Karen Ritscher’s influence on the viola world is unmeasurable, as she worked with so many students at institutions including the Manhattan School of Music, New York University, Rice University, Oberlin...
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...
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 the benefits of subscribing to...
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 engraved and performed a preliminary...
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, this guided session...
The Northern Virginia String Quartet, Quartet in Residence for the American Viola Society Festival, leads this invitational masterclass featuring selected festival ensembles. Participants will perform and receive expert coaching on...
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 knowledge gap often...
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 his pedagogical works...
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 attendees are invited...
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 arm motion, and...
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 experience her thoughtful...
What sounds might a visitor to Monticello have heard? Music was often in the air - Thomas Jefferson was a violinist, and nearly every member of his family also played...
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 in hands-on activities...
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 and are inspired by nature,...
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...
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 Trio’s name, Formosa—meaning “beautiful island”...
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 musical movement called...
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, trust, and artistic...
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 attendees are invited...
This lecture explores the influential teaching legacy of renowned violist Bruno Giuranna, whose contributions to viola pedagogy have shaped generations of performers and teachers worldwide. Through a structured exploration of...
What can AI do in music? No, not to generate, not to steal and copy, nor taking away the fundamentals and essences of human value: to create and to express....
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 will “figure it...
Emerging Teaching Artists of the American Viola Society Festival lead this masterclass, working with selected participants and sharing their insights on technique, musical interpretation, and effective practice strategies. This session...
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 a fresh perspective on two...
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 Bach, Telemann, and other...
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 viola playing is predicated on...
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,...
Signature Artist Rudolf Haken presents an electrifying evening showcasing the extraordinary expressive range of the electric viola. Featuring his original Concerto in F and the virtuosic VIPER Concerto, alongside his...