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John White (1938–2013)

John White was known and respected by violists throughout the world and will be remembered with deep affection. He cared about people, he cared about his students, his colleagues, his family, and his life was devoted to helping others. He was a quiet but strong personality, interested only in the genuine, and impatient of impostors and large egos. He knew what was important and demanded even more of himself than of others.

Born in the Yorkshire coal-mining village of Royston, near Barnsley, he received his first violin lessons from his father. He continued his musical studies at Huddersfield Technical College, where he took the decision to switch to viola. While serving out his national service he was awarded a scholarship to study with Watson Forbes. He proceeded to the Royal Academy, where he became a founder member of the Alberni Quartet. Coming into contact with Britten and other British composers he encouraged many of them to write for the viola, and they responded with works dedicated to him. His desire to explore the byways of the repertoire and encourage new compositions for the viola was transmitted to his students, many of whom inherited his spirit of exploration.

As a performer John played with vigour and with a passion emanating from his love of music, but he was drawn by instinct to teaching. Accepting a post at Hockerill College in Bishop’s Stortford, he developed the musical life of the College, bringing in musicians from outside to give concerts and provide inspiration for the students. He was much in demand as a chamber music coach and, in addition, began to conduct and train young players in orchestral technique. He went on to become viola tutor for the European Youth Orchestra.

As his reputation spread abroad he was invited to sit on the juries of international competitions. He was the first British violist to give master classes at the Beijing Conservatory. He held long-term appointments, teaching at the Royal Academy for more than thirty years and serving on the committee of the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition for a similar period. He continued to edit and publish, bringing out collections of Tertis arrangements from the original manuscript or transcribed from recordings, as well as previously unpublished works by Alwyn and Bowen. His Anthology of British Viola Players, published by Comus Edition, dates from 1997, and his monumental biography of Tertis, Lionel Tertis, the First Great Virtuoso of the Viola, first published by Boydell and Brewer in 2006, has just been updated and reprinted in paperback. It draws on material from his private archive. Some of his Tertis treasures came to him from the late Harry Danks, a former student of Tertis, whom John White acknowledged as an irreplaceable friend and mentor.

His answer to ill health was to work, and his last years were extraordinarily fruitful in publications. Finally, returning to his roots and his ‘other’ passion, he wrote a book on Yorkshire cricket, which was published shortly before his death.

John is survived by his wife Carol, his companion of almost 50 years, as well as by their daughter and son.

Michael Freyhan | British VS Newsletter, March 2014

I first met John in about 1983 at a Hertfordshire County Music Viola Day with Harry Danks; little did I know at that point what a lasting influence he was to be later in life.

The next time I met John was at an Associated Board post grade 8 assessment, after which I decided to study with him. He saw me through a formative time with National Youth Orchestra, as my teacher at the Royal Academy of Music and viola section coach with the European Community Youth Orchestra, offering constant help, support and encouragement throughout. John was also responsible for suggesting I form a duo with the violinist Marianne Thorsen which was later to become the basis of the Leopold String Trio. So, I have an awful lot to be thankful to John for.
After my time at the RAM John became even more of a mentor, advisor and friend, often giving invaluable advice about the profession, viola matters and always being supportive about the tribulations of life in general.
John was always modest and humble with impeccable Yorkshire values, and yet he was passionately committed to promoting the viola, both in terms of performance, teaching, and his musical and literary publications. He was always incredibly generous in the way he shared this with others.

One of his most memorable attributes was his utter integrity in all that he did.
I often think what an incredible achievement he made, coming from a humble coal-mining family background, and what utter dedication and drive he must have had to achieve what he did. He often said himself that he could not have done so without the fantastic support from his family, and in particular his wife Carol.

For me, its impossible to separate out John the person from John the musician as he was so passionately devoted to the cause of the viola. His enthusiasm and positive energy were infectious and a huge inspiration to many; he must have touched the lives of thousands of people and we all owe so much to him.

