JAVS Fall 2023

Features: William Primrose ... Off stage A Community Remembers Dr. David Dalton Journal of the AmericanViola Society Volume 39 Number 2

Journal of the American Viola Society A publication of the American Viola Society Fall 2023: Volume 39, Number 2

p. 3 p. 4

From the Editor From the President

News & Notes

p. 5 p. 9

In Memoriam: Dr. Ronald M. Schmidt 2023 International Viola Congress Review

Feature Articles

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A Community Remembers Dr. David Dalton compiled by JAVS Editor, Christina Ebersohl

p. 21

William Primrose ... Off stage: The fascinating human being behind the legend! by Alan de Veritch Departments

p. 36 p. 38

Development Corner: 2023 Giving Circle Members, DDRC

Development Corner: The Established Career Professional, by Tom Tatton

p. 41 In the Studio: Making a Case for the Original Clarinet Notation, Op. 120 No. 2, by Lawrence Wheeler p. 47 With Viola In Hand: Dribble the Bow, by Sheronda Shorter p. 55 Health and Wellness: Awareness & Basic Injury Prevention for the Violist, by Randall Kertz, DC p. 58 Book Review: Have Violin, Will Travel — The Louis Persinger Story , by Lanson Wells p. 59 Score Review: Women’s Compositions for Two Violas – Deborah Greenblatt, by Kevin Nordstrom p. 61 The Eclectic Violist: The Incredible and Fantastic History of the Cursed Viola, by Laurent Zakowsky p. 64 Recording Review: The Slapin Anthology & The Slapin-Solomon Viola Duo, by Christina Ebersohl

On the Cover: Portrait of William Primrose by Randall Davey

Randall Davey (1887-1964) was an American painter and educator in New Mexico. He graduated from Cornell University in 1909 and was primarily a portrait and equine painter, but also painted landscapes and still life. His artwork was acquired by numerous national museums, and the Portrait of William Primrose can be found at the entrance to the Primrose Room located in the Harold B. Lee Library on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 39, No. 2, Fall 2023

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The Journal of the American Viola Society is published in spring and fall and as an online only issue in summer. The American Viola Society is a nonprofit organization of viola enthusiasts, including students, performers, teachers, scholars, composers, makers, and friends, who seek to encourage excellence in performance, pedagogy, research, composition, and lutherie. United in our commitment to promote the viola and its related activities, the AVS fosters communication and friendship among violists of all skill levels, ages,

Editor: Christina Ebersohl Assistant Editor: Lanson Wells Departmental Editors Development Corner: Tom Tatton Consultant Dwight Pounds AVS National Board of Directors: Officers President: Ames Asbell (2026) President-Elect: Daphne Gerling (2026) Past President: Hillary Herndon (2024) Secretary: Lauren Burns Hodges (2024) Treasurer: Ann Marie Brink (2025) Webmaster Cody Russell (2026) Board Members

nationalities, and backgrounds. ©2023, American Viola Society ISSN 0898-5987 (print) ISSN 2378-007X (online)

Ruben Balboa III (2024) Kathryn Brown (2024) Jessica Chang (2024) Anthony Devroye (2025) Christina Ebersohl (2024) Misha Galaganov (2024) Kimia Hesabi (2026) Hsiaopei Lee (2025) Kayleigh Miller (2024) Gabrielle Padilla (2026) Cody Russell (2026) Steven Tenenbom (2024) Molly Wilkens-Reed (2026) Rose Wollman (2026) JAVS Volunteer Kevin Nordstrom AVS General Manager Madeleine Crouch AVS National Office 14070 Proton Road, Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75244 (972) 233-9107 ext. 204

JAVS welcomes articles from its readers. Submission deadlines are December 1 for the Spring issue, April 1

for the Summer online issue, and August 1 for the Fall issue. Send submissions to the AVS Editorial Office, Christina Ebersohl editor@americanviolasociety.org or to

Madeleine Crouch, 14070 Proton Rd., Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75244

JAVS offers print and web advertising for a receptive and influential readership. For advertising rates please contact JAVS Editor Christina Ebersohl editor@americanviolasociety.org

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Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 39, No. 2, Fall 2023

From the Editor

Dearest readers,

friend—through them, I learned of a great man with a heart big enough to share.

Like so many of you, I am swayed and pulled by the cycle of the school year: the energetic anticipation from the fresh faces on campus mixing in with the familiar and friendly returning peers; the dash of classes beginning, settling into an even pace for the semester; all while leaves

Whether it was coincidence or some sort of editorial luck-inducing-charm-activation, as I was working on this issue, I received a humble and warm email from violist Alan de Veritch who had just completed some work on an article remembering the great William Primrose, but perhaps not as you may know him … de Veritch’s sincere article “William Primrose ... Off stage: The fascinating human being behind the legend!” is a genuinely beautiful story of friendship, generosity, and quirkiness from their shared years together. Perhaps you don’t get as nostalgic as I do, and that’s ok. But even if you don’t, perhaps use this JAVS issue to take a moment and just be . After all, you could sit and ponder the technique methods for spiccato in Sheronda Shorter’s article “Dibble the Bow,” or lazily peruse the Book Review “ Have Violin, Will Travel — The Louis Persinger Story ” penned by our own fantastic Assistant Editor (and music librarian!) Lanson Wells, or simply read from cover to cover! Either way, whether you sit in nostalgia like me, or jump into the Development Corner with our own Tom Tatton for 5 minutes of you time, I hope that it is just what you need it to be in this season.

begin to slowly change and drop around us as the air turns crisp and the days shorter.

