JAVS Summer 2026

Aaron Holloway-Nahum’s The New Hymns moves into an entirely different sonic world, pairing amplified viola with live electronics. The work begins with a rhapsodic exploration of the viola’s vast timbral palette—ponticello, glissandi, double stops, and harmonics—before the electronics gradually emerge as an equal musical partner. Fragments of the viola are echoed, transformed, and layered with field recordings and spectral textures, creating an increasingly immersive soundscape that blurs the boundary between performer and technology. The work concludes with distant bird calls and a final, delicate glissando that seems to disappear into silence. Tonia Ko’s Soothe a tooth offers perhaps the most intimate work on the album. Described by the composer as “a brief contemplation on clenched jaws, cracked teeth, and dry tongues—as well as the coping techniques one might try in order to soothe these invisible stress responses,” the piece transforms physical tension into sound. Finger taps, whispered harmonics, crackling bow effects, and fleeting bursts of intensity unfold with remarkable restraint, inviting the listener into an intensely personal meditation on anxiety, discomfort, and release. Even its quietest moments remain captivating, ending with a subdued col legno gesture that feels less like a conclusion than an exhale. Edmund Finnis’s Veneer closes the recording with an exquisite study in resonance. Built from delicate harmonics, fingered tones, arpeggiations, and glissandi, the work exists in a constantly shifting space between clarity and fragility. Harmonic overtones shimmer just beyond the edge of perception, creating music that feels almost weightless. The final lingering harmonic leaves the listener suspended, as though the music continues vibrating long after the sound itself has faded. Collectively, these four works reveal the viola as an instrument of extraordinary expressive possibility. Upshaw’s thoughtful, fearless performances navigate each composer’s distinct sound world with precision and conviction, making Veneer both an outstanding portrait of one performer’s artistry and a compelling introduction to some of today’s most imaginative voices in contemporary music.

Veneer by Stephen Upshaw

Stephen Upshaw’s debut EP, Veneer , is a compelling showcase of the contemporary viola; presenting four commissioned works that explore the instrument’s remarkable expressive range. An American violist now based in London and a member of Riot Ensemble, Upshaw demonstrates not only exceptional technical command but also a sensitivity to the subtle colors, textures, and the emotional landscapes each composer brings to the instrument. The recording opens with Errollyn Wallen’s Lavinia , adapted from her opera of the same name. Built around a recurring rhythmic fragment that continually returns in altered forms, the work captures the obsessive emotional intensity of its title character. Jagged chromatic outbursts give way to moments of lyrical tenderness, creating a vivid emotional portrait within just a few minutes. Wallen masterfully balances tension and vulnerability, making this concise opening movement feel surprisingly expansive. Vaneer, EP Stephen Upshaw, viola Released September 12, 2025 Available at: https://stephenupshaw.bandcamp.com/ album/veneer

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