The Johansen-Livengood Trio is presenting a concert of viola, clarinet, and piano works on Tuesday, May 14 at 7:30 pm in Dumke Recital Hall at the University of Utah. Carl Johansen and Lee and Melissa Livengood will perform works by Bruch and Piazolla. See you there!
We have a big viola week coming up! Renowned British violist Roger Chase will be returning to Utah for a series of concerts and classes, followed by one of our favorite events – the UVS Annual Recital!
Roger Chase in recital with Michiko Otaki, piano, and the Fry Street Quartet
Program: Bax – Viola Sonata, Rolla – Duo Concertante in C Major for Violin and Viola, Brahms String Quintet in G Major, Op. 111
Masterclasses with Roger Chase, free and open to public
UVS Annual Recital, Sunday February 10, 3:00 PM, Dumke Recital Hall, University of Utah. Blockbuster program to include:
Dear Utah Viola Society,
The University of Utah has a brand new Viola Club! Welcome to the world, L’Alto! L’Alto is hosting two (count’em, two!) amazing guest artists at the University of Utah this month.
Professor Katherine Murdock will be offering a masterclass at the University of Utah on January 16, 2019 at 2pm, Room 318. Professor Murdock is Associate Professor of Music at the University of Maryland. If you aren’t able to attend this wonderful class at the U of U, she will also be offering an open masterclass at BYU on January 17, 2019 from 5-7pm, location TBD.
Both of these masterclasses are free and open to the public.
Dr. Molly Gebrian will be visiting the University of Utah January 22-23. Dr. Gebrian is Assistant Professor of Viola and Music Theory at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She will be presenting a lecture, masterclass, and recital as part of her visit. Her lecture entitled “What Musicians Can Learn about Current Brain Research” will be Tuesday, January 22 in David Gardner Hall at the University of Utah in Room 270 (“the choir rehearsal room”) at 4:10pm. The masterclass will be in Dumke Recital Hall at 6:15pm. On January 23, Dr. Gebrian will be featured with her partner pianist/percussionist Danny Holt performing Trios for Two.
All of these events are free and open to the public. Join us!
We are so grateful to the University of Utah College of Fine Arts and FAF Grants, and L’Alto: Viola Club @ U of U for making these events possible! Special shout-outs to the officers of the club: President Katherine Deneris, and officers Tara Hoellein and Rachel Dodge for their work organizing these two events. Bravi, tutti!
(If you want to keep track of what L’Alto: Viola Club @ U of U is doing, you can join their Facebook group!)
The Teton Trio
Gregory Raden, clarinet
Brant Bayless, viola
Jason Hardink, piano
We named ourselves after the stunning geography of the summer music festival that the three of us have in common. The Grand Teton Music Festival has happened every summer in Jackson, Wyoming, since 1962. The mountains of the Teton range, and the trails and scenery of Grand Teton National Park have been such an iconic backdrop to some truly life-changing performances for all three of us, and so by taking the name of this special place we hope to pay homage to and continue that tradition of beauty.
I first met Greg and Jason early in the 2000s. Met them separately, that is. Jason came to the Utah Symphony having mostly finished his Doctoral work at Rice University. I was lucky enough to be on his audition committee, and have since been continually in awe of his artistry. Greg and I met at a summer festival in Bellingham, Washington. The festival featured a small chamber orchestra (billed as the “All-Star Orchestra”), and I couldn’t help but notice Greg’s gorgeous clarinet sound.
Fast forward a few years to Greg’s living room at the Grand Teton Festival, hanging out after an orchestra concert. Plans were hatched to try to do some chamber music the following summer. That plan materialized in a recorded-live performance of Schumann’s “Fairy Tale Pieces,” hosted and eventually broadcast by Fred Child and his NPR program Performance Today. Never have I had so much fun in a concert, or been so proud of a broadcast. I felt excited to do it again.
Greg must have felt the same way, because he was able to secure funding from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Chair Grant Fund (through the O’Donnell Foundation) to make a recording. We brought Jason onboard, and spent the last precious days of our summer vacations recording in Teton Village’s Walk Festival Hall. In addition to the Schumann, we recorded trios by Mozart and Reinecke and transcriptions of Schubert and Massenet.
This will be our first real recital, and, since we’re just at the beginning we have no idea where this path might lead. But we do hope that everyone feels the joy we do and walks away humming a new favorite tune.
See you at Viola Day!
“A Legend, a Fairy Tale, and Other Stories in Music”
Mozart – Trio in Eb, K. 498 “Kegelstatt”
I. Andante
II. Menuetto
III. Rondeaux: Allegretto
Schubert – from “Die schöne Müllerin”
Der Müller und der Bach
Carl Reinecke – Trio in A, K. 264
I. Moderato
II. Intermezzo: Moderato
III. Legend: Andate
IV. Finale: Allegro moderato
I first came to Utah in 1987 to attend the Violin Making School of America. I graduated in 1983, then taught at the school for four years before opening a shop near Liberty Park in 1988.
