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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T143000
DTSTAMP:20260411T021507
CREATED:20260207T035831Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T031119Z
UID:47027-1780493400-1780497000@www.americanviolasociety.org
SUMMARY:The Few\, The Proud\, The Violas: The State of the Union
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: Alice Sprinkle \nThis lecture provides an overview of the current state of the viola world from both practical and psycho-sociological viewpoints. This draws upon research from my PhD thesis (2026)\, which utilizes ethnographic data and a constructivist-interpretivist approach to identify and assess key issues within today’s viola world across a range of themes\, including perceptions\, repertoire\, pedagogy\, stereotypes\, jokes\, health\, identity\, personality\, instrument construction\, and more. For this study I collected data from sixty participants through interviews\, observations\, and questionnaires – including one distributed to AVS Festival attendees in 2022. The participants cover a sizeable array of perspectives\, such as young viola students\, university students\, professors\, schoolteachers\, performers\, and other key informants with unique positions in the viola community. In this lecture\, I will present each theme\, drawing upon scholarly literature alongside my own data. Where problems are identified\, I will provide potential solutions aided by this evidence. By the end of the lecture\, I will have provided a thorough picture of what our viola world is like today – much like a State of the Union address. \n\n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.americanviolasociety.org/events/the-few-the-proud-the-violas-the-state-of-the-union/
LOCATION:Room 318 (Music)
CATEGORIES:Lecture
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T153000
DTSTAMP:20260411T021507
CREATED:20260207T035812Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T030947Z
UID:47031-1780497000-1780500600@www.americanviolasociety.org
SUMMARY:Rethinking Bach's Cello Suites
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:\nEdward Klorman\nBach’s Cello Suites have been central to the viola training repertoire for nearly a century. Yet many basic questions about them resist straightforward answers\, and contradictory or misleading information appears in many published sources. This presentation reports on my research findings for my book Bach: The Cello Suites. I will emphasize four questions: \n(1) What is known about when\, why\, and for which kind(s) of instrument(s) Bach conceived the suites? \n(2) How might Bach have composed the suites\, and to what extent are traces of his compositional method apparent from analysis? \n(3) Why have recent studies re-evaluated the longstanding assumption that Anna Magdalena Bach’s manuscript copy (“Source A”) should be prioritized as the most authoritative? What are the implications of new scholarship prioritizing the two later manuscript copies (“Sources C and D”)\, which have long been undervalued by both musicologists and performers? \n(4) What is known about the Cello Suites’ performance history on cello and on viola starting from the earliest documented performances (c. 1860) up through Pablo Casals’s influential tours and recordings in the first half of the twentieth century? \nIn this presentation\, I will illustrate how many longstanding assumptions about the Cello Suites are being rethought in recent scholarship. For instance\, the term “violoncello” referred to instruments of various sizes and numbers of strings\, some held between the knees\, but others held at the shoulder supported by a strap. For cellists in Bach’s orbit who held their instruments at the knees\, they more likely adopted an “underhand” bow hold (similar to that used on viola da gamba) rather than the modern “overhand” bow hold. \nIn sum\, this presentation emphasizes the variety of ways the Cello Suites have been approached over the past three centuries\, with an aim of encouraging today’s violists to adopt a spirit of open-mindedness and experimentation in their own approaches to the Cello Suites.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.americanviolasociety.org/events/rethinking-bachs-cello-suites/
LOCATION:Room 321 (Music)
CATEGORIES:Lecture
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T163000
DTSTAMP:20260411T021507
CREATED:20260207T035237Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T030811Z
UID:47029-1780500600-1780504200@www.americanviolasociety.org
SUMMARY:Violin to Viola: Developing an Efficient Pedagogy
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:\nPeijun Xu\nThis research proposal presents a comprehensive approach to integrating violin and viola pedagogies that can efficiently support violinists at different proficiency levels in transitioning to violists. By adopting this approach\, students will gain professional playing and teaching abilities in both instruments\, enhancing their future career prospects as musicians and educators. \nBased on my own study and teaching experiences in transitioning from violin to viola\, I have helped different-level students do this. The proposal outlines practical strategies for leveraging the technical and musical similarities between the violin and viola\, such as posture\, bowing styles\, finger placement\, and intonation. It also addresses necessary adaptations for the viola’s larger size\, different string tension\, and deeper resonance\, emphasizing adjustments in hand positioning\, finger spacing\, and bowing techniques. These strategies are designed for easy classroom implementation\, ensuring a smooth transition for students. \nFor instance\, the presentation will demonstrate differences in violin and viola techniques for original violin and viola students\, including right-hand and left-hand techniques and clef reading. It will also cover specific repertoire and etudes that address these techniques\, organized by beginner\, intermediate\, and advanced levels. \nThe proposal advocates introducing transcribed violin works and viola-specific repertoire at appropriate learning stages\, incorporating established educational resources like the American String Teachers Association’s Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP). This structured framework helps assess and advance students’ skills through various proficiency levels. \nIntegrating violin and viola pedagogies facilitates smooth transitions between the instruments and enriches the student’s overall musicianship. This integration offers broader performance opportunities and a deeper understanding of string techniques\, enhancing string pedagogy with efficient strategies and developing a curated repertoire for young violists from early stages to advanced levels.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.americanviolasociety.org/events/violin-to-viola-developing-an-efficient-pedagogy/
LOCATION:Room 318 (Music)
CATEGORIES:Lecture
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T163000
DTSTAMP:20260411T021507
CREATED:20260207T035232Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T030545Z
UID:47033-1780502400-1780504200@www.americanviolasociety.org
SUMMARY:Integrating Pop Music and Diverse Composers into the Beginner Viola Studio
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:\nJohanna Beaver\nToday’s young violists want to play music that reflects their world—and too often\, our teaching materials don’t. While there’s been progress in programming works by women and underrepresented composers\, studio repertoire still leans heavily on the classical canon. My students often ask for pop songs\, yet most available arrangements are awkwardly keyed\, lack accompaniment\, and fail to connect emotionally. \nThis session introduces a new teaching resource: beginner viola-friendly arrangements of pop\, jazz\, and contemporary tunes by women and underrepresented composers\, each paired with a specific technical or musical goal. Modeled on the Suzuki Book 1 sequence\, these pieces complement traditional methods while offering inclusive\, recognizable\, and motivating repertoire. \nInspired by Rachel Barton Pine’s Music by Black Composers\, the collection features clear notation\, comfortable beginner keys\, readable rhythms\, and optional piano or digital tracks—making it practical for both private and group settings. \nThe 25-minute presentation will showcase selected arrangements\, demonstrate teaching strategies\, and share the pedagogical reasoning behind each. A brief Q&A and feedback form will invite attendees to help shape the project’s next phase. \nSample works in progress:\n• “You Belong With Me” – Taylor Swift (Hooked bowing\, D major)\n• “Empire State of Mind” – Jay Z/Alicia Keys (Syncopation\, G major)\n• “What Was I Made For?” – Billie Eilish (Phrasing\, A minor)\n• “ABC” – Jackson Five (String crossings\, D major)\n• “My Shot” – Lin-Manuel Miranda (Subdivision\, 4/4) \nThis resource is about more than pop—it’s about giving every student music that feels relevant\, joyful\, and worth practicing.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.americanviolasociety.org/events/integrating-pop-music-and-diverse-composers-into-the-beginner-viola-studio/
LOCATION:Room 321 (Music)
CATEGORIES:Lecture
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