JAVS Fall 2020

News &Notes

In Review: The AVS Online Festival By Lanson Wells

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Viola Society was forced to cancel its 2020 AVS Festival, which was to be held at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Showing the American Viola Society’s resilience and creativity, the AVS mounted a successful Online Festival, from June 3 to June 7, which included five fantastic virtual lectures and performances given by artists originally slated to appear at the in-person conference. These virtual offerings reached thousands of eager viola enthusiasts via the American Viola Society Facebook page. I felt that this event blended the experiences of virtual and in-person conferences, despite being fully online. One of the hallmarks of any professional conference is personal and professional connections. Even though our community was not able to gather in-person, I felt a great sense of connection and community from the performers, presenters, and the violists who participated via the American Viola Society’s Facebook page. For me, this spoke of the AVS membership’s strength, solidarity, and support during the current difficult climate.

The AVS Online Festival started on Wednesday June 3 with a lecture titled: Collaborating in the Digital Age: The 20/19 Project by composer and violist Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti. Her presentation gave information on Lanzilotti’s long-term personal project, which included the commission of three newly written works. Additionally, viewers of this presentation learned how we as musicians can work with and support current working composers through commissions, arrangements, producing recordings, and scholarly research and writing. For me, the information gifted from Lanzilotti in this presentation could be an excellent starting point for AVS members who would like to become more active in both the new music and academic realms. Personally, I came away from this lecture inspired to record some of my own improvisations and compositions. More information about this project can be found later in this issue. An exciting pre-recorded performance by violist Hae-Sue Lee was the second event of the Online Festival, which took place on Thursday, June 4. Hae-Sue Lee, the 2018 Primrose International Viola Competition First Prize Winner, presented a dynamic recital including: Cadenza for solo viola by Krzysztof Penderecki, Aria: Cantilena from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 by Heitor Villa-Lobos (arranged by William Primrose), and None but the Lonely Heart by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (arranged by William Primrose). Lee’s performance showcased fluid and lightning-fast technique in the Penderecki, alongside beautiful lyrical playing in the Villa-Lobos. I greatly enjoyed the Tchaikovsky/Primrose transcription, which for me illustrates the AVS’s deep connection to its roots. On Friday June 5, violist Marina Thibeault kicked off the third event of the AVS Online Festival. Her astoundingly beautiful recital featured performances of 20th and 21st century solo works by female composers, including:

The official advertisement of the AVS Online Festival

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 36, No. 2, Fall 2020

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