Tomorrow kicks off one of the highlights in my year, certainly from a teaching angle, the 3rd Annual Aaron Copland School of Music Viola Day, taking place at the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College CUNY! A lot of energy, time, and resources goes into planning this Viola Day every year, and I tip my hat to those who organize Viola Weekends, Congresses, and Festivals! This year will be our largest yet, with roughly 3 dozen participants (including College students both from Queens College and one from NYU, High Schoolers from all across New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley, and Middle Schoolers!)
It is a jam packed day– when the students arrive we are diving into rehearsals with the Viola Ensembles. Yes, Ensembles! We will have two ensembles this year! The Junior Viola Ensemble will be led by Holly Grabowski, where they will perform an arrangement of Shostakovich’s Prelude. Holly, a Queens College alum who now teaches Middle School Orchestra in the Levittown (NY) School District, and Bridget Kinneary and I will co-conduct the Senior Viola Ensemble. I will conduct Michael Kimber’s Viola Fight Song, a riveting march that quotes several of the violas greatest hits. Bridget will be premiering an exciting arrangement of Duke Ellington’s Mellow Tone, arranged for four-part viola ensemble and jazz combo (piano, bass, drums) by Dexter Stanley-Tauvao! The students will be performing these works, along with an arrangement of Corelli’s Allegro as a finale at the afternoon concert. Additionally, this concert, taking place at LeFrak Concert Hall at 3pm will feature performances by Queens College students and faculty, and will be livestreamed on YouTube!
Additionally Viola Day will have masterclasses that will be taught by guest artists Dr. Aundrey Mitchell, Dr. Eva Gerard, and Dawson White (I will be giving a masterclass as well). The day will be rounded out with two workshops– an intro to improvisation on viola by Concetta Abbate, and a careers in music workshop given by Dawson White.
Tomorrow promises to be a really fun day! I will plan on sharing some of the highlights later in the week, but thrilled to get the word out about it now.
For more information about the music program at Aaron Copland School of Music, please visit their website.
Gregory K. Williams 