Viola

Violist & Dancers Join Forces for “Maxamorphosis”

July 17, 2012

It’s not every day that you’ll find someone who performs both as a classical musician and a dancer. But that’s exactly what you’ll see in Maxamorphosis, a new work composed by Julian Phillips and choreographed by Mickael “Marso” Riviere for chamber orchestra, dancers, and solo viola. The piece was created especially for the Aurora Orchestra‘s [...]

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Get Inspired to Practice by Yuri Bashmet

July 22, 2011

Have you ever heard a performance so inspiring that you immediately wanted to rush home and practice? I heard one such performance this morning . Chicago’s classical music station (WFMT) broadcast a recording of renowned Russian violist Yuri Bashmet and pianist Mikhail Muntian performing Sergei Prokofiev’s “Scene of Farewell and Juliet’s Death” from Romeo and [...]

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Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy Announces Residency by Cleveland Institute of Music Viola Instructors

March 15, 2011

The Music Institute of Chicago’s (MIC) Academy program is a nationally known center for highly gifted pre-college musicians. Beginning in September 2011, the Academy will welcome six world-renowned viola instructors from the Cleveland Institute of Music to conduct master classes, chamber music coaching, seminars, and individual instruction. The residency will prepare students for conservatory study [...]

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Cleveland Orchestra Violist Mark Jackobs Discusses Orchestral Life and Engaging Audiences with New Classical Music

January 25, 2011

This post is the second in our “Music Career Profiles” series which provides a behind-the-scenes-look at life as a musician. The Cleveland Orchestra will be performing at Chicago’s Symphony Center on February 2, so I thought this would be the perfect time to share my interview with Cleveland Orchestra violist Mark Jackobs. Mark has been [...]

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William Harris Lee & Company to Host 2010/2011 Cremona Violinmaking Exhibition

December 8, 2010

Cremona, Italy began its legacy as the world capital of violin making in the 16th century as the home of the renowned Amati, Guarneri, and Stradivari families. The city has continued its tradition to the present day, and now Chicagoans will have the chance to view extraordinary modern instruments from Cremona. The Consortium of Violin [...]

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A Musical Transformation – How One Young Palestinian Man Went from Throwing Stones at Israeli Soldiers to Opening Music Schools in the Middle East

July 10, 2010

Perhaps it is music which will change the world – Pablo Casals I heard a moving story by reporter Sandy Tolan on NPR this morning about how music changed the life of one young Palestinian man. In 1988, a photographer in the West Bank took a picture of eight-year-old Ramzi Hussein Aburedwan with tears in [...]

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Tips to Revolutionize Your Playing from Master Violist Kim Kashkashian

July 8, 2010

Last week, I had the pleasure of observing world renowned violist Kim Kashkashian‘s master class with students from the Steans Institute for Young Artists at Ravinia Festival. Both the students who I observed were violists, but Kashkashian gave valuable advice which could apply to musicians of any instrument or genre. Here are some tips which [...]

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Renowned Violist Kim Kashkashian Gives Free Master Class at Ravinia Festival

June 28, 2010

Internationally renowned viola soloist Kim Kashkashian will be holding a master class which is open to the public for students of the Steans Institute at Ravinia Festival. I would highly recommend this event to musicians and music lovers of any genre. It’s a great way to pick up technical tips and get a glimpse of [...]

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Violist Eliesha Nelson’s Intriguing New CD Brings 20th-Century American Composer Quincy Porter’s Music to the Forefront

December 3, 2009

I first saw information about Nelson’s album, The Complete Viola Works of Quincy Porter, on Amazon.com last month. It was brought to my attention again by an article in this month’s International Musician (the official journal of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada). As a violist, I am thrilled to [...]

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