Performers:
Emad Zolfaghari
Thomas Weaver

Signature Artist Emad Zolfaghari brings the festival to a compelling close with a program that explores the viola’s boundless imagination, virtuosity, and expressive depth. From the lush romanticism of York Bowen’s Phantasy to the inventive sound worlds of Garth Knox’s Viola Spaces, the first half journeys through color, texture, and playful experimentation, culminating in the electrifying brilliance of Paganini’s La Campanella in William Primrose’s virtuosic arrangement.

Following intermission, the program turns inward with Arshia Samsaminia’s In Eternity, a contemporary Iranian work of striking atmosphere and reflection, before concluding with the sweeping intensity and emotional breadth of Arnold Bax’s Viola Sonata. This dynamic and wide-ranging program celebrates the viola as both storyteller and showpiece, offering a powerful and memorable finale to the festival.