Sarah-Jane Bradley

February 2014

I will always remember John as an incredibly generous, loyal and supportive friend and colleague. I first met him in about 1975 and began to have viola lessons with him in the summer of 1976. Here was someone who had an inexhaustible knowledge of all things relating to the viola – its history, personalities and repertoire. John possessed an absolutely encyclopedic knowledge of the subject, the likes of which I have not found equalled. As a teenager it became something of a game for me to burrow away to find what seemed to be the most obscure pieces and mention them in my next lesson in the hope that John might not have heard of them. However, I was always thwarted as I never managed to catch him out and on many occasions he had played the pieces himself, had a recording of them and ALWAYS copies of the music in his vast library. It really seemed as though there was no viola piece with which John did not have an acquaintance!

John was a brilliant teacher who possessed in huge measure one of the most inspiring qualities of any great pedagogue – infectious enthusiasm. Lessons with him could be tough but one always went home feeling fired up to work. He had a great gift in knowing how to lift his pupils, how to set the right height for the bar and, equally important, he knew when to stop. As a colleague at the Royal Academy of Music and fellow examiner I was always struck by how thoroughly well-prepared John’s students were – and to this day in my own teaching the question ‘how might John have approached this?’ is a frequent refrain for me. John’s presence at the RAM was one which bound people together – he seemed to know everyone and very much believed in a sense of heritage and the ongoing tradition associated with the institution. It is no surprise that he was elected President of the RAM Club for its alumni- a role he fulfilled most effectively.

John had a wonderful sense of humour and was often the focus of social gatherings as a result. He had some great stories up his sleeve and could be self-depracating to a fault, especially when speaking of his own playing. He was the dedicatee of a large number of new works and on one occasion as a teenager I arrived at his recital to be asked by John to turn pages for the pianist in a premiere performance. It was a terrifying experience as the music was so fast and the handwritten musical script so spidery that I could barely keep up with the pianist! I have to confess that I can’t remember a note of what John played, so utterly consumed was I by my task!

John was definitely of the old school when it came to communication, preferring pen and paper to e mail, although he did use this in his last chapter. However, he was always an extremely prompt and courteous correspondent, anxious to reply at the earliest opportunity and frequently devoting his early mornings to his post before setting out for the day’s teaching. John corresponded widely all the time with violists and musicians from across the world. He was someone to whom so many turned for advice or off whom they bounced ideas – his feet were always on the ground and his opinions always valued.

John’s energy and desire to forge ahead with new projects was remarkable. As an indefatigable collector throughout his life, he was able to benefit us all thanks to producing a number of magnificent books and articles relating to the viola and his other great passion, cricket. Together with the beautiful editions of a wide variety of viola music, these were the perfect vehicles for John’s lifelong generosity in sharing his knowledge and possessions. They are also an abiding testimony to his wife Carol, without whose selfless support and dedication John was the first to say none of these would have been possible.

John was a great inspiration in so many ways. A man who never forgot where he came from, able confidently to speak to anyone and able to put anyone at their ease. Being a Yorkshireman, naturally he had strong views and was not averse to expressing them, but there was always room for an opposing view and John welcomed fair discussion. He had no time for superficiality and found some recent trends in the music business alien to his beliefs. He was always a tremendous supporter of young musicians and in all his dealings he demanded the highest standards of conduct, commitment and dedication to the music. All of us who had the privilege to know him were inspired and affected by his love, loyalty and support.

Martin Outram.

18th February 2014

Alistair Rutherford  (1st year student at Birmingham Conservatoire) writes about the Mass Viola Ensemble, which concluded  Birmingham Conservatoire’s Viola day on the 12^th January 20 4

Birmingham Conservatoire’s Viola day on the 12^th January kick started the year off with an exciting day full of all things viola.

The day culminated in a mass viola ensemble in the recital hall where what seemed like the whole viola population of Britain played through classical and folk repertoire for viola ensemble. With Pizzipeezy, a piece as crazy as it’s title, parts were split into 4 viola lines which filled the room with fantastic percussive viola sounds. Energetic and lively, the piece started to take a musical shape after a momentary scrabble for notes at the start and gave an impressive full of life play through. The visiting tutor Błażej Maliszewski got into the swing of things and took the opportunity to show off his prowess with improvisation whilst Dr Louise  Lansdown tried to give musical ideas to the ensemble.