The beginning of the school year—whether you are a student, a teacher, or simply remember a time when—is something that is familiar to us all. To me, there is comfort in remembering, and in sharing a common thread with fellow peers. And sometimes, among all those memories, you can find a hidden moment, beautiful and meaningful, to carry with you into the future. In this Fall issue of the Journal of the American Viola Society , we are honored to reflect on the tributes, pictures and memories submitted to JAVS by family, friends, and colleagues of Dr. David Dalton in “A Community Remembers Dr. David Dalton.” While I was never fortunate enough to have met the legend, I am thankful to this wonderful community for sharing their heartfelt moments of their teacher, their viola mentor, and their

As always, friends, thank you for reading and thank you for your continued community.

V/r, Christina Ebersohl Editor

Join the American Viola Society Your membership supports the viola community through performance, education, research, mentoring, publishing, commissioning new works and more. www.americanviolasociety.org/Join.php

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From the President

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Winners have been announced for this year’s Dalton Research Competition, and their articles will be appearing in future issues of the journal. The 2024 Maurice Gardner Competition for Composers has been announced and will accept submissions through December 1 - please spread the word to any composers you know! In online events, our engaging AVS Greenroom series hosted by Steven Tenenbom continues monthly, and we are excited to host a Fall AVS Workshop Series centered around the Body Mapping approach to body awareness, balance, and ease. As if all the projects mentioned above weren’t enough, we are also entering a festival year! Our team is already hard at work planning for the 2024 American Viola Society Festival , so please mark your calendar and plan to join us on June 19-22, 2024 at the Colburn School in Los Angeles. Held alongside the live rounds of the Primrose International Viola Competition, this event provides an experience like no other - a broad array of lectures, recitals, workshops, masterclasses, and more, alongside brilliant performances by the world’s brightest rising stars of the viola. Teachers, students and young professionals, please plan to participate in the AVS Solo Competitions, Ensemble Invitational, and Orchestral Audition Competition and Seminar, all of which will feature live final rounds and performances at the festival. (Preliminary round submissions for all festival competitions are open through December 15.) This will be the first combined AVS Festival and Primrose Competition since 2018—you don’t want to miss it! All of these offerings sound exciting, but the truth is that they can’t happen without you. Your membership and donations provide our team with the resources needed to create content and events that serve our mission and our community. If you aren’t already an AVS member, we invite you to join and participate! If you are already a current member, please invite a friend. If your budget allows, please donate as you are able to support your favorite AVS project. If you feel called to service, please reach out and volunteer. But most of all, please join in and enjoy our wonderful community. There’s no limit to what we can accomplish together!

Warmest greetings to you all as we enter a time of year that, for many of us, marks a new beginning - a new school year, a new professional season, or a new period of focus at work after summer travels. As I sit down to write my first President’s Letter for our wonderful

journal, I’m incredibly humbled, filled with gratitude, and excited for our bright future as an organization. As a member of the American Viola Society since my college days, I’m so thankful for the many resources and opportunities the AVS continues to provide to the viola community after more than a half-century. It is fitting that this issue features retrospectives of David Dalton and William Primrose - the remembrances in these pages will elicit a smile, warm your heart, and renew your sense of awe of these two giants of the viola. In these pages, you’ll also travel to Thailand for the International Viola Congress review, and back to the Renaissance as you’re immersed in Laurent Zakowsky’s fascinating perspective on the history of the viola. Other articles serve the practical needs of our community, such as research, pedagogy, and wellness, and throughout you’ll find useful insights inspired by a shared devotion to our instrument and community. This is an exciting time for AVS as many of our long-term projects are coming to fruition, and we look forward to the continued health and growth of our society. The first recording on the AVS Presents label is near release, and will be made available to all current AVS members very soon. We’re also working on next year’s release, and welcome proposals for the 2025 Recording Project related to the theme “Music from the Americas” through January 1, 2024. Advertiser Index Anderson Musical Instrument Insurance Solutions. . . . . . . .37 AntiquusStrings.....................57 Arizona State University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC ASTA National Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 AVS History & Reference Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Yours in alto clef, Ames Asbell

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Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 39, No. 2, Fall 2023

In Memoriam

Dr. Ronald M. Schmidt

Dr. Ronald Schmidt, former head of the DVG (Deutsches Viola-Gesellschaft/German Viola Society), Secretary, Vice President, and President of the International Viola Society.

