JAVS Fall 2008

F ROM THE E DITOR

you will take a moment to join our group. Or if Facebook is new to you, this is a great opportunity to check out what all of the social networking buzz is about. We are also continuing a look at the 40th Anniversary of the International Viola Society by sharing reports from several of our sister organizations. There has been wide growth in the last couple of years with new organizations forming in several countries, as well as growth of our own local chapters here in the United States. You can read about all the recent activities in the IVS News and At the Grassroots sections. Lastly, as usual, we provide you with new music and recording reviews to keep you informed of the best, new viola music available. Enjoy both the new and the familiar!

PIVA welcomes assistance on making these materials available to violists every where. If you are interested in more information on these opportunities, please see the contact details at the end of her article. We also present our regular coverage of the International Viola Congress and the Primrose International Competition, which were both held over the summer in Tempe, Arizona. The Primrose Competition fea tured a high-level of artistry from the com petitors, and the IVC was a huge success. Our thanks go out to all who dedicated their time and talent towards producing such high-quality events. Another familiar face, Robert Vernon, covers Brahms’s fourth symphony in our Orchestral Training Forum. The article is part of a new book that he is working on, which is eagerly anticipated by violists. On the topic of the new , Barbara Sudweeks writes about a teaching experi ence that was new for her—and would be for most of us—teaching a blind stu dent to play viola. The story is inspiring! It reaffirms the love and joy of music making to the extent that many people are willing to overcome obstacles to be part of the experience. In our Alternative Styles column, David Wallace talks about new approaches to performing with his six principals for interactive performance. I recently read David’s book on the subject and found his methods of engaging audiences to be thought-provoking and achievable on any level. I am sure many readers will reflect on these principals in planning future concerts. Adam Paul Cordle inaugurates our new Student Life column by presenting AVS’s new Facebook group page. The Board of the American Viola Society is excited about this new tool and the opportunity it provides us to communi cate and reach out to violists everywhere. If you are already on Facebook, we hope

Welcome to the Fall 2008 issue of the JAVS. In the following pages I believe you will find a nice mix of the new and the familiar. There are several new faces, including a new Editor, new President, and a new Departmental Editor for Alternative Styles. We are also introduc ing a new department, Student Life, aimed at our student members of the AVS. There are still plenty of familiar faces and departments that I know you will continue to enjoy. Andrew Filmer, this year’s winner of the David Dalton Viola Research Competition, certainly tackles familiar ground with his article on Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante. While the topic is familiar, you may come away with some new ideas about the piece after reading his thoughtful entry; I certainly did. Congratulations to Andrew on his win ning article. I hope students will contin ue researching viola topics and welcome submissions to the 2009 Dalton Competition. Tally Turner also discusses a name famil iar to violists, Maurice Riley. Riley’s con tributions to the viola are immeasurable, and we are grateful that his family donated his research (and effects) to the Primrose International Viola Archive. Tally introduces us to the Riley Collection and discusses her work organizing the collection. Further work is still needed on the collection, and

Cordially

David M. Bynog JAVS Editor

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