My first public performance on viola, next spring!

October 31, 2006 at 12:00 PM

I have a performance to prepare for! I talked to the music director at my church and told her about my plans to audition for the LSO next year. She was delighted to hear that I was playing an instrument again. I sing in the choir but that's not my training or experience. I asked if I could play viola in church next spring, and she said sure, I could even play twice. She often has guest musicians play the prelude, offertory, and/or an anthem--usually all 3. She accompanies the soloist on the piano, and she is an excellent, professional pianist.

It's not a big church, usually there are about 75 adults in attendance any given Sunday after the kids go downstairs to their RE classes. And I know most of them to varying degrees, and have performed in this venue with the choir multiple times. So I think it should be a gentle, not-too-intimidating re-introduction to performing. The acoustics aren't great, but I'll have to work with it.

I'm thinking of playing the following pieces:

Prelude: Telemann viola concerto, 2nd movement. It's sprightly and fun and will hopefully get people feeling good about the service.

Offertory: one of the Bach cello suites transcribed for viola. I'm still in the process of choosing which one. I'm thinking this will be my audition piece for the LSO, too. But I'm having a little angst around this. I could also do it for the anthem/meditation and switch with the following:

Anthem/meditation: Conte Serieux, by Ludwig Mendelssohn. I heard this piece for the first time on a CD called "Solos for Young Violists" Volume I, and fell in love with it. I haven't actually played it yet, but considering the source I think it can't be too technically difficult and it's a different style from the others, something that I think makes good use of the viola's unique characteristics. It's also very "meditative" (maybe "emotive" is a better word, actually) in tone, and doesn't seem quite right to accompany passing the plate.

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My first public performance on viola, next spring!

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