Ronald M. Schmidt (1951-2023) was raised in the Rhineland, Germany, and was educated in both Germany and Northumbria, UK. He studied violin in high school and played in a local youth orchestra in Solingen, with which he toured Great Britain and Norway. He studied viola with Prof. Herbert Hoene at Aachen, Germany, and joined a chamber orchestra there as principal violist. But he decided to follow a different path and graduated as a medieval literary historian and academic librarian, a field which occupied most of his professional career. Ronald played with several chamber orchestras and chamber groups as was principal viola in a Bonn chamber orchestra. In 2009, he started on the viola d’amore and on the bass viol, and enjoyed delving into the discovery of unknown material for these instruments. It was at IVC XXXI at Kronberg, Germany (which he served as co-chair), that the viola community learned the direction of his leadership and primary goals: the creation of an IVS viola electronic website, expansion of the IVS

member sections, beginning with Norway, Poland and Lithuania, and to encourage THE STRAD to continue publishing an annual “viola issue.” In addition to his term as IVS President (2002-2004), Dr. Schmidt also served as IVS Secretary (2000-2002), and IVS Vice President (2011-2013). Within Germany, he was vice chairman of the German Viola Society and served on its executive board for many years.

Dr. Ronald Schmidt and Marina Louw, photographed in Stellenbosch, South Africa, during IVC XXXVII in 2009.

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He was instrumental in the 2000 transfer of the International Viola-Gesellschaft to the International Viola Society to make it more international in appeal and in this regard a founding member of the current IVS. As if these contributions were not enough, he organized the highly successful 2008 Bratschistentag (Viola Day) in

Düsseldorf and was highly involved in the organization of IVC 39 in Würzburg in 2011. In recognition of his many contributions to the viola and the organizations that promoted it, he was a most deserving recipient of the IVS Silver Alto Clef in 2008.

IVS Officers, Linköping in 2000, L-R: Dr. Ronald Schmidt (Germany), Uta Lenkewitz von Zahn (Germany), Dr. Dwight Pounds (USA), Dr. David Dalton (USA), Ann Frederking (Canada), and Emile Cantor (Holland and Denmark).

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Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 39, No. 2, Fall 2023

AVS 2025 Recording Project

Purpose In an effort to provide opportunities for our members, the American Viola Society (AVS) announces our 2025 Recording Project. This will be the third new full-length recording to be released via the AVS Presents recording label, a vehicle for AVS members to present and produce professional recordings sponsored by the AVS. Call For its third album, the AVS seeks professionally-recorded submissions of works for viola, including solo or with other instruments, as long as the viola is prominent in the ensemble. The theme for this call is Music from the Americas. Works by composers from all demographics are encouraged to be submitted; the AVS Recording Project Selection Committee will consider demographics for a well rounded, diverse program. Priority will be given to pieces that have not been recorded, have few existing professional recordings, or have few high-quality recordings. The call is open to complete works as well as individual movements, and the album will be a compilation of selections. Applicants must be active members of the AVS at the time of submission. Cost There is no fee to submit a recording. Selected applicants will be responsible for all recording and editing costs associated with finalizing a master copy of their composition. The AVS is actively working to fundraise for production costs; participants may be asked to pay up to $65 USD per minute of submitted music. At this time, the AVS is exploring a purely digital release as well as a physical CD release. If a physical CD is created, each violist selected will receive thirty physical copies of the CD and a digital download of the album. Timeline • January 1, 2024 : Initial applications with live video recordings due • March 1, 2024 : Selected applicants and program repertoire announced, and applicants may be invited to perform at the June 2024 AVS Festival

• October 1, 2024 : Professionally recorded, edited, mixed and un-mastered audio tracks due from selected applicants • January 2025 : Anticipated Digital or CD Release Date Selection Criteria Selection will occur by an international committee appointed by the AVS. The committee will make selections to fill an album from a broad range of styles and composer demographics. Criteria for selection will include how well the work fits the theme, performance quality, length of submission, demographic of the composer, and era/style of composition. Videos should be of the highest quality possible. All performer information will be removed to ensure “blind” judging. Priority will be given to pieces that have not been previously recorded, have few existing professional recordings, or have few high-quality recordings. If selected, applicants agree to submit an edited, professional quality recording according to the Technical Guidelines for inclusion in this project (listed below). Submission Procedures All submissions must be accompanied by the application form. Initial submissions will be by live, unedited video posted on YouTube as an unlisted link provided in the application form. The AVS will extract audio from the video submissions and submit audio files to the selection committee for anonymity. There is no application fee to submit, although you must be an active member of the AVS in good standing.

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Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 39, No. 2, Fall 2023

In Review:

The 48th International Viola Congress by Daphne Gerling with contributing students from the University of Tennessee and University of North Texas

… I enjoyed the wide representation of music from different cultures. I particularly remember the use of traditional Chinese instruments, Brazilian techniques, Korean folk music, and so much more. Watching professional violists perform music from their countries expanded my knowledge and inspired me to explore music that I may have never heard before. Of course, the traditional Thai music that surrounded the whole trip was extraordinary and new to me, and I hope to incorporate some of that music in my future career as a violist. -Emily Wankerl, University of Tennessee student attendee From June 6-10, 2023, the epicenter of the viola world shifted to Salaya, Thailand, where the 48th International Viola Congress took place at the Mahidol University College of Music. An epic musical, international, and inter-cultural gathering, it brought together over 100 violists from all over the globe to revel and immerse themselves in five days of viola expertise, artistry, camaraderie and friendship.

