JAVS Fall 2016

Feature Article

In Review: 2016 American Viola Society Festival Katrin Meidell

not hard to imagine that the Festival turned out a success. Before the Festival Welcome on Wednesday morning, I had the pleasure of serving as a judge in the Senior Division (ages fourteen to eighteen) of the Youth Solo Competition. I listened to six spectacular young violists, each of whom brought their own perspective to staples of the viola repertoire. With continued work and guidance, I do not doubt that all of them will enjoy successful music careers. The winner, Samuel Zacharia, played with a musical and technical maturity well beyond his seventeen years. His rendition of the first movement of Hindemith’s Der Schwanendreher was simply stunning. It’s a piece that too often sounds pressed and shrill when performed by younger players, but Zacharia understood Hindemith’s tonal language and, seemingly easily, was able to bring out the musical gestures in a nuanced and graceful performance. Amidst the expected lecture recitals and performances of little-known works, several sessions highlighted practical knowledge. One such session was Dr. Alexander McLeod’s presentation titled, “The Physics and Mechanics of Bow-String Instruments.” His in-depth explanation of the science of sound production lent proof to the tenets we already know—the varied combinations of bow Speed, arm Weight, hair Angle, and bow Placement (SWAP, which I lovingly got from my double bass friend, Jack Unzicker) determine the sound we produce. McLeod stipulates that we can use this understanding of physics and mechanics as a basis for working on and understanding technique; we can now practice and teach physical exercises with a sonic reference point. What really stood out to me was a video he showed, which featured a bowed string in slow motion. It turns out that the string does not spin in a steady arc, as I always believed,

Photo credit: David M. Bynog

In early June 2016, swaths of violist—students, professionals, and amateurs alike—descended on Oberlin, Ohio. And they weren’t alone. With them came composers, collaborators, vendors, and viola enthusiasts (the cicadas were already there, singing their own song), to indulge in what ended up being a stimulating, inspiring, and in a word, perfect four day American Viola Society Festival. It was my first time at Oberlin, and even though the Conservatory was under construction and a third of its space was closed off, I was impressed by the beautiful campus and facilities: Every practice room has windows that look out on a garden. There are multiple performing spaces, all with excellent acoustics. Even the catered snacks are yummy. With such a backdrop, it is

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 32, No. 2, Fall 2016

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