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X-WR-CALNAME:Welcome to the American Viola Society!
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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Welcome to the American Viola Society!
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T100000
DTSTAMP:20260526T100625
CREATED:20260207T035351Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T024329Z
UID:47135-1780650000-1780653600@www.americanviolasociety.org
SUMMARY:A Rediscovered Voice: Oppel Viola Solo Suite from the WWII
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] \nPresenter:\nPenny Tong\nThis lecture-recital introduces a remarkable rediscovery in the viola repertoire: the Suite for Solo Viola (1940) by German composer Reinhard Oppel (1878–1941). Written in the final year of his professorship in music theory at the Leipzig Conservatory—just one year before his death—the work reflects Oppel’s deep engagement with the music of J.S. Bach\, a subject on which he published extensively. \nFollowing Oppel’s death\, his wife concealed his manuscripts in a trunk buried underground\, safeguarding them from the Nazi regime\, the devastation of WWII\, and later Soviet and East German authorities. In 1990\, Oppel’s youngest son\, Kurt\, returned to Germany to recover the collection\, now housed at the University of North Texas. Among these treasures was the handwritten manuscript of the Suite for Solo Viola. \nThe Suite comprises four movements—Adagio\, Fuga\, Grave\, and Andante (Theme and Variations)—offering a rare example of unaccompanied viola writing from the WWII era. This presentation will examine the work’s compositional design through a Schenkerian lens\, revealing its structural coherence\, contrapuntal sophistication\, and expressive depth. Live demonstrations on the viola will bring these analytical insights to life\, highlighting how the work’s architecture shapes its performance. \nGiven the scarcity of substantial solo viola works before 1940\, and the fact that much music composed during the war did not survive\, Oppel’s Suite represents both a significant historical recovery and a high-quality artistic contribution to the mid-20th-century repertoire. Sharing this work not only restores an overlooked voice but also enriches the expressive possibilities available to today’s violists. \nThe presentation will conclude with a complete performance of the Suite for Solo Viola\, followed by an audience Q&A.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.americanviolasociety.org/events/a-rediscovered-voice-oppel-viola-solo-suite-from-the-wwii/
LOCATION:Room 204 (Music)
CATEGORIES:Lecture-Recital
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T110000
DTSTAMP:20260526T100625
CREATED:20260207T035338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T153747Z
UID:47131-1780653600-1780657200@www.americanviolasociety.org
SUMMARY:Peggy Glanville-Hicks’ Concerto Romantico: increasing access to study and performance through the creation of an engraved edition
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] \nPresenter;\nRoselyn Hobbs\nBernadette Lo\nPeggy Glanville-Hicks’ Concerto Romantico for Viola and Chamber Orchestra is a powerful gem of viola writing that most violists have never heard. Premiered in 1957 by Walter Trampler\, Concerto Romantico has been inaccessible to most violists for performance and study. It was previously only published as a photocopy of a handwritten manuscript\, error-ridden and presumed lost\, utilizing the composer’s earlier-sketched short score in lieu of a piano reduction. In addition to the parts being hard to read in this format\, there are also inconsistencies between the short score\, the solo viola part\, and the full orchestral score. In collaboration with Peters Edition\, the current copyright holder\, and the Glanville-Hicks Trust\, I have undertaken a project to engrave the viola part and transform the short score into a piano reduction consistent with the full orchestration to formalize a new edition of the work. In this lecture recital I will share background information on this hidden gem of viola repertoire\, the value it contributes to current standard repertoire\, its educational value and opportunities for insertion into the repertoire of developing players\, and my process of creating a new edition. The lecture will conclude with a performance of the new edition of Peggy Glanville-Hicks’ Concerto Romantico\, arranged for viola and piano.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.americanviolasociety.org/events/peggy-glanville-hicks-concerto-romantico-increasing-access-to-study-and-performance-through-the-creation-of-an-engraved-edition/