After the percussive Pizzipeezy was played we then headed in a folky direction and played arrangements by Ross Cohen of the fantastic Absolute Zero Viola Quartet. Playing through more lyrical folk tunes  enabled  players of all abilities to contribute to the  rich viola tone produced by at least 50 different players!

Although we had a whole day packed full of viola, viola and more viola,  the feeling for the folk musical ideas was interpreted with great style. It is not every day that violists get to play with so many people who play the same instrument,  let alone playing the same pieces in the same room. With this in mind it was a very impressive show of passion and enthusiasm for the instrument that has been named instrument of the year 2014 by Berlin.  This will  help  challenge some common prejudices and misconceptions made about the instrument by showcasing its diversity, repertoire and range.

The whole viola day was a great tribute to the makers, players and teachers of what is THE superlative instrument.

 

Lunchtime Concert by Blazej Maliszewski (viola) with Jon French (piano).

Reviewed by Laura Feeney  : Year 2 Master of Music student at Birmingham Conservatoire.

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Programme

Bacewicz: Sonata for viola solo

            I. Adagio-Allegro

            II. Presto

Hindemith: Sonata Op.11 No.

 I. Fantasie

            II. Thema mit Variationen

            III. Finale (mit Variationen)

Wieniawski: Reverie

          Bacewicz: Oberek I (1949)

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It was a wonderful cultural occasion when violist Blazej Maliszewski came to Birmingham Conservatoire’s viola day to champion the works of his native Poland. I was particularly intrigued by the compositions of Polish composer    Grażyna Bacewicz as like many audience members I was unfamiliar with her works. There was a palpable sense of occasion and anticipation in the Recital Hall as we were all eager to hear what the music of this composer held in store.

The concert began with a stark, held doubled G, a bold  gesture, one that created an intriguing opening. This G formed a pedal over which a melody with haunting dissonance enveloped. This line was interspersed with cadenza-like motifs. The movement then built upon the thematic interplay between these two ideas. Blazej Maliszewski played this movement with deep understanding, carefully expressing the beauty of dissonance. There was a real tenderness in the legato double-stop melodies in the Adagio section of this movement.  The following Allegro section displayed the instrumental virtuosity that is expected of any solo sonata.

The second movement of the sonata consisted almost entirely of glissandos, once again written in two voices. Blazej displayed an impressive geography of the instrument as his left hand skillfully glided up and down the fingerboard playing the multitude of double stops. The rapid spiccato semiquavers were a real test of stamina and control, which was well displayed.  The sonata was a powerful piece, one which deserves to be more widely performed.

Grażyna Bacewicz was the first female composer in Poland to achieve both  National and International status. Her early career was divided between her studies of composition and the violin. During the 1930’s she studies in Paris and during that time studied violin with André Touret and Carl Flesch. After some research I discovered that Bacewicz composed many pieces for the violin, Oberek I being one of these. Bacewicz accompanied by her Brother premiered this work in 1949, soon after it was transcribed for the viola.

Like the Bacewicz viola sonata , Maliszewski performed Oberek I from memory. It was clear to all that Bacewicz is a composer whom he holds in high regard. The exuberant style of the piece suited him well and the performance of this work was both charming and sincere, in particular the folk music element of this music was conveyed with rustic charm.

The programme was a wonderful introduction to the virtuosic compositions of Grażyna Bacewicz. Blazej Maliszewski’s enthusiastic interpretation of both these works was a great champion of her artistic output.

The afternoon concert by students from Birmingham Conservatoire is reviewed by  Eileen Smith (4th year student at the Birmingham Conservatoire)

The student concert was a full range of repertoire from Kurtag to Brahms. It showcased some wonderful playing from some of the students studying at Birmingham Conservatoire.

The concert began with Wranitzky’s concerto for two violas, which the violists, Alistair Rutherford and Matthew Johnstone lovingly arranged the piece for string quartet (originally for orchestra) and two soloists. This performance captured youthful enthusiasm at its best, all first year students put in lots of hard work which was clear to the audience.

