The idea of transcribing Beethoven’s violin music for viola stems from a long-standing artistic and pedagogical goal: to make Beethoven's revolutionary music more accessible to viola students. Unlike violinists and...
Today’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...
with the AVS Festival Orchestraconducted by Dr. Omelchenko Renowned violist Victoria Chiang is joined by guest artists Lynne Ramsey (viola) and David Perry (violin), the Northern Virginia String Quartet (AVSF...
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...