UtahViolaSociety

 Saturday, September 29, 9am-5pm University of Utah

Welcome back to the Utah Viola Society for our 2018-19 season!  We’ll have a lot more information coming your way soon. For now, mark your calendar for September 29. We’re pleased to feature Utah Symphony Principal Violist Brant Bayless as our guest artist for Viola Day!!!

We’re delighted to welcome our good friend, Timothy Deighton, back to Utah on April 12-13!  Tim gave a memorable recital several years ago as the guest artist for the Primrose Memorial Recital at BYU. This time, he will present a recital at the University of Utah with Pianist Christoper Guzman, and give masterclasses in SLC at the University of Utah, and at Utah State University in Logan.

Tim is a great violist and an imaginative teacher.  You won’t want to miss this!  The recital program will include Bach’s Gamba Sonata no. 3, Hindemith’s Sonata for Viola and Piano Op. 25 no. 4, and a transcription of Chopin’s Cello Sonata.

All events are free and open to the public:

• Masterclass: Thursday, April 12, 11:30-1:30, Dumke Recital Hall, University of Utah
• Recital: Thursday, April 12, 7:30 PM, Dumke Recital Hall, University of Utah
• Masterclass: Friday, April 13, 3:00-5:00 PM, Chase Fine Arts Center, Room 218, Utah State University

Special thanks to the University of Utah Student Chamber Music Society for arranging this recital  – hope to see you there!

Dear Friends,
The Utah Viola Society is pleased to announce our annual Spring Recital!  Please join us Sunday, February 18 at 3pm at The University Of Utah School of Music, Dumke Recital Hall.

Come join your local violists and together we will explore the fascinating world of Alto-clef repertoire…

Please help us to spread the word – bring your students, teachers, friends, and family!

Paul Hindemith – Sonata, Op. 11 no. 4
Carl Johansen, viola, Melissa Livengood, piano
 Roy Harris – Soliloquy 
Bradley Ottesen, viola, Mayumi Matzen, piano
Alan Shulman – Theme and Variations
Whittney Thomas, viola, Amy Bach, piano
Sofia Gubaidulina – Quasi Hoquetus
Leslie Richards, viola, Amanda Moreton Hales, basson
Jed Moss, piano
J.S. Bach/Kodaly – Fantasia Chromatica
Scott Lewis, viola
Antonin Dvorak – Terzetto
Andrea Ashdown, violin, Will Hagen, violin
Hillary Alleman, viola

Fanfare for the Common Violist! Many thanks to Scot Singpiel for his recording and video editing work!

http://https://youtu.be/CTApzyxm2WQ

Recorded October 14, 2017 as part of Viola Day 2017 at the University of Utah.

Top three reasons to join the Utah Viola Society

1. Viola Camaraderie. Viola nerds, viola geeks, alto clef readers unite! Imagine being in a group filled with fellow C-string lovers! Being part of a Viola Society is like being with people who understand you, with whom you can share friendly companionship and a sense of community. Violists share a unique bond; some of my oldest and dearest friends are my viola friends. (But don’t tell my french horn friends!)
2. Utah Viola Society gives you lots of bang for your buck! We are truly a bargain. Your membership dues give you entrance to all Utah Viola Society events, including our signature Viola Day events, our Member’s Recital, and other masterclasses or presentations we have along the way. More than just offering events, we can also help you build relationships in the community. We can help you connect with other violists, assist in finding a viola teacher, introduce you to your next viola maker, and help you promote your recital or studio event.
3. Membership helps us grow. Your membership allows us to bring fantastic guest artists who help us learn through their masterclass teaching and inspire us in their recitals. Thanks to your memberships, the Utah Viola Society has had amazing opportunities to bring great guests such as our recent masterclass guest Nokuthula Ngwenyama, and other viola luminaries like Roger Chase, Patricia McCarty, and James Dunham, just to name a few! Our members help us push ourselves to create bigger and better viola events, and help us create the kind of society we want to be!

Bonus reason: ALTO CLEF COOKIES.

