JAVS Fall 2016

From the Editor

Greetings,

The AVS is even taking tangible steps toward involving a younger generation of violists in leadership roles. The launch of the new AVS Youth Advisory Council will provide us with much-needed input from those who represent the future of the American Viola Society. As a recruiter at a major university, I can say with confidence that current students are often the best at garnering the interest of prospective students, and the Youth Advisory Council represents a tangible way for the AVS to get younger violists involved in actually shaping the organization, and hopefully getting their peers more interested in AVS-related activities. It will be exciting to see how this group will help to mold us. Finally, let me say that we are delighted to bring you this present Fall 2016 Issue of JAVS. There are quite a few wonderful offerings here; featuring an excellent review, written by Katrin Meidell, covering the recent AVS Festival in Oberlin, OH, as well as a fascinating article by Laura Manko Sahin on Ahmed Adnan Saygun’s Concerto for Viola and Orchestra. Our departmental offerings include five new recording reviews by Carlos María Solare, and a great article by Katherine Lewis with practical tips on restocking your studio. In Student Life, Molly Gebrian makes the case for interleaved practice, and our New Music editor, Myrna Layton, introduces three young composers who have recently written works for viola.

Back when I first became aware of the AVS as a composition student through the Gardner Composition Competition, I didn’t fully realize the importance of organizations like the AVS. I became aware of the Gardner Competition through

Society of Composers, Inc., another great organization, and though I had helped host a regional SCI conference at my undergraduate institution, I cannot say that I was heavily involved as a member during that season of life. And it’s not that SCI was not encouraging students to take an active role; there were (and are) many student chapters at universities across the country, and those chapters are a vitally important to the success of SCI and its mission to promote the creation and dissemination of new music. composer—I have an interesting vantage point through which I see a strong, vibrant, and opportunities-rich organization. Especially now, having lived a few more years, it’s much easier for me to see the incredible impact that the AVS and other similar organizations have on the musical community; and most importantly, I must point out that our members are the key to the success of the AVS, and everyone—even non-members—benefit greatly from the hard work and research of AVS members from across the nation and the world. As for the AVS, I can say that—as a relatively new member, JAVS Editor, and non-string player/

We hope you enjoy it.

Cordially,

Chris Hallum JAVS Editor

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

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