What services does your shop provide, and is there an area that you specialize in?
I focus on new making of violins, violas and cellos. Mainly violas and cellos. I am also available for repair work.
What do you love about the viola,anddo you have a particular sound or concept that you are aiming for when you make violas?
I grew up studying the violin but started playing the viola in college and loved its deep, rich sound. When I started making violas here in Utah I built a number of them for David Dalton’s students at BYU. I learned a lot from those instruments and from following the players through the years. What I focus on is building an instrument that is even across the register, speaks quickly, has a wide dynamic range, and colour to the voicing. Can you play pianissimo and still have clarity and be heard? A viola that is just loud, without colour to its voicing, is boring to me. A viola that can stand up to chamber music work must have character!
Are your violas influenced by particular historical models?
I want the instrument to be easy to play – I use an Amati pattern because I like the sloped shoulders, which makes higher position work easier.
Do you play music yourself, and do you have hobbies or interests away from music and instruments?
I Currently I play violin in the Salt Lake Symphony. Outside of my work I love hiking and mountain biking, and I just returned from Canada where I got to do both at Whistler Mountain!
Looking forward in seeing everyone at Viola Day !!
Carrie has recently finished two new violas and will be starting a large viola soon. This beauty will be available to try at Viola Day!
How long have you been in Utah?
I have been in Utah for for 23 years, I moved here from Minneapolis in 1995. There were other many local makers to work alongside, and an environment of youthful, energetic creativity. The viola was the first instrument I made here in SLC!
What services does your shop provide, and is there an area that you specialize in?
I provide violins ,violas and cellos. I make new instruments, and give tonal adjustments , bow rehairs, and repairs.
I have been doing my trade for 30 years and continue to learn each day. I consider myself very lucky to have worked with some of the best.
I have been told by many that I have a knack for adjusting and setting up instruments to reach the personal preference of the musician. I am a player myself and grew up in a family of musicians, so my goal is to communicate with my clients about ideas and concepts of sound, and then find the right playablity for the individual.
Do you have a particular sound or concept that you are aiming for when you make violas? What do you love about the viola?
The sound and concept of my violas are to provide an instrument that is easy to play and have a character to the sound which both projects and has warmth.
I find the recent model I am making liberating in that I am playing with dimensions and wood choice. The basic model is that of an Amati. After I make my alterations it has deviated into my own personal model. So far it seems to be working quite well.
I love the viola because it can have so many variations in size sound and style.
Do you play music yourself?
I play steel guitar , guitar and fiddle. ( maybe I will switch to jazz viola ) . I have been lucky to know so many great musicians locally and nationally. I was once put on stage at Red Butte opening up for the Tedeschi Trucks Band . These days I just enjoy playing at home with the occasional gig out on the town.
Do you have hobbies or interests away from music and instruments?
I enjoy the mountains, snowboarding and the wild west. I feel like I need another century to scratch the surface of what this state has to offer. I really appreciate feeling a part of this community.
Contact:
By Appointment: 801-949-6174
1609 S. Park Street
Salt Lake City , Utah 84105
New viola currently in progress, see it at Viola Day!
We are counting down the days until Viola Day 2018! (for those of you keeping track at home, it’s only 16 days away!)
Your support of the Utah Viola Society means that we can continue to bring you amazing guest artists and recitalists every year for our signature Viola Day events. This year’s Guest Artist is Brant Bayless, Principal Viola of the Utah Symphony. He will also be performing with his small band, The Teton Trio.
Personally, I think that’s worth the membership, but there is more…a lot more!
You’ll also receive admittance to our annual Members’ Recital. Our Members’ Recitals feature soloist level performances by violists who, like you, are members of the Utah Viola Society, and live and work here in Utah. You won’t believe what kind of viola talent we have here in Utah until you see one of these recitals. SAVE THE DATE! Our Members Recital is Sunday, February 10, Dumke Recital Hall, 3pm.
BONUS! There’s a bonus event this year that you will not want to miss…the details can’t be revealed just yet, but it’s going to be so deeply alto clef you won’t want to miss it. Watch this space for more information, or sign up for our newsletter! (Sign up for the newsletter and blog post alerts on the sidebar of our homepage!)
Additionally, if you are a member, we can help you sell your instrument, help you find an instrument, publicize your recital or viola event, help you find a teacher or meet a new student, and unite you with other like-minded violists in Utah.
Join or renew today! You can use PayPal, you can mail a check, or you can pay on Viola Day. Do you have a large studio that you’d like to bring? Sign them all up for a studio discount!
And finally, no words needed: