As many of you know, The Utah Symphony family recently lost a member. Our Director of Orchestra Personnel, Eric Johnson, passed away on August 23, 2015. Eric was not only our Personnel Manager, but he was also a violist, and earned his Bachelor of Music in Viola Performance from the University of Michigan. Though he wasn’t really playing viola very much anymore, I tried to get him to attend Utah Viola Society events. Every year I would jokingly tell him that I was going to sign him up for a membership against his will, but I never could quite get him to attend a Viola Day. I feel certain that if I just had ONE MORE YEAR I could convince him to join and come to an event.
In Eric’s memory I would like to sponsor a one year membership to a reluctant violist. If you know someone that you are sure would enjoy a Utah Viola Society event, but you just can’t quite get them to come, contact me and tell me about them. I will pick the most reluctant violist by October 15 and award them the Eric Johnson Memorial Membership.