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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

By | October 24th, 2016|Categories: Music Reviews, Reviews|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

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.

By | October 17th, 2016|Categories: General Viola|Tags: , |0 Comments

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) 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

By | September 5th, 2016|Categories: Weekly Updates|Tags: , |0 Comments

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

By | August 16th, 2016|Categories: General Viola|Tags: , |0 Comments

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

By | August 14th, 2016|Categories: Weekly Updates|Tags: |0 Comments

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

By | August 11th, 2016|Categories: General Viola|Tags: |0 Comments