The Viola
AKA the Cinderella of the Orchestra. The viola is the middle voice of the violin family and one of the more underrepresented instruments in the string family (in my opinion). For a long time it was mainly used to fill in harmonies with not many solo works written for it at all. From the 20th century onwards more music has been composed for the viola, Paul Hindemith being such a composer (as well as a violist himself).
The viola is tuned a 5th down from the violin and is bigger and more mellow sounding, it's a bit like what liquid chocolate would sound like musically. Violas are welcome additions to any sort of band; from orchestral, rock and roll, folk, reggae, jazz, experimental, to name but a few.
In my opinion, the viola is a wonderful instrument and needs to be HEARD! If you are a composer, please write something for the viola, you won't regret it!
For more information about the viola I recommend the following website: http://www.viola-in-music.com/
About my viola and I:
I'm a freelance violist and have been playing the viola since I was 15. I stopped playing in my 20's for about 7 years, then restarted in 2004 after I played my viola round a bonfire with other musicians during a T'ai Chi training weekend and could not understand why I stopped. My current viola's name is Pete named after Peter Maxwell-Davies. I originally learnt the viola from Martin Gadd. I then learnt from Nicky Busby (both in Essex) and as part of the viola section with Harry Danks when I played with a youth orchestra. I briefly learnt with Vince Parsonage in Leeds and on and off with Penny Veryard (Cambridge) since 2004, Penny runs the Quartet club of Cambridge. For the last couple of years I've been learning traditional Irish music (adapted fiddle, no e-string!) from Josie Nugent. I'm very interested in improvised music and have recently started Jazz classes with Bert Shilperoot.
I play for the Great St Mary's Orchestra, run by Adam Pounds, in Cambridge, a community based orchestra who are really good fun to make music with. http://www.gsm.cam.ac.uk/Music_and_the_Arts/Music/music.html
I'm the viola player for TK Rose and the Bushwakkers (an eclectic mix of reggae, folk and jazz) occasionally play folk gigs for Dave Streatfield in CB2 and various other musicians occasionally. I also run Movement & Music workshops, which incorporate T'ai Chi based exercises and postural principles with music. Movement & Music sessions are mainly aimed at adults or children with learning difficulties and also for younger children up to the age of 10. Contact me if you are looking for a viola player to add that sonorous dimension to your band or music group. Please also contact me if you are a viola player, you obviously have impeccable taste in musical instruments and deserve congratulation.
Busking
Come and find me occasionally busking on the streets of Cambridge and Ely during the week and weekend from April 2010. All busking monies collected go towards my 6 string electro-acoustic viola fund.
Gig list:
- Since 2007, various with the Great St Mary's Orchestra
- Jan 17th 2009 CB2 with Dave Streatfield
- February 28th 2009 Clown's Cafe Cambridge TK, Rose and the Bushwakkers
- 6th March 2009 Legend's Bar with TK, Rose and the Bushwakkers
- 14th March 2009 Trinity All Saints Church with the Great St Mary's Orchestra
- 28th March 2009 CB2 with Dave Streatfield
- 21st May 2009 Strawbery Fair Benefit Gig at the Portland Arms with TK, Rose and the Bushwakkers
- 6th June 2009 East Stage Strawberry Fair TK, Rose and the Bushwakkers
- July 2nd 2009 Great St Mary's Orchestra fundraiser at Michaelhouse
- July 20th 2009 Gig at Portland Arms pub in Cambridge with Steph Brown
- August 9th 2009 Fordham Festival with Steph Brown
- August 14th 2009 Darwin Workshops TK, Rose and the Bushwakkers
- August 16th 2009 A pub somewhere in Dunmow Essex TK, Rose and the Bushwakkers
- September 4th 2009 Legends Bar Cambridge - Farwell gig for TK and Rose who are off to Oz to live happily ever after
- Most Thursday evenings: Earl of Beaconsfield Pub on Mill Road Irish session (AKA THAT viola player!)
- 26th September 2009 Great St Mary's Orchestra at Great St Mary's Church, New World Symphony and other tunes 7.30 pm
- October 3rd At CB2 accompanying Dave Streatfiled
- 31st October 2009 accompanying Annette Grindstead, Dave Streatfield and gang at CB2
- Saturday 28th November accompanying John Meed, Anette Grindstead and Dave Streatfield
- Friday December 4th 10 am - 12pm Darwin Workshops Fulbourn with Unites Reggae Band
- Saturday December 5th Mill Road Winter Fair stage at the Argyle Street Housing Co-Operative Annette Grindstead at about 2.30 pm
- Saturday December 5th a pub somewhere in Cambridge with Annette
- Saturday December 12th Great St Mary's Orchestra's spectacular Christmas Concert 7.30pm Great St Mary's Church
- 13th Feb Acoustic Nights CB2 Anette Grindstead and John Meed
- 5th March Cambridge Folk Club Golden Hind Anette Grindstead
- 13th March 2010 Acoustic Nights CB2 Anette Grindstead
- 9th April 2010 Cambridge Folk Club Golden Hind Anette Grindstead
- June 4th 2010 Cambrigde Folk Club Golden Hind Anette Grindstead
- June 12th 2010 Great St Mary's Church GSMO plays Shostakovich 10
More to come!
Links:
Acoustic Routes run by Bernard Hoskin - at CB2
Acoustic Nights run by Dave Streatfield - also at CB2
Hazel Fairbairn - Viola and Fiddle player
Adam Pounds is a composer and conductor as well as a pretty mean guitarist.
Traditional Irish music website with details of their summer school.
Tommy People's website, an Irish fiddle player who makes fiddle playing a work of art. I had the pleasure and honour of attending one of his workshops and was really impressed by the guy.
Singer/songwriter John Meed - if you like grasshoppers, John's your man. He is also a courageous lifeguard if you happen to be a swallow.
Ilana is a very accomplished Klezmer and baroque fiddle player who often runs workshops in Cambridge and is usually found in London. Ilana is a very good teacher and great fun to work with too.
Books
My Viola and I - by Lionel Tertis
A selection of my favorite viola jokes:
There are many jokes about viola's and viola players (probably due to jealousy from other musicians, who wish they were playing such a gorgeous instrument):
What's the difference between a violin and a viola?
- The viola burns longer.
- The viola holds more beer.
- You can tune the violin.
We all know that a viola is better than a violin because it burns longer. But why does it burn longer? It's usually still in the case.
What's the difference between a viola and a trampoline? You take your shoes off to jump on a trampoline.
Why is viola called "bratsche" in Germany? Because that's the sound it makes when you sit down on it.
How do you get a viola player to play 32 semi hemi demi semi quavers? Write out 32 crotchets and mark it "solo".
What do you do with a dead violist? Put him/her back a desk.
How do you know when there are 10 viola players standing outside your door? None of them know when to come in.
There is a conductor and a violist standing near you and you have a gun with 2 bullets in it. Who do your shoot first?
The conductor, business before pleasure!
A violist and a cellist were standing on a sinking ship together.
"Help!" cried the cellist, "I can't swim!"
"Don't worry," said the violist, "just fake it."