JAVS Spring 2007

jENNIFER STUMM: A PLAYER IN PURSUIT OF THE PERFECT PHRASE

By Lembi Veskimets

American violist Jennifer Srumm's search for musical utopia has taken her ro Europe and back home, bur the winner of the 2005 Primrose International Competition is a pas sionate proponent of the viola in all musical worlds. Hailing from Aclanra, Georgia, she arrived at the Curtis lnstirure and "was totally blown away by the place and irs traditions." Continuing her srudies at Juilliard and in Amsterdam, it was ar the International Musicians eminar at Prussia Cove, however, where she found her musical home. Founded by Sandor Vegh in 1972 as twice yearly courses, they are recognized worldwide for excellence in teach ing and performance. Irs current artistic director is cellist Steven lsserlis, whom Stumm mer there and who has become a mentor to her. He inspires her in that he "manages robe both scrupulously Faithful to the score and also urrerly imaginative and communicative as a performer... He demands that you have a reason for everyclUng so that nothing is conventional or without meaning." IMS is also where she met her colleagues in the Aronowitz Ensemble, a string sextet plus piano in various formations, which has been performing rogeth er in the United Kingdom since 2004. In residence for rwo seasons

Photo by AngtiA Mo"is. as BBC New Generation Artisrs, Stumm says "the idea behind the group is ro present pieces that aren't often rehearsed and performed with the same commjrment as piano trios and string quarrers, which leaves an expansive range of possi bilities! The performing forces are always changing with each piece so one feels a freshness ofapproach." Though their concern are sched uled in intensive blocks of time ro accommodate the individual mem bers' careers, the ensemble provides Stumm with a consistent outlet for playing chamber music on a more than casual level.

Ar the same rime, Stumm is enjoy ing the advantages of being the winner of the 2006 Concert Arrisrs Guild Competition, wruch include a New York debut recital and a management contract. While oth ers may lament the slow death of the classical music indusrry, Srumm sees it being reinvented, with less emphasis on traditional "rules" as fur as marketing to audiences goes. "If someone has an authentic artis tic voice, I don't really care what's done ro get people in the door to hear them. Ir's the audience's gain," she contends. She devises programs rhar highlight "unexpected connec-

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