music and...
Performer: Tze-Ying Wu Jorge Alves Tze-Ying Wu, Pei-San Chiu, and Chen-Yu Huang are members of the Formosa Trio. Formed in 2012 at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, the...
Presenter: Andrew Braddock French composer Betsy Jolas (b. 1926) has written a body of captivating and beguiling works for the viola. While she once joked that she belonged to the...
Presenter: Nicole Melrose Nicole Melrose leads this thoughtful workshop exploring trauma-informed approaches to music teaching, learning, and performance. Participants will gain insight into creating supportive, inclusive environments that promote safety,...
Presenter: Victoria Chiang Signature Artist Victoria Chiang works with selected festival participants in this special masterclass, offering insight into viola technique, musical interpretation, and expressive artistry. Observers are invited to...
Teacher: Peter Slowik Observe master teachers in action during these open lessons with festival participants. Students will work one-on-one with Teachers in Residence in a traditional private lesson setting, while...
Presenter: Daniel Stein Rose Wollman How do we get a great recording within our budget? In a moment in history when it is easier than ever to record ourselves, it...
Presenters: Blake Liahona Allen György Ligeti’s Viola Sonata (1991–1994) draws deeply from the folk traditions of his Romanian homeland and the ethnomusicological legacy of Béla Bartók. This lecture will explore...
Presenters: Clara Qiyun Zhao Christopher Raphael What can AI do in music? No, not to generate, not to steal and copy, nor taking away the fundamentals and essences of human...
Presenter: Molly Sharp As classical music includes so much one-on-one teaching, many of our skills are learned practically through oral tradition. Because of this, many teachers assume that their students...
Presenters: Sheila Browne Lisa Leonard This lecture recital with violist Sheila Browne and pianist Lisa Leonard will explore these two works- Lera Auerbach’s Arcanum and Jennifer Higdon’s Viola Sonata, for...
Presenter: Mikhail "Misha" Galaganov Playing simultaneous melodies in double stops or hidden polyphony in single musical lines of Baroque pieces often presents technical and musical challenges. Most solo works by...
Presenters: Peter Slowik Lauren Hodges A popular phrase these days is “there is no such thing as advanced technique – only advanced applications of basic technique.” The pathway to artist-level...
Performers: Noah Bowles Sasha Bult-Ito Jacob Clewell Joseph Yungen
All festival attendees are invited to attend the American Viola Society General Board Meeting. This open session offers an opportunity to learn more about the Society’s current initiatives, future plans,...
Performer: Rudolf Haken with the AVS Festival Orchestra conducted by Dr. Omelchenko Signature Artist Rudolf Haken presents an electrifying evening showcasing the extraordinary expressive range of the electric viola. Featuring...