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The Penn State Viola Ensemble

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The Penn State Viola Ensemble's
new CD of works by Scott Slapin, entitled
"Hail Cremonus"
is now available.

Members of the Penn State Viola Ensemble in alphabetical order: 
Charles Alves (tracks 6-9), Sylvia Biscoveanu (1-5&10), David Bojanowski (1-5&10), Sarah Files (1-5&10), Lauren Flack (1-5&10), Celine Gosselin (1-5&10), Ryan Kohler (1&10), Fernanda Lastra (1&10), Bailey MacDowell (1-5&10), Ruben McFarlane (1-5&10), David Phillips (1-5&10), Benjamin Proto (1-5&10), Julie Renne (1&10), Fábio Saggin (1-10), Caroline Senko (1-5&10), Gabriella Stout (1-5&10). Director of the Penn State Viola Ensemble, Professor of Viola at Penn State, and soloist on track 7: Tim Deighton. Conductors Michael Dolan, tracks 1&10 and Assaf Bènraf tracks 2-5.
Jonathan Dexter, recording engineer.


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In Spring 2015, the Penn State Viola Ensemble commissioned and premiered a new work by violist and composer Scott Slapin, entitled "Dialogues."  We performed it in concerts in New York City, Washington D.C., and State College, PA, and subsequently recorded it for Scott and Tanya's CD, "Viola Centrism, The Opera."    The success of this project lead to the more extensive "Hail Cremonus" CD project above.

Please click on the image for more information.

About the Ensemble

The Penn State Viola Ensemble was formed in 1999 and has since appeared regularly on campus in chamber music and studio recitals, Common Hour, the Palmer Museum and Bach’s Lunch concert series, and Musica Nova concerts.  It has also been featured on several New York Viola Society Collegial Concerts and at the Penn State ViolaFest.  The Viola Ensemble has presented concerts for children, performed at high schools and middle schools in Central PA, including some side-by-side concerts, and given recitals at retirement homes in the area. 

The ensemble plays a wide range of repertoire, including original works and transcriptions.  It has performed numerous new compositions, including the world premieres of several works commissioned for the ensemble.  Repertoire ranges from small chamber works for three or four violists to large conducted works for a dozen or more players.  The ensemble provides students the opportunity to explore various roles as chamber musicians and section players.

The Penn State Viola Ensemble is directed by Tim Deighton.

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This is the world premiere performance of a work called "Theme Envy," collected and arranged (and conducted) by Penn State graduate conducting student and violist, Santiago Osorio, for the Penn State Viola Ensemble.  We performed it several several times throughout the season.   
Since the violas rarely get to play the melody, this piece seeks to redress the balance, albeit in a very small way.
From a live performance at St. Michael's Church, New York City, 4/12/15.

"Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix, arranged for viola ensemble.
From a live performance at St. Michael's Church, New York City, 4/12/15.

World Premiere of Scott Slapin's "Dialogues and Duels." 
Composed for the Penn State Viola Ensemble and featured on Slapin's CD "Viola Centrism: The Opera" (see above).

This is the world premiere performance of a work composed by Tsan-Kuang Lee for the Penn State Viola Ensemble. 
We subsequently performed it at several other venues. 
Based on a Taiwanese folk song, the piece is full of imaginative and colorful imagery. 
For more information about TK's music visit: http://studio.tklee.com

PSU Viola Ensemble Repertoire List


Daniel Adams                                Birds Sing in Other Places (2002) for Viola Sextet

Bach (arr. Nodaira)                      Ciaccona de Bach (2000), Transformation pour quatre altos

Bach (arr. Israel)                           Selected Chorales for Viola Quartet

Paul Barsom                                   Dance Secret (2003) for Eight Violas*

Bartok (arr. Israel)                        Pieces for Children, vol. I, no. 12

Beethoven (arr. Israel)                 Theme and Variations from Septet, op. 20

Beethoven (arr. Tertis)                Trio, op. 87 (orig. 2 oboes and cor anglais)

Lauren Bernofsky                         Fantasia and Scherzo*

Ernest Bloch (arr. Crane)           Rhapsodie from Suite Hebraique,
                                                             for solo viola and viola ensemble

York Bowen                                   Fantasie Quartet

Frank Bridge                                  Cradle Song

Paul Chihara                                  Concerto Piccolo for Viola Quartet
                                                            1.     Allegro
                                                            2.     Tarantella*

Benjamin Dale                               Introduction and Andante for 6 Violas, op. 5

Marshall Fine                                 Romance for Viola Quartet, op. 98  

                                                          Five Medieval Motets (arr.)

Robert Gardner                             View from the Rear Window*

Geminiani                                       Allegro

Gershwin (arr. Little)                   Someone to Watch Over Me

Percy Grainger                              Arrival Platform Humlet        

John Harbison                               Cuccaracia and Fugue

John Hawkins                                Tri for Six Violas

Jimi Hendrix                                  Purple Haze

Stephen S. Horn                            The Sporades Suite

Gordon Jacob                                 Suite for Eight Violas

I. D. Jacobsen                                 Three Varieties

Scott Joplin                                    Country Club Rag (arr. Kimber)

                                                         Magnetic Rag (arr. Lieberman)

Michael Kimber                           Celebration Fanfare

                                                        Festival Overture*     

                                                        Viola Fight Song                                                             

                                                        La Folia Variations

                                                        Reflection

                                                        Three Quirky Pieces  

                                                        Traveling Music

Marvin Lamb                                House of Dawn*

Tsan-Kuang Lee                            Thinn Ooh Ooh (Darkening Sky)*

Mozart                                            Divertimento K. 252

Santiago Osorio                             Theme Envy*

Pachelbel (arr. Arnold)                Canon in G

Guido Papini                                   Quartet for Four Violas

Sergio Parotti                                  Consort for Eight Violas, Op. 324, No. 2*

Paul Pisk                                           Ballade for Viola Sextet

Henry Purcell (arr. Due)                Dido’s Lament

Schubert (arr. Israel)                      Moment Musicale, op. 94, no. 3

Paul Seitz                                        Animas (There is a Wild River…)*

Alan Shulman                                 Two Episodes for Viola Quartet (Ancora and Night)

Scott Slapin                                     Dialogues*
                                                           A Viola Audition*
                                                           Fanfare for Cremonus*
                                                           Cremonus in Italy*

G.P. Telemann                                Concerto No. 1 in C for Four Violas

Max von Weinzierl                         Nachtstück fur vier Violen, op. 34

Anton Wranitzky                            Cassatio in F major    

*commissioned and premiered by the Penn State Viola Ensemble
 

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