JAVS Fall 2003

sensitive ensemble skills, more free-thinking citizens and general ly have even more fun being cre ative, contributing people. Katrina Wreede, violist, composer, educator, is the author of "Violaerobics, a Technical Workout" and was credited by jazz historian, Leonard Feather with making the " outstanding contribu tion to jazz on the [viola]. "She is currently in her sixth year teaching composition to high school musi cians for the American Composers Forum. 8

improvisations based on the writ ings of Dylan Thomas and Franz Kafka. Free improvisation can be life affirming, art-producing, connec tion-building and give the violist a chance ro appreciate and utilize her/his musical strengths. If vibratO is difficult, just don't do it. When boxed in, go back to a. drone and wo rk from the center toward another direction.

growing presence in any musical genre. Along with Baroque bow strokes, Mendelssohn spiccato, and Hindemith quadruple stops, violists in the future will need to read a lead sheet on a church gig, accompany a singer by ear at a wedding, demonstrate the viola with an improvised "what an antelope sounds like" to a group of third graders and inspire the next generation of violists to put themselves in any and every musical place that calls them. It is my hope that our string edu cation system is indeed serious about adding improvisation skills to the standard curriculum. We will have better violists, more interesting compositions, more

Improvisation - a lifestyle choice

As rwenry-first century violists, we should all be adding improvi sation skills to the standard viola repertoire, to keep the viola a

Viola at penn state

Timothy Deighton tjd8@psu.edu

3 orchestras viola ensemble chamber music early music performance frequent guest recitals master classes outstanding faci lities Resident String Faculty James Lyon, violin Julie Savignon, violin Timothy Deighton, viola Kim Cook, cello Robert Nairn, bass Robert Gardner, music education Gerardo Edelstein, orchestras

234 Music Building I University Park,PA 16802 814-863-0418 www.music.psu.edu 2004 Audition Dates: January 17 and 24 February 7, 14 and 21

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PENNSTATE

Flexible undergraduate and graduate programs with generous scholarships and assistantships.

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