JAVS Spring 2010

played were: Bach, Hummel, Weber, Clarke, Hoffmeister, Franck, and Hindemith. This very enjoyable concert was well received by an appreciative audience. All the recital concerts were well attended with the audiences averaging 250; the audiences for the lec tures and master classes averaged 150. The festival featured several other concerts and master classes and included an award presentation for China’s first Viola Thesis Competition. The competition had twenty-seven students (under the age of thirty-nine), each submitting a thesis on a viola topic of their choice in the Chinese language. A crystal award and certificate were presented to the winners. The judg ing panel decided not to award a first prize this time. The awards given were: two shared second prizes awarded to Nisha Ren and Yilian Guo and three shared third prizes awarded to Shuimiao Fu, Li Chen, and Zhen Wei.

Many of the members of the Chinese Viola Society were in attendance during the festival including its President Wing Ho (Professor of Viola at the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing). They announced that the society now has a website at www.violachi na.org, and their e-mail is violachina@gmail.com. They will host the next viola festival (2010 in Beijing). All the organizers and sponsors are to be congratulat ed on presenting a fantastic Viola Festival. I cannot thank my hosts enough (especially Niny Lam and all those at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music) for all the hospitality shown to me during my visit to Shanghai. I look forward to the next Viola Festival in China (2010), scheduled for Beijing.

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