viola

Should I Rent or Buy a Viola?

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With rental season starting soon, you may be wondering whether you should buy a new viola or rent one. The answer is not simple and usually requires weighing not only the upfront monetary cost, but whether the student will continue playing for years to come or stop three months into starting. My parents personally bought me a … Read more

Can I Fly with a Viola as Carry-On?

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plane bows airplane

The short answer is yes, but different airlines have different guidelines. Air Canada has received a lot of flack the past few years when it first banned violas from traveling as carry-on luggage only to reverse its stance a few weeks later. Given that the airline already had a history of destroying valuable violas, this stance … Read more

Best Viola Jokes

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Violas have always been the butt of viola jokes since first violins came into existence. According to WikiPedia, “The viola jokes are thought to have originated from the 18th century when the part of the viola was very uncomplicated and often just a filler part, thus attracting musicians who were not usually very talented either … Read more

Viola: Neglected No Longer

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Finally the viola gets to shine! BBC interviewed Brett Dean, former member of the Berlin Philharmonic’s viola section, about why he likes the viola and how it has taken a prominent role on-stage in orchestras around the world. As more of a promo for his Viola Concerto performance at the Barbican on April 13, Brett distills the essence of the viola in five concrete facts:

  1. Size does matter
  2. Repertoire is expanding rapidly
  3. Its somber sounds stands alone on stage
  4. It’s the “Engine Room” of the orchestra (referring to the importance of rhythm and harmonies often lost in the melodies)
  5. It can’t just be played like a violin

To read more of Brett’s interview, read the article on BBC below:

Viola: Neglected no longer   |   BBC

 

Brett Performing His Viola Concerto

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