JAVS Fall 2002

24

Vm. 18 No. 2 & 3

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY

on Temple Square, SLC, then the version with piano at the Vienna Viola Congress thereafter. It's a spiffY work, well crafted, and lots of fun to perform. I last saw Maurice, after an absence of some years, at the premiere of his Concertino at Weber State College (1999) with Michael Palumbo as soloist. (Mike and Weber State had feted Maurice about ten years earlier in a performance of one of his works, I recall.) Maurice was a gentle man, and one I personally liked and admired very much. As some of these more aged colleagues in the viola community pass on, I can't help but have a sense of loss and sadness. At the same time I feel blessed in having known them. Contributed by Dr. Juliet White-Smith Professor ofViola, Northern Colorado State University Thank you for informing me of Maurice's death. Centaur Records has agreed informally to produce my recording of his works for viola. The pieces I intend to record are the Tricinium and the Suite for Violin and Viola, hopefully others. Amazingly, Maurice and I only communicated via e-mail. I was last in touch with him at the end of the summer after I found out that my initial grant proposal was not approved. He was very excited to know that someone was interested in recording his works. I am still surprised that no one has pursued this project before. Maurice was an incredible composer, and a pro lific one at that. I would like to be able to complete this project in tribute to him in the near future. Contributed by Dr. Michael Palumbo Professor ofViola, Weber State University My first introduction to Maurice Gardner came in January of 1986. Our Department of Performing Arts at Weber State University was sponsoring a competition for composition for viola and percus sion, which could be choreographed and danced by

a solo dancer. Maurice was one of many composers to submit a composition. Quadricinium, a suite for solo viola and percussion, proved to be the winning composition, and Maurice was invited to the pre miere. This was also the beginning of a warm friendship. Maurice visited Weber State a number of times in the ensuing years. His final visit was at the pre miere of his Concertino for Viola and Orchestra, which I was fortunate enough to be able to present in May of 1999. After many years of seeing Maurice at congresses, and on our campus, as well as playing, conducting, and premiering his works, it's very sad to have to say goodbye to a good friend. I will miss him and will miss hearing and playing the constant stream of new works which always were right on the tip of his pen. Contributed by Prof. Robert Slaughter Professor Emeritus, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana It is with sadness that I learn of Maurice Gardner's death. I first met Maurice after I had played the Graupner duo with Myron Rosenblum at the Rochester Congress. This dapper man asked me if I would like to play the first performance of an unaccompanied sonata he had just finished. I said "yes" and gave the first performance of the Tricinium at Ball State University either in 1978 or 1979. I have played the Tricinium in many con certs, the last time at Oberlin last May at my 50th reunion alumni recital, also my last public solo appearance. Many of my students have played this work and I consider it a fine addition to our solo literature. I also had the honor of giving the first two performances of Phantasmagoria, a solo viola work that I premiered in November 1981 at Ball State with a second performance at the University of South Dakota in January of 1982. We all will miss Maurice Gardner.