We were then moved to the romantic era with Chu Hui Heung’s beautiful performance of the first movement of Brahms’ Sonata in E flat (Opus 120/2)  which was an expressive and enjoyable performance with excellent accompaniment from Jon French.

Clara Biller then performed some delicate and stylistic Bach, the allemande from Suite number 3 Clara also performed Stravinsky’s Elegie which was beautifully executed and exquisitely sorrowful.

Shang-Yang Sun gave a brilliantly polished and expressive performance of Kodaly’s ‘Adagio’ and once again accompanied at an outstanding standard by Jon French.

Laura Feeney gave a confident and thoughtful performance of Kurtag, clearly thoroughly prepared and a real treat for the audience.

This great student concert then finished beautifully with Kat Lambeth’s rendition of Glazunov’s Elegie, performed with grace, emotion and fluency.

This student concert was a great credit to Birmingham Conservatoire and positively everyone enjoyed this and the rest of viola day.

John Hird,  3rd year violist at Birmingham Conservatoire, writes   on the  exhibitions by  Luthiers and other Viola related stands.

Throughout the Viola Day, Instrument makers, repairers as well as dealers and restorers set up stalls within the Conservatoire, displaying newly made and restored Violas, Violins as well as a Cello here and there. These wonderful instruments were made by the makers and restorers:

•  Paul Ayres
• David Milward
• Tony Padday
• Kai-Thomas Roth
• Rod Ward

Instruments were available to be played and tested. It was also a great time for students and staff to talk to the Luthiers about the instruments as well as make contacts for future purchases and work. I myself tested a few violas throughout the day with a few of my friends. Although for me, “Window shopping” with instruments is a little like torture knowing being a student doesn’t exactly put me in the best financial situation to be looking at such high quality instruments, especially after just buying my first Viola. However it was amazing and also a pleasure to see and hear so many violas with such unique characters and voices.

I have to say for me it was a great learning experience. Being new to the Viola world it was great to learn about the subtleties that create such a diverse array of sounds and timbres such as string length. A great day for string players especially, those  who I know are looking for new instruments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Masterclasses: Viola Day – 12 January 2014.

Introduction by Conservatoire students Elsabé Raath and Beth Gifford

The  Viola Day in Birmingham attracted  violists of all ages and experiences to the Conservatoire. All  violists were given the option of applying for a masterclass with Louise Lansdown, Blazej M, Laura Sinnerton, Robin Ireland and Rose Redgrave.

Through a variety of repertoire, from composers such as J.S. Bach, Johannes Brahms, Frank Bridge and others, these tutors indeed passed on informative facts regarding articulation, interpretation, character, style, as well as general technical aspects of viola playing.

All the teachers demonstrated their fully rounded skill and versatility, from Bach and  Hoffmeister to the Garth Knox Quatertone study.

Filled with unapologetic viola-energy, these instructive classes were definitely inspiring to participants as well as viewers.

Viva viola!

Beth is a 4th year student at the Birmingham Conservatoire and Elsabé is  in her 1st year of study for a  Master of Music degree, also at the Conservatoire.

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Beth Gifford  continues and  writes about   Rose Redgrave’s  Masterclass

Bach Suite No. 1 Prelude and Vaughan Williams’  Christmas Dance.

In the afternoon I attended a masterclass with Rose Redgrave, working primarily on popular grade 8 repertoire, the Prelude from Bach’s ‘Cello Suite No. 1, and Vaughan- Williams’ Christmas Dance.

Rose started by focussing on drawing out that rich viola sound, encouraging the players to use more natural arm weight and a flatter hair to unlock that richer sound quality which makes us all love the viola so much.

She also encouraged both the girls (much to their delight) to have a go on her viola which produced some really excellent results, particularly once they returned to their own instruments and looked for that new sound.

With Bach the issue of editions was discussed and, (for me for the first time) we saw someone perform from I-Pad, which raised a few questions about the role of technology in music, though this did present a few issues when it came to marking in the bowing.

