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 Bernadette Lo 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...
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...