You can renew or join online, or send a check. We also have a group rate, so you can sign up your entire viola studio or orchestra viola section at a discount! You can also sign up at the door on Saturday, October 14, VIOLA DAY! We will take cash, check, and credit card. (But you might save time standing in line if you join early!)  You don’t even have to be a violist to join, it’s enough if you love the viola or love a violist!

Viola Day 2017 is right around the corner. Thank you to everyone who has already renewed their memberships. We are looking forward to meeting new friends, sharing stories with old friends, and learning from this year’s featured guest artist, Peter Slowik. We hope you’ll consider joining or renewing your Utah Viola Society membership today!

Dear Viola Friends,
We hope to see you all this Saturday at Viola Day 2017!  Last year, we celebrated “Tradition and Discovery” by learning about the legacy of William Primrose and David Dalton, and we hosted guest artist Patricia McCarty for a virtuosic recital of important, yet seldom-heard works.

This year, we turn toward “The Next Chapter”, and welcome Peter Slowik from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Professor Slowik is a master educator, and has devoted himself energetically and tirelessly to mentoring hundreds of young violists, and many other young musicians, throughout his long teaching career. He has also served as President of the American Viola Society, and the Artistic Director of the Credo Festival, which develops the musical potential of students while also engaging in community service.

At its root, education is about securing a better future –for our art of music-making, for the lives and careers of our students, and to contribute in our own humble way toward a more open and communicative society. This is also the mission of the Utah Viola Society. If we are organized, and if we make the time and effort to maintain a self-supportive community, then we will survive and thrive in the 21^st century. This is about writing the next chapter.

The art of viola-making is also entering a new chapter: we’re excited once again to feature local luthiers, in the hope that we will introduce violists to their next instrument.

Perhaps you can break new ground with your scales – Professor Slowik will begin the day by leading a scale play-in, with a focus on revitalizing your routine.  Bring your violas – no better way to start Viola Day than by all of us warming up together!

Finally, we will end the day together as an ensemble, with Aaron Copland’s great vision for the future, Fanfare for the Common Man, arranged for viola orchestra. All are welcome and encouraged to be part of this performance!

Looking forward (in every way),
Bradley Ottesen and your UVS Team

P.S. Please note that Professor Slowik will be giving several classes at Utah State University on Friday, these are free and open to the public!

• 2:00 Chamber Music and Viola Masterclass. Caine Room, 2nd floor, Family Life Building
• 4:30 10 Things I Wish I Had Known in College: Practice Technique and Career Discussion. Chase Fine Arts Center, Room 220

• 9:00 Registration: Viola congregation and camaraderie
• 9:30 Scale Play-in
• 10:30 Masterclass: Guest Artist Peter Slowik
• 12:30 Free Pizza Lunch! Hang with your viola pals
• 1:15 Instrument Demonstration
• 2:00 Meet Your Maker: Try out all the violas!
• 3:00 Everything You Wanted to Know About Music School But Were Afraid To Ask: Conversation on Auditions and School Decisions with Peter Slowik
• 4:00 Viola Orchestra – everybody join in!

Viola Day 2017 is coming! We are looking forward to having Guest Artist Peter Slowik with us for the day.

Here is a rundown of the day’s violatastic events:

• 9:00 Registration: Viola congregation and camaraderie
• 9:30 Scale Play-in
• 10:30 Masterclass: Guest Artist Peter Slowik
• 12:30 Free Pizza Lunch! (Maybe, just maybe, cookies?!)
• 1:15 Instrument Demonstration–Utah Symphony Principal Violist Brant Bayless will demonstrate the instruments and bows. We’ll have violas by local luthiers including Carrie Scoggins, Larry Furse, Dan Salini, and more!
• 2:00 Meet Your Maker: Your chance to try out all the violas!
• 3:00 Everything You Wanted to Know About Music School But Were Afraid To Ask, Conversation on Auditions and School Decisions with Peter Slowik
• 4:00 Viola Orchestra – everybody join in!  We will be rehearsing and performing Sam Bergman’s famous viola choir arrangement of Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man. Bring your violas and join in this fun event rehearsed and conducted by Peter Slowik! If you’d like to see the music in advance, get in touch with Brad Ottesen or Julie Edwards.

Please renew your membership or join today!