As our Congress host Danny Keasler so aptly put it, we all “spent weeks preparing musically, days planning [our] trips, and hours and hours and hours on planes to travel to Southeast Asia.” And it was utterly worth it, to be part of the very first International Viola Congress held in Asia, and the first held after the Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions eased. Two things were particularly noticeable about this Congress: the inter-cultural emphasis on bringing to light as much music from around the world as we could possibly fit into approximately 70 sessions over 5 days, and the fact that the violists represented approximately 26 different countries. I was able to attend just about 32 sessions, and each day I wished I could have heard at least one more colleague’s amazing performance or presentation! 1

We also relished the opportunity to explore the wonderful culture of our host country. Several of us arrived on Queen’s Day, one of Thailand’s most important national holidays, and beautiful gold and purple decorations in Daphne Gerling and Donald Maurice take a Thai Cooking class, photo courtesy of Daphne Gerling.

Golden Buddha in Salaya, photo courtesy of Daphne Gerling.

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honor of the Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana could be seen throughout the week both in the city, and on campus. We so enjoyed the delights of Thai cuisine— as well as the Italian cuisine of one of the Congress’ supporters! Spirited conversations in many languages kept us up and in high spirits late into the evenings.

Several AVS members were in attendance and presented wonderful sessions. Among them was Dr. Katrin Meidell, host of the previous Congress, with her new transcription of the Franck Sonata partnered by Esther Park. Ames Asbell and Michelle Schumann followed with a rich session on Vieuxtemps and his circle, while Alicia Marie Valotti premiered her Sonata per Viola Sola. Rising stars of the Thai viola and chamber music scene included featured artists Miti Wisuthumporn, Krit Supabpanich, and Patcharaphan Khumprakob, as well as the Libere Quartet with Mahakit Lerdcheewanan, Inga Causa, Danny Keasler, and Marcin Szawelski. With this being the first ever Congress held in Asia, it was fantastic to see music by leading Thai composers and violists, as well as sessions highlighting Korean, Taiwanese, Malaysian, Japanese, and Chinese traditions. Nehir Akansu gave interdisciplinary workshops focused on folk and jazz idioms, while Paul Groh and Namgon Lee explored topics expanding the baroque viola repertoire. Hillary Herndon and Pamela Ryan’s sessions explored pedagogical anthologies by under-represented composers, and Jorge Alves and Catarina Peixinho showcased 20th century Portuguese works. Amadi Azikiwe performed the complete Hindemith Sonatas for Solo Viola in a tour de force, while Jutta Puchhammer Sédillot and Annette-Barbara Vogel explored a potpourri of virtuosic violin and viola duos from Canada, France, Russia, and Austria. Juliet White-Smith’s recital showcased works from the African Diaspora, including Ulisses Kay and Florence Price, while Donald Maurice’s group Taioro gave a powerful performance featuring the acclaimed spoken word poetry of Maori poet, Sharn Maree. Karin Dolman offered a workshop on creating your own classical cadenza for Hoffmeister or Stamitz, and Wojciech Kolaczyk and Boguslawa Hubusz-Sielska presented full programs of Polish works for viola. Even more amazing sessions included Dorotea Vismara, who asked us “Who is afraid of the older violist?” and Yue Qi and his incredibly talented students from Renmin University of China who wowed the audience with a rousing program of Chinese and British works. Marcin Murawski had the audience in stitches with his presentation of Michael Kimber’s limerick-inspired compositions, and Emerson di Biaggi, host of the upcoming 49th Congress, represented the viola output of contemporary Brazilian composers.

It is impossible to highlight all the amazing sessions and performances that took place over the week; but Ettore Causa and Rasikamon Siyapong’s riveting opening recital truly “set the tone” for the Congress, his pointedly lyrical and expressive Brahms’ transcriptions memorable and moving. In his duo performance on the same program, he was joined by Juan-Miguel Hernandez, reminding us of the deeply collaborative roots of our instrument. One of my favorite parts of the Congress was working with Nehir Akansu on playing the viola in a jazz style. It’s a sort of niche interest of mine so it was great to see that others were interested in it! She was super helpful in techniques like chopping and thinking of ways of constructing an improvised melody. There were so many amazing performances, like Marcin Murawski’s performance of Michael Kimber’s new limerick pieces or Ettore Causa and Juan-Miguel Hernandez playing Paul Coletti’s piece Moonlight Journey, and presentations Ettore Causa and Juan-Miguel Hernandez perform in the opening concert, photo courtesy of Daphne Gerling. like Emerson di Biaggi’s talk on Brazilian music and Vinciane Beranger presenting research on the manuscripts of Rebecca Clarke; but some of my favorite events were the interactive ones we could participate in. - Julien Riviere, University of Tennessee student attendee

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Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 39, No. 2, Fall 2023

It was so exciting to see viola students from all over the world getting to meet each other, make friends, and share in these unforgettable days. Whilst I enjoyed all the presentations, masterclasses, and workshops presented at the Congress, by far my favorite part of the IVC was meeting and connecting with the other students who were in attendance! Throughout the conference, I had the chance to talk with students from all over the world. We all talked about our musical upbringings and meaningful experiences. Even across several continents and quite a few languages, we were all able to connect and share what made playing viola so special to us. It feels great to know now I have friends in every corner of the globe! - Jackson Guthrie, University of Tennessee student attendee By the last day, we were ready to celebrate the abundance of viola offerings with a majestic closing concert at Prince Mahidol Concert Hall, where Ettore Causa and Aibek Ashirmatov both gave beautiful solo performances with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra. Many pictures, fond farewells, and congratulatory toasts were made at the Congress Banquet, including the presentation of the International Viola Society’s Silver Alto Clef to Michael Kimber (received in absentia.)

