JAVS Summer 2026

In December, just before finals, we present a holiday performance called VTviolaJOY! For the past several years, we have performed at a mall in a neighboring town and invited advanced violists from the Virginia Tech String Project, a community-based youth string program, to join us. The day before the performance, we hold a one-hour rehearsal of four-part viola choir holiday music. Through this event, students experience the joy of sharing their musical gifts with the broader community while also strengthening connections within the studio.

The timing of the performance provides an added benefit. Students enjoy a brief break from the intensity of final exams and often appreciate celebrating the end of the semester together. Whether through carpooling or riding the bus to the venue, they spend additional time together outside of rehearsals and lessons, further strengthening studio relationships.

Figure 5. VTviolaJOY! performance and poster.

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

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