JAVS Summer 1997

55

L()R' ,,, .. {' \.;\1

My First Viola Congress

T his past June it was my great pleasure to attend the XXV International Viola Congress at the University of Texas in Austin. What an experience! In no other place could one hear such a brilliant collection of world class violists perform such a variety of works, share their special insights, and simply cele brate the glory of music. I am a sophomore studying the viola with Dr. David Dalton at Brigham Young University. I started playing the violin when I

of music to creating a sculpture. He explained that when sculpting, you take away the excess clay until the desired object emerges. How ever, adding clay to the work is also necessary at times. I compare that to ironing out the technical "wrinkles," but when necessary applying something extra that clarifies and better defines the entire presentation. It gave me a new idea of how to take a piece of music and actively shape it to make it speak and move the audience. "[The piece] has a receiver

because it has a subject ... a giver." The music must be presented, not simply heard. I left the master class that day with a renewed desire to create a relationship with the audience and to stir their emotions. Here are a few more of my favorite quotes. "The first note should not be produced; it should be born." "Try to keep the

was three years old at the "request" of my par ents. For most of my life I wasn't really interested in being a musician. I was occupied with the typical cares of youth, such as sports, video games, friends, and mis chief. However, when given the opporrunity to quit playing, something wouldn't let me. As I grew into a teenager my parents, along with the coaxing of a few teach ers, convinced me to switch to the viola. This decision has opened many doors for me. At the viola congress

interest [of the audi ence: without doing things." "It's too sweet, too beautiful ... avoid . " excesSive sweetness. "The greatest art is to playa piano that

L-R, Lars Anders Tomter, Alan de Verilch. and David Dalton

I was introduced to many new aspects of musicianship, viola playing, and how to be a better performer. Overall, the events I enjoyed the most, and incidentally learned the most from, were the master classes. In the first one Lars Anders Tomter gave us excellent technical and musical advice. "Don't focus on being flawless, focus on saying something." "Do I play to be flawless or give people an experience ... and myself an experience? "You have to take risks" He compared the preparation of a piece

makes sense."

"A piano shouldn't be tensionless." "Playing piano is not the same as playing

small."

"[Technique] is also something that doesn't

stop with the hands."

"If you play three fones you might be heard." The next master class was with Karen Tuttle, someone who definitely knows music. Tills class probably had the greatest effect on me overall, which, incidentally, was also quite