São Paulo, Brazil. We are all so thankful to the amazing Congress team headed by Danny Keasler, Marcin Szawelski, Juckrit Charoensook, and their Dean, Narong Prangcharoen.

I cannot wait until we meet again!

I had a really great time at IVC! It was my first time attending a viola Congress and everything really exceeded my expectations. All the lectures I attended were interesting and engaging and knowing that almost everyone there was a violist definitely made it a lot more intimate. One thing that I found extremely worthwhile was attending the masterclasses. Just by listening and observing, I learned a lot about how people from other countries think about solo repertoire and how those thought processes might be similar or different from an American viewpoint. Overall, I’d have to say that my favorite part of the Congress was getting to hear performances by violists from many different countries. All the performances left me awed and further inspired to keep doing what I love – viola! - Shanya Chynwat, University of North Texas student attendee

Thank you to the IVC Congress Host team!

Many Congress participants stayed in Thailand to travel and explore the region’s beautiful mountains and beaches for a few more days, while some headed into nearby Bangkok to take in the cityscape and night markets before returning to their homes. But nearly everyone started to make plans to reunite in 2024—at the AVS festival at Colburn, and the 49th IVC in Campinas, Group picture of several congress participants after the closing concert at Prince Mahidol Concert Hall, photo courtesy of Daphne Gerling.

Footnotes: 1 Countries represented at the 48th IVC—though this may not be a comprehensive list! —include: Thailand, China, Germany, Japan, Canada, Singapore, Italy, Taiwan, Poland, United States, Hong Kong, Turkey, Holland, Austria, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Korea, Norway, Algeria, France, Switzerland, Brazil, Malaysia, Latvia, Uzbekistan, and Portugal.

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Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 39, No. 2, Fall 2023

Feature Article

A Community Remembers Dr. David Dalton

On January 7, 2023, approximately 30 friends and former students gathered at the Primrose International Viola Archive at Brigham Young University to remember Dr. David Dalton, who died on December 23, 2022. The following collection of memories by former students and by his dear friend, Dr. Dwight Pounds, as well as the many shared contributions by AVS membership to the JAVS inbox, offer a brief glimpse into his totality…

would more than account for a complete life; but these contain no reference to his contributions and dedication to the viola, which comprise a long and impressive list: two books on Primrose; third President of the American Viola Society; Newsletter Editor and Journal founder; host of the 7 th International Viola Congress; host and organizer of the First Primrose International Viola Competition; President of the reorganized International Viola Society; Co-Founder of the Primrose International Viola Archive, lovingly known as the PIVA, and prime mover and shaker for the

* * *

Primrose Room, the PIVA Room, the Davey Painting of Primrose, and fundraiser for each. It is all the more remarkable that some of these activities were

“It would be both quite easy and factual to describe David Dalton as “first and foremost a violist,” but he had multiple outside interests, such as photography, travel, mountain hiking, a fascination with the German language, and a strong dedication and commitment

concurrent with his term as bishop for his ward. Given my professional and personal association with David, I am persuaded that he actually lived 105 years and crammed

them into 89 … and I dare to say that his name is securely written in the history of the viola.

to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, to say nothing of his family. Having once tasted life in the Utah Mountains, he gravitated back

How close were David Dalton and I? At a viola congress several years ago, one of David’s former students, Joël Belgique, said to me, “Why it’s Dr. Pounds! I didn’t recognize you without David Dalton at your side!” The opinion obviously was shared by many others—David passed away and I began receiving sympathy notes, as did his replacement at BYU, Dr. Claudine Bigelow. I used to tease colleagues about our relationship, saying that if David were the Lone Ranger, I was Tonto; that if he were Don Quixote (however unlikely), that logically would make me Sancho Panza— but at least that would give me the viola cadenza in Richard Strauss’ composition by this name. It is true:

to them time and again, belonged to an explorers’ club, and amassed a collection of medium format slides that numbered in the thousands. He took great pride in his state’s five national parks and recommended wonderful places for us to visit and take our children when they were young. We thoroughly enjoyed Dead Horse Point, the Goosenecks, and other parks, but I’m not sure Margaret ever forgave him for routing us down a long and winding dirt path called Muley Point.

To describe David’s life in terms of academia, photography, his church callings, and two mission terms

