JAVS Fall 2003

the winner of the "Best Bach" prize based on the performance of the compulsory movement of Bach in Division II.

other as well as with the per formers.

We were excited that Roger Chase agreed ro perform a recital for the OVS at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in February, which showcased the virtuosic as pects of the viola in a program consisting of the Kodaly arrange ment of Bach's Chromatic Fantasy, Hummel's Potpourri , Schubert's "Arpeggione" Sonata and Paganini's Sonata per La Grand' Viola. Chase had recent ly joined the faculty of Oberlin College having previously taught in the United Kingdom and per formed worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician. He was accompan ied by pianist Brian Alegant. The OVS was also hon ored to present a master class by the Juilliard facul ty member and renowned pedagogue Heidi Castleman in March. Four stu dents from area colleges per formed for Castleman at the Church of the Saviour for a rapt audience. Our benefit concert this year, called "Voila Viola! ", was a concert of chamber music for violas performed by members of the Cleveland Orchestra (Lisa Eliesha Nelson, Lynne Ramsey, Robert Vernon, Lembi Veskimets and Richard Waugh) , in April , also at Sr. Paul's Church. Duets by W. F. Bach , Bartok, Mozart, Stamitz and Wieniawski, a trio by Beethoven and a sextet (remi niscent of Verklarte Nacht) by Benjamin Dale, originally writ ten for Lionel Terris and his viola class, were featured . We followed all these events with receptions so that people would get a chance to talk to each Boyko, Yarden Faden, Mark Jackobs, Stanley Konopka,

Laura Shuster rose to the chal lenge of chairing the 2003 OVS Viola Competition. Cash awards were given to the winners of Division I for students aged 13 and under and for Division II for students aged 14-18 which were judged by Lisa Boyko and Laura Kuennen-Poper. This was the first year that Division I was named the Lawrence F. Bradford Memorial Viola Prize in remem brance of a beloved friend, col league and teacher. Bradford had performed in many area sym phonies and was a member of the Ohio Viola Society. His wife Stephanie attended the March competition where the first win ner of this prize was Jordyn Woodhams, age 8 and a student of Marian Goss. A second prize in this division was awarded to Claire Saylor, age 13, from Berea and a student of Carol Ross. Two compennon parnc1pants were awarded the Donald Crossley Memorial Viola Prize (established in 2001 to honor and remember his many contributions to our musical community, including being a founding member of the Ohio Chamber Orchestra and the conductor of the Parma High School Orchestra) for winning Division II. They were Sarah Murphy, age 16, from Medina and a student ofAlan Bodman, and Rachel Samson, age 14, from Canal Winchester and a student of Deborah Price. A second prize was awarded to Leah Reiter, age 15, of Spencer and a student of Louise Zeitlin. Murphy was also

]ordyn Woodhams

Claire Saylor

Rachel Samson

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY 66