LOCATION:Room 142/Choir Room (Music)
CATEGORIES:Lecture-Recital
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T120000
DTSTAMP:20260526T100625
CREATED:20260207T035041Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260513T182453Z
UID:47137-1780657200-1780660800@www.americanviolasociety.org
SUMMARY:Amy Beach's Violin Sonata Transcribed for the Viola: An Exploration of Her Letters and Synesthesia
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] \nPresenter:\nAngela Rubin\nDenzel (Enzo) Abarquez\nAmy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867–1944) stands as a monumental figure in the history of American classical music\, renowned for her achievements as the first American woman to gain widespread recognition as a composer of large-scale orchestral works. Central to understanding Beach’s stylistic practices and her approach to composition is her correspondence\, notably the letters housed in the A.P. Schmidt Company Archives. \nThe A.P. Schmidt Company archives\, 1869 to 1958\, are located in the Performing Arts Reading Room at the Library of Congress in Washington\, D.C.\, United States. During my visit to the Library of Congress\, I reviewed hundreds of correspondence between Beach and the A.P. Schmidt Company. The letters within this collection not only reveal Beach’s perspectives on music and performance but also offer a glimpse into her methods of transcribing and interpreting works. This lecture recital explores how Beach’s letters\, particularly those discussing her transcription of Richard Strauss’ Serenade\, can inform contemporary performance practices and guide my original transcription of her Violin Sonata\, Op. 34\, for the viola. \nAmy Beach had synesthesia\, the neurological condition where stimulation of one sense triggers experiences in another\, unrelated sense. Her strong association of key to color impacted her compositions\, transcriptions\, and interpretations of works. By considering her preferences regarding key\, expression\, and technical considerations\, this research will argue for maintaining the original key in the viola transcription\, as well as highlighting the stylistic nuances that are integral to Beach’s work.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.americanviolasociety.org/events/amy-beachs-violin-sonata-transcribed-for-the-viola-an-exploration-of-her-letters-and-synesthesia/
LOCATION:Room 204 (Music)
CATEGORIES:Lecture-Recital
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T143000
DTSTAMP:20260526T100625
CREATED:20260207T035014Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T023759Z
UID:47139-1780666200-1780669800@www.americanviolasociety.org
SUMMARY:Tapping Into Your Roots: A Genealogical Exploration through Viola and Voice
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] \nPresenter:\nGregory K. Williams\nOver the past 30+ years\, longer than I have been playing the viola\, I have been exploring my family tree\, absorbing the experiences of my ancestors\, learning stories from my grandparents\, and uncovering fascinating secrets\, photos\, and writings about various ancestors. Concurrently\, I have spent a significant portion of my life trying to absorb the musical traditions of my Greek ancestors\, largely due to my late grandfather\, Stanley Karayean\, who was a professional clarinetist and trumpet player. \nThis lecture recital is meant to share part of one of my newest musical journeys\, synthesizing my appreciation for genealogical exploration with all things viola-related. My plan for this lecture recital is to present several works for viola and voice that I have been composing\, sharing the stories of my ancestors. My goal is to show other musicians ways to incorporate the musical traditions of their heritage into art songs for their instrument. This will include works such as: \nO’ Pro Pappou- An homage to my great-grandfather\, Theodoros Karayeannis\, a tailor born in Lesvos\, Greece\, who arrived with his wife Stavroula Papasotiriou in the USA in 1921. \nAn Homage to the Hudson Valley- A song set to the text of Mary Cameron Benjamin\, the younger sister of my Great-great-great-grandmother\, Lodoiska Cameron Belding. Mary Cameron Benjamin was born in Columbia County\, NY\, situated in the Hudson Valley\, where her family farmed for several generations. After the Civil War\, Mary and her husband\, Dr. M. Francis Benjamin\, a Union Army physician\, relocated to Alameda\, CA\, where she spent the rest of her life writing poetry\, and spending time in several literary circles. \nAnita and Frank McGee- A song about the two younger siblings of my great-great-grandmother\, Elizabeth McGee Williams (1883-1918)\, who emigrated to the United States from Dundee\, Scotland\, in the early 1900s\, gave birth to her five sons\, before dying during the Influenza Epidemic. Her two younger siblings\, Anita and Frank McGee\, were actors on the Vaudevillian Circuit\, where they performed in Scottish regalia for audiences across the country.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.americanviolasociety.org/events/tapping-into-your-roots-a-genealogical-exploration-through-viola-and-voice/