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a substantial part of his life was my life, and mine his, so much so that we arranged for our families to travel together to New Zealand for the 2001 congress. Donna and Margaret were a natural fit and the Pounds and Daltons eventually experienced twenty-two trips together and enjoyed five decades of friendship. David and I became concurrently active in the American and International Viola Societies, where we each held high levels of responsibility, had many mutual friends and colleagues, and attended many viola congresses together. We were even somewhat the duo in award ceremonies. It was my pleasure to present David with the very first Maurice W. Riley Viola Award at Evanston in 1993, and we were awarded Honorary IVS Membership simultaneously at Rochester in 2012. However, things sometimes went awry. A year later David was the second person elected by the Presidium of the International Viola Society to receive the IVS Gold Alto Clef at the 2013 IVC in Krakow, Poland. I was asked to write the citation, which I did, but emergency hip surgery prevented his attendance. I was the missing person on at least three important occasions involving the two of us, having suffered a bad case of flu when the PIVA was formally dedicated and likewise having been ill and unable to present my own program, the Contributions of David Dalton to the Viola , at Oberlin in 2016. The saddest of all, however, was having to forego my role as eulogist for his memorial services this past January because my wife, Margaret, was fatally ill at the time. The byline in the last JAVS issue, In Memoriam David Dalton and Margaret Pounds , was one that none of us in our wildest imaginations ever expected—and certainly never wanted—to see, but they died within five weeks of one another. Donna Dalton and I still deal with the irony of the fact that the eldest and youngest in our five-decade friendship passed in such close proximity and the survivors simultaneously grieve for two people. The Daltons and Pounds were very close friends in life … and even closer in death. What better—or more demanding—test of a friendship? Rest in peace, David Dalton and Margaret Pounds.” -Dwight Pounds, PhD “On Tuesday afternoons, I made my way to the basement of the Daltons’ Provo home, set my case on an antique LDS meetinghouse pew, and warmed up until the summons were issued from upstairs. I’d enter the viola studio, with its coral-colored walls, carefully-curated

bookshelves, and treasure-trinkets collected from a lifetime of globe-trotting. It was a fitting shrine to a true giant of the viola world, and to a mentor who radically changed the course of my life. Dr. Dalton’s standards were exacting, but never myopic or mean-spirited. You didn’t fear a thunderous wrath— you feared disappointing a man who knew so much and cared so much. In addition to one’s musical preparations, scholarly due diligence was also expected as a matter of course. At one point or another, you would be quizzed, and it behooved you to know the full definitions for every musical term on the page, the historical context for the work at hand, and a few salient facts about its composer. In a music world which too often favors rote repetition and fill-in-the-blanks over discovery and the road-less traveled, my years of lessons with Dr. Dalton taught me to ask questions and seek out the “rabbit hole,” and provided me with an incomparable model of a performer scholar. I will forever be grateful for his gifts, and will forever be a Dalton student.” -Madison Marshall, student 2012-2017— Dr. Dalton’s last student “I first met David Dalton after he kindly invited me to play a Primrose Memorial Concert at BYU many years ago. It was the first of many visits to Provo, where I would quite often stay with David and Donna at their beautiful home and enjoy their relaxed and generous hospitality. That first visit also included a visit with Hiroko Primrose (who was still living in Provo at that time) and my introduction to the Primrose International Viola Archives. The viola world is forever in David’s debt for conceiving of and implementing the idea of PIVA. The vast holdings make PIVA the go-to place for all viola research. And of course, David was William Primrose’s number one fan, which meant that any obscure questions about Primrose would have a ready answer from David. For many years, David would travel around the world giving an informative and touching lecture about Primrose. Juilliard was able to host one of those lectures, and I was delighted to see David and Donna on my home turf for a change. Recently, David was enormously helpful with a Primrose lecture I was involved in for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and I was thankful that he was willing to be interviewed for that video. I will miss David’s warmth, delightful humor, generosity, and friendship.” -Paul Neubauer

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“About six years ago, I played in a reunion concert for Dr. Dalton’s students at Viola Day at the University of Utah. This was October of 2016. I was nine months pregnant with our baby boy/girl twins and I was scheduled to play a solo at that concert. I remember it hurt to walk on the stage, my feet were so swollen, and dealing with shortness of breath also made it difficult to play. After the concert, Dr. Dalton came up to me, put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘You were relieved—we were all relieved—that you got through that and didn’t go into labor. Good luck!’” -Caryn Jackson Bradley, student 2005-2011 “During a trip to Provo many years ago, David generously agreed to meet with me for a short private lesson. I don’t remember the particulars, except that he had nice things to say about my tone, but I do recall he was very patient and extremely pleasant to work with. Having read and reread his book with Primrose, I felt like I was in the presence of a legend.” -Les Jacobson

“David’s great achievement is that he created an ecosystem for violists, where he connected us to each other through societies, congresses, and journals. He understood his friends in the viola community and their strengths; Zeyringer for collecting music, Riley for codifying history. He needed their collective gifts for creating PIVA. Through PIVA, he helped violists connect to our past and understand we have a rich history and repertoire. Violists will best honor David’s legacy if we have the vision to continue to gather our repertoire, our history, understand it, and share it with each other. There is a photograph of Ysäye in PIVA with an inscription to Primrose, complete with a bow exercise, still clearly visible in the sepia ink. I remember David teaching me this exercise to help me with my string crossings, but the connection to where the exercise had come from wasn’t pointed out at the time. When I saw the same exercise in the photo, it dawned on me how our oral tradition goes back generations. Sometimes we teach as we have been taught and don’t realize how far that information has come; it is a legacy.” -Claudine Bigelow, DMA, student 1987-1993 is holding a map, as I was planning a trip to Zion after the concert, and he was helping me map my route!! Such generous people. He will be sorely missed.” -Sheila Browne “Here is [a] photo I took at the Dalton's house in 2016 when I was invited to be the Primrose Memorial Recitalist. David

David Dalton and Claudia Bigelow at PIVA. Photo courtesy of Sheila Browne.

