JAVS Fall 2005

Icelandic basaiL. "Hey, we're go ing ro hea r some rock music!" joked TVS President Michael Vidulich. After this performance we moved on to the Geysir region. All such natural springs in the world rake their name from this one. Several geysers were cooperat ive during our visit, shoo ting super-heated sulfurous water up to eighty feet in the air. Then we saw the Gulfoss, or "Golden Falls," so named because of its ever-present rainbow. We also sropped ar an extinct vol cano. NexLwas Skaulholr chapel . Originally home to the Ca tholic bishops of Iceland, SkaulhoiL became the center of Iceland ic Lmheranism. Hakan O lson per formed a suiLe by Johan Helmich Roman, and Aage and I had one last performance. ute LOSesselja, the ICEVS presi dent. I was able to see how this Congress was a testimony to the love between a student and teacher, how the people who provide our musical upbringing influence us long after we depart. Tngvar impressed on us how proud he was of "my Sessa," and how glad he was that we had come to Iceland. We had all grown to love her as well. Unassuming and kind, Sesselj a was a gracious hostess to all who trav eled from fur and wide to visit her countty, and participate in the 33rd international Viola Congress. There are many legends of the "hidden peopl e" in Icelandic folk lore. Disguised as rocks, rrees and the like, the hidden people are During the closing ceremonies and dinner, lngvar paid a touching trib

elves and trolls who influence daily Icelandic life. Over half of al l Icelanders believe in hidden peo ple. Major roadways are routinely reromcd, so as not to disturb their covert fri ends who live in the vast moonscapes of the Icelandic coun tryside. They arc spoken of as if they were another glacier or other tangible natural feature. ln our world of violists there are many hidden people, who enthusiastica l ly go about teaching young stu dents, serving as facul ty at small universities, pl aying in the sections of regional orchestras, organizing events in obscure locales. While there were many well-known vio lists at the Reykjavik Congress, it also paid tribute to the 'hidden people' of our commtmi ty. Well done, Iceland Viola Society! ]ermifer Drake is a random section violaplayer and teacherfrom Boise, idaho, and the secretary ofthe idaho Viola Society. She performed at the World Bass Clarinet Convention in Rotterdam, Holland in October 2005 with Darkwood Consort. }en is also communications coordinator for Credo, as well as the residential directorfor the Credo Opus I pm gram he!tl in Oberlin every yem: See you in Montreal!

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