Bartók Viola Concerto Review
Bartók’s Viola Concerto is an amazing piece and was actually left unfinished by the composer Béla Bartók. Only rough, handwritten scratches of the concerto were found after the composer’s death, but the concerto was eventually completed finished by his close friend and has since found its way into the repertoire of every violist who is looking for a challenge. IMSLP Entry: http://imslp.org/wiki/Viola_Concerto_(Bart%C3%B3k,_B%C3%A9la) History of Bartók’s Viola Concerto The Bartók Viola Concerto was commissioned by the virtuoso violist William Primrose in the winter of 1944. Bartók was not a well-known composer in the USA at
Violists Really Are the Smartest
No joke. This kid, Kwasi Enin, got into all eight Ivy League schools (that's Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale...wow!) along with several other universities. Not only does he have an impressive academic track record (2250 on his SATs and 11 Advanced Placement courses), but he played viola in his high school orchestra as well! While he hasn't continued playing while at Yale, he has opted for one of the famous a capella groups called the Society of Orpheus and Bacchus. It didn't hurt that Enin wrote his college essays about music even though "he simply enrolled in orchestra to meet
The Week in Violas – 9/4
We hope you are all having a wonderful Labor Day weekend. The weather here in Pittsburgh has finally cooled down a bit so we can finally enjoy being outside for all the bbqs. Below is our viola news of the week. 11 Airlines are Viola-Approved The International Federation of Musicians (IFM)Â released a report this week of the most instrument-friendly airlines. Allowing violas onboard airplanes has been an ongoing debate for the last 10 years so it's great that airlines are finally opening up their policies to allow violas on-board, no questions asked. We still recommend buying a hard case for
Budgeting for a Viola
Violas are expensive, there's no denying that. Even if you are renting a viola, the monthly bills add up quickly. In order to help you budget for a viola, we have laid a basic guide to make sure you are making the most of your money and can afford a viola. Can you afford a new viola? The first thing you need to decide is whether you have enough money to buy a new or used viola outright. Typical entry-level new viola outfits range from about $75-$250 depending on the quality of the workmanship and materials. These outfits usually include
This Week in Violas – August 14
Continuing on with our "This Week in Violas" series, we have several interesting viola tidbits to share. British Airways Denies Cello Entry Due to Visa Requirement We've covered carrying your viola with you on flights before, but this takes that discussion to a whole new level. British Airways apparently denied cabin entry to a cellist because although she had bought an extra seat for her cello, she needed to get a USA ESTA visa. Talk about ridiculous! An amateur Swiss-based cellist has claimed she was refused entry to a British Airways flight from Zurich to Baltimore because the extra seat
The 10 Worst Things About Playing Viola
Considering taking up the viola this year? Think again. Classic FM did a great job summarizing why playing the viola might not be the best choice for you. Violists are often tormented because no one understands why they exist. It's certainly an existential crisis for many violists. Of course, the rampant spread of viola jokes has not helped violists gain any traction in the orchestra. They are still viewed as the bastard stepchildren of the orchestra destined to wither in the middle of the orchestra from mediocrity. But anyway, as I said, Classic FM pinpointed the struggles we violists face in
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