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“I remember when Dr. Dalton built his teaching studio and we all signed the wall before they put the final sheetrock up. I suppose it is still there today. My mother tells me that when she met with Dr. Dalton to ask if he would teach me, she said, ‘But don’t make her play any of that weird 20th-century music.’ He replied, ‘Denise, the viola is a 20th-century instrument!’ My family couldn’t afford my lessons with Dr. Dalton, and my mother set up an agreement where I would arrive an hour before my lesson and clean, under Donna’s supervision. I dusted pictures, vacuumed, scrubbed bathrooms, etc. Then, once a month, on Saturdays, I would clean for four hours. What a wonderful couple, to allow me that opportunity.” -Kristina Horrocks, DMA, student 1988-2003 “Before I began my formal studies on viola with Dr. Dalton, he invited me to attend a Viola Congress. At the time, he was serving as President of the American Viola Society. At the closing banquet, the President of the International Viola Gesellschaft (later known as the International Viola Society), Günter Ojsteršek, was greeting us in German with David at his side as translator. I remember that Günter’s opening remarks were going on for some time before he gave David a chance to speak. When there was finally a moment, David leaned into the microphone and deadpanned, ‘Günter says ‘hi.’’ Another fond memory I have was in February of 1994, my junior year at BYU. Dr. Dalton presented a lecture demonstration, titled “The Seven Deadly Sins of the Stage” and I got to assist him. Essentially, he went through all the do’s and don’ts of stage decorum and took no prisoners doing so! One of my specific assignments was to commit the heinous crime of tuning my open strings loudly at the end of the third movement of the Debussy string quartet —breaking the spell of the otherworldly D flat major chord with my ill-timed intonational maintenance. I relished the task, but have since reflected on that lecture and all the lessons I’ve had with Herr Professor David Dalton. He certainly demonstrated the formality and decorum he expected from his students, but he also showed us how to let our hair down (pun intended).” -Emily Barrett Brown, student 1989-1996; 1999

“David Dalton has indeed been one of the brightest luminaries of the viola world for the past half-century. Without his influence and contributions, we certainly would not be where we are today. He will be greatly missed, not only by his family and close friends but by the worldwide family of violists as well and will live on in our collective memory.” -Michael Kimber “It is difficult to truly measure the impact of one person. Plato is attributed saying, ‘The measure of a man is what he does with power.’ And J.K. Rowling: ‘If you want to see the true measure of a man, watch how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.’ Dr. David Dalton petrified me with his stern look as I walked the halls of Brigham Young University as a freshman, but over the years, that fear turned to admiration and an understanding that his devotion to this beautiful alto instrument was only equal to his devotion to his students. He is the most influential mentor in my life, having been his student from 1986 to 1992 and Teaching Assistant from 1990 to 1996. He showed by doing, and he was at every International Viola Congress that I attended. It was just expected that you would attend (sometimes at a sacrifice, as I would scrape together what money I could and fly across the country—or to another country). But there was always a Brigham Young University contingency at the congresses, thanks to Dr. Dalton. This exposure to the greater viola community and high-level viola performances was important. He left an indelible mark of excellence on all of us. Dr. Dalton consulted on my dissertation on the Primrose transcriptions. I opened that epistle with, ‘At various times throughout history, there are those individuals who make a significant impact in their field. They are visionaries who, driven by passion, set new standards. William Primrose (1904-1982) was one such man.’ The same quote is not untrue of Dr. David Dalton; he was a passionate visionary. I recall the last visit that I had with Dr. Dalton in his home, as he was ailing. That same weekend, I was playing Puccini’s “La Boheme” at the Noorda. Later that evening as I looked around the viola section at the opera, I realized that each violist had been influenced by

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him, either being a direct student or having studied with his student, Claudine Bigelow. The other profound thing about this visit is that previously, in 2018, I had lectured at Colburn at the American Viola Society Festival on the Primrose Transcriptions. Although Donna, his wife, was there, David was unable to attend. I knew if he had felt up to it, he would have wanted to see my PowerPoint lecture presentation. During that last visit, I did show him that presentation. He was enthralled: asking questions, making comments,

* * *

It is impossible to express how completely Dr. David Dalton touched the lives of friends, students, colleagues, and the community. We here at the American Viola Society thank every single person for sharing their memories, photos, and thoughts with us to create this beautiful memorial to David, and offer you one last thought from Dr. Dwight Pounds: I leave you with one final charge: never forget how much we loved him - and never forget why. Likewise, please bear

clarifying when and who made the Primrose audio recordings. He was at the end of his life and definitely had done enough for viola. There was no need for him to engage nor accolades to be given. It showed me that he truly, truly loves the viola and the interest of his students. Until we meet again … farewell my beloved mentor and friend, Dr. David Dalton. -Tom Tatton

in mind how much he loved...each of us. “Leb’ wohl, leb wohl, lieber Freund, bis wir uns oben treffen.” Farewell, farewell my dear friend, until we meet above.

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Looking ahead to the Journal of the American Viola Society’s 2024 David Dalton Viola Research Competition for university and college students.