LOCATION:Room 204 (Music)
CATEGORIES:Lecture-Recital
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T153000
DTSTAMP:20260526T100625
CREATED:20260207T034956Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260412T210801Z
UID:47133-1780669800-1780673400@www.americanviolasociety.org
SUMMARY:The Creative Process: A Journey from Performer to Violist-Composer
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] \nPresenter:\nAmes Asbell\nViolist Ames Asbell shares her journey into composition from the performer’s perspective\, informed by a variety of creativity texts and interviews with active violist-composers. This session details her process of self-discovery and reflections on creativity\, identity\, and the expressive potential of the viola\, culminating in a performance of Blue Ridge Sketches\, a set of original miniatures inspired by the landscapes of the Blue Ridge Mountains and accompanied by visuals and poetry by a college friend who posts his own photos and thoughts on Instagram as @adam_red_dirt.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.americanviolasociety.org/events/the-creative-process/
LOCATION:Room 142/Choir Room (Music)
CATEGORIES:Lecture-Recital
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T163000
DTSTAMP:20260526T100625
CREATED:20260207T034937Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T023349Z
UID:47141-1780673400-1780677000@www.americanviolasociety.org
SUMMARY:A Belgian Addition to the Viola Repertoire: Joseph Jongen and his Viola Works
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] \nPresenter:\nKunjing Dai\nThomas Weaver\nBelgian composer Joseph Jongen (1873–1953)\, famous for his organ and chamber works\, contributed significantly to the viola repertoire\, yet lesser-known. Jongen collaborated with Lionel Tertis and formed the Belgian Piano Quartet after moving to England during WWI. Many chamber works of Jongen paid great attention to the viola and brought out the instruments’ potential. \nJongen’s music reflect both French compositional style and Belgian folklore influence. This resulted in unique deigns on his melodic writing\, resulting in music both indulging and fulfilling. It is old yet new\, fresh\, and unheard\, rooted in tradition and is strikingly personal. The choice of assigning those melodies into a back-then “unheard” solo instrument further promoted such vitality. \nJongen’s work demonstrates a deep understanding of the viola acoustics. It highlights the warmth of the C string and extends brilliantly to all other strings and registers. In this way Jongen uses the viola to its fullest potential. The extensive mapping throughout the fingerboard of the viola may require certain editorial direction or choices to help the viola sound balance out through orchestra and piano accompaniment. The lecture recital will examine how Jongen successfully delivers this smoothing\, virtuosic yet personal viola voice through excerpts from his major viola works. I will also address the technical challenges such as registral playability\, projection and potential solutions as we cover the lesser-known pieces for all age-group performers. \nViolas need to showcase their own unique personality on stage\, distinct from that of violins and cellos. Jongen was able to recognize the unique voice the viola and brings and produce sonority that only violas have. The orchestration and piano writings also exemplify chamber works: Jongen understands the lower voicing of viola\, while lacking bass resonance\, needs special accompaniment writing to have it be audible. Jongen affirmed the viola’s potential as a solo instrument. His works deserve a place on concert stage and the soothing quality of viola deserves great discussion and wider public exposure.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.americanviolasociety.org/events/a-belgian-addition-to-the-viola-repertoire-joseph-jongen-and-his-viola-works/
LOCATION:Room 204 (Music)
CATEGORIES:Lecture-Recital
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