Attention alto clef enthusiasts!! We are pleased to announce our focus for this Viola Day: the viola champion Rebecca Clarke! Our guest artist Toby Appel has a wonderful presentation to share on Viola Day about his relationship with Rebecca Clarke and her music, entitled “My Friend, Rebecca.”

Check out this superb recording of Toby Appel and Emmanuel Ax from 1976, playing the Rebecca Clarke Viola Sonata, which was relatively unknown at the time – what a gem!! Below is the link and some time stamps for your convenience:

https://www.wnyc.org/story/rebecca-clarke-90th-birthday/

8:00 Rebecca Clarke talks about composing the sonata for the Coolidge Competition.
12:00 Toby Appel and Emmanuel Ax perform the sonata, which they learned specifically for this broadcast celebrating Rebecca Clarke’s 90th birthday!
41:00 Toby and Emmanuel’s thoughts on the piece follow the performance.

And remember to mark your calendar for Viola Day on November 18! Schedule details coming next week!

We are incredibly fortunate to have Toby Appel joining us for Viola Day this year! He is a renowned performer and faculty at The Juilliard School for more than 30 years. Fun fact – he is also a fantastic chef! Dr. Appel will be teaching a masterclass and performing a recital along with Rieko Tschuchida, piano, and the Fry Street Quartet. 

Toby Appel was born in Elmer, N.J., and was a winner of Young Concert Artists and has appeared throughout the U.S. and abroad as a recitalist, concerto soloist, and chamber musician. He was a former member of the Lenox, Audubon, and Tashi quartets and has appeared at the Angel Fire, Marlboro, Mostly Mozart, Chamber Music Northwest, Ravinia, Santa Fe, Seattle, and Great Mountains (Korea) festivals among others.

Appel is a frequent commentator for National Public Radio’s Performance Today program and he has recorded on the Columbia, Musical Heritage, Delos, Desto, Opus 1, and Koch International labels. He was formerly on the faculty of the State University of New York—Binghamton, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, University of New Mexico—Albuquerque, and Carnegie Mellon University. He trained at the Curtis Institute of Music with Max Aronoff and Joseph DePasquale and has been on the college faculty at Juilliard since 1990 and on the school’s Pre-College faculty since 1999.

Check out these YouTube videos to hear Dr. Appel’s incredible playing in the Turina piano sextet (the same piece that will be played at the viola day recital!), and to watch him cook an amazing meal while discussing the connection between food and music. Also be sure Viola Day is marked in your calendar for November 18, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Fall ASTA Workshop

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023

8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

UVU NOORDA CENTER

The UVS will be continuing its partnership with Utah chapter of the American String Teachers Association and sponsoring a viola masterclass with the amazing John T. Posadas of the Utah Symphony! UVS members can register for the full workshop at the special rate of $25, so don’t miss out! Learn more

Viola Day!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2023

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, GARDNER HALL

Join us for Viola Day with renowned performer and faculty at The Juilliard School, Toby Appel! Events include guest artist masterclass + recital, instrument showcase, and pizza lunch. More information to come!

Alicia Valoti Artist in Residence Recital

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2023

4:00 PM

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, DUMKE HALL

Come for this free event at University of Utah’s Dumke Hall (immediately following Viola Day!) and hear a performance from Central Michigan University’s Professor of Viola Alicia Valoti! She will also be teaching a masterclass on Friday November 17 at 3:30 in Dumke Hall, free admission.

Tabea Zimmerman with the Utah Symphony

FRIDAY, FEBRAURY 23, 2024, 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2024, 7:30 PM

ABRAVANEL HALL

Save the date! Legendary violist Tabea Zimmerman will be playing with our own Utah Symphony! Learn more.