Latest NCVS happenings... 

Don't miss: YVC Alum Pearl de la Motte performs the Bartók Viola Concerto with San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, click here for more information. Performances in SF, Palo Alto and Berkeley April 25, 26 & 27, 2025. Currently studying at Juilliard, Pearl is a past YVC Winner and the winner of the 2024 Klein Competition!

 

We did it - the 2025 Annual Young Violists Competition Finals Concert!! 

Announcing our 10th Annual NCVS Young Violists Competition Results:

First Place: Jaydon Li
Second Place: Jamie Cheung
Third Place: Kenji Sor
Best Bach Performance: Jamie Cheung
Best Performance “Heart of the Lake”: Jaydon Li

Congratulations to all of our outstanding young 2025 finalists: Jamie Cheung, Daphna Glassman, Brandon Kang, Jaydon Li, & Kenji Sor

Thanks to our 2025 Violist Adjudicators: Pamela Freund, Tom Tatton and Matt Young and to collaborative pianist, Lori Lack

Performance Sunday March 9, 2025 6-8pm at the University of San Francisco's Studio Theater, 2800 Turk Blvd

Admission is free & open to the public: 

Our finals concert will be held Sunday March 9, 2025 from 6-8pm, at the Studio Theater of the University of San Francisco, 2800 Turk Blvd. Join us as we hear 5 outstanding young violists perform, each will play solo Bach and the new composition, Kamil Kosecki's "Heart of the Lake" as well as works by Brahms, Bloch, Hoffmeister, Bruch, and JC Bach. Each will perform with collaborative pianist Lori Lack.

 

Performance October 29, 2024 - Jenny Douglass, viola & Lori Lack, piano - Jennifer Higdon's Viola Concerto, preview performance with Q&A, & NCVS members reception:

Join us Tuesday October 29, 7-8pm at USF's Presentation Theater to hear the Pulitzer Prize-winning Higdon Viola Concerto. You will also have the opportunity to learn more about the creative process in a Q&A with the musicians. Admission is free, members of NCVS will be treated to light bites afterwards with fellow NCVS members in a short reception. Please RSVP using the EventBrite link here. Location: Presentation Theater 2350 Turk Blvd, Street parking, note that the Education Building is secure ie it  will help to know ahead that you are coming. If you need to renew or join here is the link. And don't miss Jenny's performances with the Marin Symphony on November 9-10 at College of Marin. Use code VIOLAPOWER at checkout for a 25% ticket discount.  Concert and ticket information here.

Our 2024 Finals Concert: 

March 10, 2024 at the University of San Francisco in the Studio Theater, Yufei's Stamitz Concerto positively sparkled, Katherine showed a gorgeous color palette in her Bartok, Eleanor wowed us with her rich deep sound in Brahms, Bryan's York Bowen Sonata was strong and romantic, Rebekah's polish and imagination showed in everything she played, Liam held us in thrall with his Bloch and Colin dazzled us with his Hoffmeister, it was truly an afternoon to remember. Each young violist showered us with their brilliance starting with a Bach movement and finished with a unique and playful take on the new piece, composition contest winner "Baby elephant wandering deep in thought" by Alischer Ikramutdinov of Vienna, Austria.

Congratulations to all of our truly outstanding young 2024 finalists: Yufei Shen from Pleasanton, Katherine Yang from San Mateo, Eleanor Gil from San Jose, Rebekah Sung from Fremont, Bryan Im from San Jose, Liam Young Skeen from Richmond and Colin Breshears from San Pablo

Awards:  First Place: Colin Breshears
Second Place: Liam Young Skeen
Third Place tie: Rebekah Sung/Bryan Im
Judges’ Award: Eleanor Gil
Best Bach Performance: Colin Breshears
Best Performance of  New Piece, “Der Kleiner Elephant”: Colin Breshears

Violist Adjudicators: Don Ehrlich, Pamela Freund & Thomas Tatton

This June for the NCVS

We have exciting news! We are headed to Los Angeles in June 2024 to present at the American Viola Society Festival taking place at the Colburn School. Our proposal was accepted and we plan to showcase our most recent 6 Young Violists Competition winners of the "Best New Piece" Award playing the 6 most recent winning compositions.  Please renew your membership to help support this important effort, click on the yellow donate button on the right side over there --->

Recent activity: Get ready for next year! Deadlines and call for scores go out in Fall 2024.

Composition Contest - Composers, it is time once again to polish up and submit your solo works for viola. The Northern California Viola Society announces its 2023-34 Composition Contest for unperformed, unrecorded solo viola works, 3 minutes duration or under, composed in the last 5 years. See the Composer Competition tab for more details.

 

Our 2024 Young Violists Competition returned to a live finals format, taking place March 10, 2024 at 2pm.  Eligibility: Pre-college, aged 19 or younger. Applicants must be based in or studying in Northern California. Deadline: video materials submitted by January 8, 2024, 11:59pm Pacific time. Please consider filing your application form ahead of the deadline and submitting your recordings and payment when ready. Use the YVC tab above for more information.

NCVS Latest Goings-On

Happy Summer, it's time for a 23-24 Membership Drive! If you have lapsed or would like to join and support the Northern California Viola Society's work with young violists and developing new works for solo viola, now is a great time to join! We will give you an extra 6 months-membership from now through 2024. Membership is $20 annually, feel free to use the link below to join or donate to support the NCVS at any amount, we would love to have you join. Membership form is here or just click below to donate.

Click here to join or donate

Wish Us Luck: 

We are preparing to present at American Viola Society's 2024 Festival in June which takes place in Los Angeles at the Colburn School. Our proposed session will showcase Young Violist Competition competitors and the winning compositions from the last 5 years. We will keep you updated as we prepare the proposal!