The late David Dalton (1934-2022) was a champion of research, knowledge, and inspiration. At the invitation of William Primrose, Dalton collaborated with him in producing two books plus two film documentaries. Dalton’s own editions for the viola have been distributed by several international publishing houses. Together with Primrose, Dalton co-founded the Primrose International Viola Archive at Brigham Young University (BYU), the largest and most significant repository of materials related to the viola in the world. Dr Dalton was elected president of the American Viola Society, for which he was Editor of its professional journal for 15 years, and he was later elected president of the International Viola Society (IVS), which bestowed on him its highest honor, the ’Golden Viola Clef’. This was only the second time in its 50-year history that the IVS had given such an award. It is in his honor, and with this same hope of creating a greater scope of collaborative knowledge for current and future musicians and scholars to explore, that we invite you to submit to the 2023 David Dalton Viola Research Competition. Who is eligible to submit a research paper? All entrants must be members of the American Viola Society. If you are not a violist or a member yet, visit https:// americanviolasociety.org/join/#join to join as a student for a discounted rate! You can also email economichardship@americanviolasociety. org to apply for an economic hardship waiver if the application fee should the cost be a burden to your entry. We are open to any and all instrumentalists, musicologists, theorists, scholars, and enthusiasts , not just violists! Additionally, all entrants must be current university or college students OR have completed any degree within 12 months of the entry deadline. So if you have to write a paper this Fall term for a class…why not consider submitting it for the competition! What are the guidelines for the paper? Entries should be original contributions to the field of viola research and may address any aspect of viola, including but not limited to: literature, history, performance, and

pedagogy—don’t be afraid to think inside or outside the box. We want it all!

And remember: one of the possible prizes is for an outstanding paper in an underrepresented category. This could be a composer, a piece, or a style of music related to the viola that has been historically overshadowed or omitted. Entries must not have been published in any other publication. For specific guidelines on word length, citation formats, and standard criteria, visit https:// americanviolasociety.org/dalton-guidelines/.

Or email editor@americanviolasociety.org with any specific citation questions.

How are papers judged? A panel of violists and scholars will evaluate submissions— once they are anonymized—and select a maximum of three winning entries. The panel does reserve the right not to declare a winner if no paper meets a minimum standard of scholarly criteria. What prizes are available for winners? All winning entries will be featured in the Journal of the American Viola Society —a great highlight on your CV!— with authors receiving additional awards, such as monetary prizes. For specific prize breakdowns, check out https:// americanviolasociety.org/dalton-guidelines/. When are submissions due? June 1, 2024 ! Applications will open in early-2024 and can be found at: https://www.americanviolasociety.org/dalton submission/#

Or scan the QR code below!

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Feature Article

William Primrose ... Off stage: The fascinating human being behind the legend! by Alan de Veritch

One lovely spring morning in the early 1970s, Professor David Dalton and his charismatic mentor, William Primrose, were strolling casually through the scenic Brigham Young University campus located at the foot of the Wasatch mountains in Provo, Utah. It was during that walk Mr. Primrose elected to share with David his rather strong personal belief that “unless major performing musicians had successfully built a rather substantial and successful discography of their own recorded performances prior to the time of their passing, they would most certainly be forgotten shortly after their death!” It was this revelation (delivered to David quite adamantly) that ignited the intense commitment within Dr. Dalton to do absolutely everything in his power to ensure the name, recordings and legend of William Primrose would never die. Today, thanks primarily to this commitment—supported by David’s very own creativity, inspiration, motivation, dedication, and never-ending energy—anyone with even the slightest interest in the glorious musical instrument known as the viola —has access to, unquestionably, one of the most complete instrumental resource centers in the world focused on a single musical instrument. Whether an individual wishes to research specific violists—either performers and/or pedagogues—vintage photographs, recordings, related artifacts, historic correspondence and publications, or composers and their original compositions for the instrument, “ The Primrose International Viola Archive ” located in Provo, Utah has no match! Founded officially in 1974 by William Primrose and David Dalton, PIVA—short for Primrose International Viola Archive—has grown to become the largest repository of

music, recordings, and research documents relating to the viola. Due in large part to the tireless efforts and oversight of BYU staff members—Dr. David Day (in his role as Curator of Special Collections) and Dr. Myrna Layton (Music and Performance Librarian of the Lee Library)— PIVA currently maintains over 11,000 original published scores of works featuring the viola, 2,000+ sound recordings, literally thousands of photographs, documents, correspondence, research documents, and memorabilia from the private collections of many renowned violists, as well as serving as the official archive for both the American Viola Society and the International Viola Society. Although I had closely followed the development and growth of PIVA since its inception, it wasn’t until my term as President of the AVS (1990-1994) that I personally became actively involved in its continued and dramatic expansion. So much so, that ultimately in the Fall of 2017, at the personal request and encouragement of David Dalton, I happily and proudly donated my own personal archive, officially subtitled “The Life, Heritage and Career of Alan de Veritch” to BYU, where it will reside as a permanent collection within the Primrose International Viola Archive. Interestingly, as a direct result of this growing involvement with PIVA and the deepening of our personal relationships with both Donna and David Dalton, my wife, Evelyn, and I made the decision to make Utah our primary residence in 2018. This major move came after more than 25 years in Bloomington, Indiana where I served as Professor of Viola at Indiana University, the very same professorship held by William Primrose from 1965-1971.

Becoming a Utahan has most definitely facilitated my ability to expand my own personal research of

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