ViolaFest, A Free Music Festival

From March 6 through 8 the Cherubini Music Conservatory of Florence (piazza delle Belle Arti) together with the Italian Viola Association (AIV) present the National ViolaFest. The three days will be a celebration of the viola offering concerts, master classes, round tables and meetings, all with free admission.

The big sister of the violin, the viola has as deeper, more mellow tone, being the closest in register to the human voice of all of the stringed instruments – the alto voice to the violin’s soprano. The viola was the instrument of choice for Mozart, Haydn, Bach, Dvorák and Beethoven but throughout history was generally given a backseat and used mostly for enriching the harmonies rather than taking a solo role. Luckily many composers including those cited above and in particular those of the 20th century, recognized the viola’s particular rich timbre and wrote some wonderful music for the instrument.

The theme of this year’s Festival is repertory, exploring rarely heard works for solo viola and in ensembles. There will be a number of concerts during the three days performed by esteemed soloists, local professionals, and also professors and students from all of the conservatories of Italy. Maestro Bruno Giuranna will open the Festival with a performance on the “Tenor Viola Medicea” made by Antonio Stradivari in 1690 (Friday, March 6 at 12 noon). Originally part of the quintet of instruments commissioned as a gift for the Grand Prince of Tuscany Ferdinando de’ Medici, this viola is a precious part of the collection of the Accademia and the Conservatory and has not been played in public for two centuries.

Among the many esteemed guest artists there will be Augusto Vismara, professor of viola at the Cherubini Conservatory and noted viola and violin soloist who will perform in concert on Friday, March 6 (6:40 pm) and preside over a round table discussion about the violist/composer Alessandro Rolla (10 am) on Sunday March 8. Principal violist  of the Maggio Musicale Orchestra, Jörg Winkler, will give a master class on important viola solos from the orchestral repertory on Saturday, March 7 (4:30 pm).. He will interpret the works of Brahms in a Friday evening performance (9:15 pm).

Michael Kugel, a virtuoso violist originally from the former Soviet Union, now president of the Belgian Viola Association, will give a recital on Sunday, March 8 (4 pm). He is also a composer and has transcribed many works for the viola and will give a master class on Saturday. There will be many more concerts during the three days of Festival, always featuring the viola in various ensembles or alone in music from many different periods.

There will also be a meeting between luthiers and violists, and there will be stands of luthiers demonstrating their work throughout the Festival. Venues for the events will be the Salone del Buonumore of the Cherubini Conservatory, the Galleria dell’Accademia and the Accademia di Belle Arti.

More information of concert programs and times can be found at                                            https://associazioneitalianadellaviola.wordpress.com/   (anne lokken)