Editions were also discussed, particularly the infamous bowing of the Chester WatsonForbes edition in comparison to the more favoured Peters edition.  Rose also worked on the hierarchy of notes within the bar, bow distribution and the exploration of  directional harmony.

The Vaughan Williams served as a perfect foil for Rose to explore the colours and chameleon like nature of the viola, looking at characters and how to reveal them through use of vibrato, bow speed and contact point. The physical pitfalls were also raised and due focus was given to finding a comfortable balance between the collar  bone and hand support. All this led to an emergence of natural expression and freedom of phrasing which made this a truly exciting master class, in addition to meeting two young and driven players right at the beginning of their journey with the viola.

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First year Conservatoire student Rebecca Stubbs,  writes about the Masterclasses delivered by Dr Louise Lansdown:

Hoffmeister Concerto in D major and Concerto in  Bb major

At last year’s Viola Dayin  2013 I enjoyed my first master class, and I was lucky enough to be taught by the wonderful Dr Louise Lansdown. Her master classes this year featured extracts from the Hoffmeister Concerto in D major and the Concerto in Bb major, and I felt no less privileged to be watching from an audience perspective.  The participants played with both skill and determination, but Louise wanted to stretch the performers further by experimenting with their technique, giving the pieces more ‘sparkle’.

Louise considered the importance of understanding how our bodies work in order to play the viola well. She focused on the first performer’s bow stroke, which tended to wander from the heel and didn’t have enough weight to it. An exercise which strengthens the outside fingers on the bow arm was demonstrated, in which the piece was played without the index finger.

Another exercise showed that having flexibility in the right hand and wrist allows us to play more comfortably nearer the heel of the bow. This resulted in a much warmer tone quality with a springiness to the bow stroke that certainly gave a more energised performance.

Louise addressed the posture of the second performer, who would sometimes make ‘bobbing’ movements from the waist. Though this movement can act as a time-keeper and emphasise the natural strong beats in the music, it can lead to problems such as an arched back. Louise explained that the upper body should be passive and the shoulders should be open in order to support the weight of the viola, then the legs can take on a more dynamic role. She also helped the second performer to achieve a straighter bow stroke; the upper arm can remain relatively still whilst the lower arm generates the movement from the elbow joint.

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Robin Ireland’s new set of 12 ‘Concert Études for Viola’ were launched at the  2014 Viola Day.

Laura Sinnerton, teacher and Violist with the BBC’s National Orchestra of Wales reviews: An Introduction to ‘Concert Études for Viola’

I am a great believer in the importance of including exercises and studies in one’s practice routine. The opportunity to focus in on one or two specific aspects of left hand or bowing technique in order that you be its master when seeing it in ‘the real world’, is quite simply the quickest, most efficient and most effective way to increase skill, competence and confidence upon one’s instrument.

On 12th January, as part of Birmingham Conservatoire’s Viola Day, I was delighted to be able to attend Robin Ireland’s masterclass and talk on his new ‘Concert  Études for Viola’. In my opinion, the important characteristic of these Études is that each Étude is explicitly connected to a particular style. As both a performer and a teacher, this is a welcome delineation as I frequently come across students who are technically competent, but lack the knowledge to apply that competence stylistically; somewhere there is a breakdown in the understanding of the relationship between technique and style. Moreover, as Concert Études , these short pieces also go someway to reinforce the sentiment that while technique should be cultivated to flawlessness, its mastery is in order that it be the servant of the music.

The score is composed of twelve Études, ranging in style from the French Overture to the Romantic Salon Style and beyond. For me there were three highlights. Étude 7: Fantasy in B minor (Romantic. Slow Bows) is an excellent opportunity for the violist to explore the relationship between bow speed, weight and point of contact in the creation of line and the development of a beautiful viola tone (this was executed with great aplomb by Birmingham Conservatoire student, Chu-Hui Huang).  Étude 9: Metre Change Study (East European Folk) is an excellent introduction to the style of playing required for the likes of Bartok and technically requires the student complete coordination between left and right hand.

