JAVS Fall 1997

92

AVS CHAPTERS Editor's Note: Each president ofthe various AVS chapters is requested to send chapter news to the editor of JAVS.

T he Chicago Viola Society capped off its first year with a highly successful member ship-drive recital and has slated a student competition for March 1998. Started by local string teacher Lisa Hirsch mug!, the society was established to promote viola playing and education throughout the Midwest through concerts, educational activi ties, social gatherings, and informational vehi cles such as a web site and newsletter. Last spring, Donald Mcinnes lent his talents to an organizational recital that attracted local play ers and teachers. Over the summer a board was elected consisting of some of the Mid west's most prominent violists: Charlie Pikler (principal), Robert Swan, and Bill Schoen (retired) of the Chicago Symphony; Rami Solomonow (Chicago String Quartet and DePaul University), Malise Klein (Orion Ensemble); Bill Preucil (University of Iowa) and Vince Oddo (Northeastern. Illinois Uni versity). Peter Slowik is the society's very ener getic president, Lisa Hirschmugl is treasurer, and Les Jacobson is secretary. Our top priority in 1997 was to expand membership. To that end we scheduled some ambitious programs, the first being a success ful recital on 9 November featuring members of the Chicago Symphony viola section: Lee Lane, Hui Liu, Max Raimi, Diane Mues, Li Kuo Chang (assistant principal), Charlie Pikler, Robert Swan, Richard Ferrin, and Karen Dirks. About one hundred were in attendance, and many joined the society on the spot. Our next scheduled event will be a play-in, 18 January 1998, at DePaul University School of Music. In addition, the society is planning a fund-raising dinner and guest artist recital, and a panel on buying, maintaining and sell ing instruments and bows. The most ambi tious program for 1998, however, is the CVS solo competition scheduled for 15 March at

"Wheaton College School of Music. The com petition is open to students in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri. More than $6,000 in prizes are to be awarded to the top two contestants in four age groups: 12 and under, 13-15, 16-18 and 19-25. Contest entries must be received by 15 February or postmarked no later than 10 February. Details can be found on the CVS web site (http:/ I nsn.nslsilus.org/evkhome /violasoc), and also through the CVS phone line (312/409-6609) and newsletter, The Viola Register. Winners will perform in recital 21 April1998, at 7:30P.M. at the Northbrook Public Library. -Les jacobson Chicago Symphony Viola Section-A New Work I n the Chicago Symphony Orchestra sub scription concerts 12-14 February 1998, Daniel Barenboim will conduct a work of particular interest to the AVS which I have composed. The work, tided Elegy for Twelve Violas, Harp, Celeste, and Percussion, makes use of twelve independent viola parts, and the writing, while primarily lyrical, is also extremely challenging. I am myself a violist in the CSO and have some experience writing for my colleagues-my account of our perfor mance of The Star Spangled Banner at the Chicago "White Sox baseball game appeared in ]AVS vol. 12, no. 3, page 60. The CSO viola section is exceptionally collegial, even by viola standards. Last week ten of us collaborated on a joint recital at Northwestern University. This was organized by CSO violist Robert Swan and sponsored by the Chicago Viola Society. The grand finale of the program-an unscheduled encore-was my arrangement of "Mr. Sandman" for ten violas. -MaxRaimi