JAVS Summer 2026

Figure 3. Dress rehearsal at the Opéra National de Paris--Bastille. Photo courtesy of Zi Ye.

This year’s congress was titled “New Horizons: Honoring Heritage and Diversity,” a theme that aptly captures the mission and significance of the International Viola Society. Fifty years of tradition and diversity have brought renewed vitality and growth to the art of the viola in the present day. Originally serving as an accompanying voice within ensembles, the viola has, through the unremitting efforts of generations of performers and educators, gradually emerged onto the solo stage. It has evolved from a once niche instrument into a vibrant and dynamic artistic field on a global scale. testament to the viola’s flourishing development, while also highlighting the promising and ever-expanding future of viola artistry worldwide. The conclusion of a single congress does not mark the end of violists’ passion for and exploration of their instrument. Let us honor the past fifty years together, and look ahead with anticipation and best wishes for another brilliant fifty years of the International Viola Society. Long live the viola! The diversity and innovation presented at this International Viola Congress stand as a powerful

Highlights from other attendees from the AVS:

Ruben Balboa: This concert marked my first opportunity to hear Tabea Zimmermann perform live, and the experience was profoundly different from encountering her artistry through recordings or online performances. Hearing an artist of her caliber in the hall revealed a physical presence of sound and gesture that simply cannot be captured digitally, with color, nuance, and dynamic range unfolding in real time. Her portion of the program focused on the music of György Kurtág, including Movement for Viola and Orchestra and excerpts from Signs, Games, and Messages , each gesture shaped with remarkable clarity and expressive intent. The Orchestre de chambre de Paris, performing a program that also included works by Beethoven, Bartók, and Schubert, played with an energizing, chamber-like responsiveness that heightened the sense of musical dialogue throughout the evening. As an encore, Zimmermann performed the Capriccio by Henri Vieuxtemps, offering a breathtaking and deeply moving display of technical control and expressive

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 42, Summer 2026 Online Issue

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