Étude 11: Atonal (Second Vienesse School) I feel should be required learning for students! The swift changes between extreme tasto, ponticelli, harmonics, natural harmonics, and pizzicato, not to mention the angular leaps in the melodic line, all the while maintaining one’s calm and poise, and giving the music shape, are most certainly a challenge. Certainly, orchestral musicians are required to have these skills ‘on tap’ as it were, frequently with little rehearsal time – definitely better to spend some time on this etude in the privacy of your own practice room rather than looking dazed and confused in a rehearsal studio somewhere!

Congratulations to all the students involved in the masterclass (it is no mean feat to stand up in a packed lecture theatre, when one has been patiently waiting one’s turn – and one’s fingers are getting cold!), and a massive congratulations, and thank you to Robin for this useful, technically challenging, and musically very attractive series of Concert Études for Viola.

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Gabriella Gémesi, studying on the  Postgraduate Orchestral Course with  the CBSO, performed Étude  1: Baroque/Bach at the 12 January 2014  Viola Day.

She  writes  from a student’s perspective;

Robin Ireland is one of the best musician and teacher I have ever met. His open-minded, curious and searching approach and his massive experience in performing and teaching helps him understand how to solve the  technical difficulties which we have in our every day practice as well as making us good musicians and performers.

It was a pleasure to play on the introductory session of  Robin’s Viola Concert Études. The  Études try to lead the player through different styles while addressing technical difficulties which have not been addressed before. They fill a void  for viola players, as not many études/studies have been written for the viola and we often play violin-study transcriptions which don’t really help to gain a deep insight in the problems/issues of viola technique.

The Études are ‘Concert Études’ which means they need to be performed on stage, and indeed, listening to Robin Ireland and my fellow student’s performances was very enjoyable and in several cases really entertaining.

I played the 1st Étude, which is called Baroque (Bach) and remembers me of Bach’s Solo Violin Sonata in g-minor, as well as his Brandenburg concerto No. 3. The first part is a very beautiful and harmonically written Adagio, you get to practice how to play chords and how to connect them. The second, Allegro part contains a couple of virtuoso left hand passages and several bow strokes which
can occur in Bach’s music. It is  good  to experiment how well-controlled the right arm and hand can be while you are engaged by the playful and dance-like character of the Allegro.

I hope I will have the  opportunity to perform the other Études in the future and I can just recommend to every viola player who wants to develop their technique while still playing beautiful music to get to know these amazing pieces!

 

 

In the summer of 2005, four of us, viola-playing friends, met to discuss the possibility of setting up a series of viola workshops. There seemed to be plenty of opportunities for violinists and cellists, but viola players, at least in our area, had been rather neglected. Our viola workshops would aim ‘to promote the viola and to improve the standard of viola playing’, and Robin Ireland, formerly of the Lindsay  String Quartet, would be our ideal tutor and musical director. Robin was very enthusiastic about the project and a viola workshops committee was formed.

With the help of an Arts Council grant, our first workshop took place in November 2005. Ten viola players attended, Robin tutored, and it was a great success. Robin and the committee decided to make it a termly event and South Yorkshire Community Foundation gave us small grants for two years to enable this. After that, fortunately, we managed to become self-financing and the termly viola workshops became well established. In 2009, Robin took over the responsibility of running the workshops and, also that year, we created our website. Now, in October 2013, we are holding our 24th viola workshop and welcome players from all regions.

The workshops are open to viola players who are of grade 7+ standard: amateurs, students including music college or university students, teachers of the viola, and others with an interest in viola playing. There are usually about 12 participants. The day includes a mix of tutored viola ensemble playing, masterclasses, a session comparing recordings of a viola work, a technical session, and untutored small-group ensembles or, sometimes, a talk. The day ends with an informal recital by Robin. Other interested people join our workshop participants in the audience. These guests have been generous in their donations towards student bursaries.

On-going workshops demand a large repertoire of music for viola ensembles. Much of this has been provided by Ross Cohen of the Absolute Zero Viola Quartet. As a composer, transcriber, and arranger of music, Ross (and his alter ego, Sancho Engano) has given us a treasure trove of viola music in a very wide range of styles to add to our library of viola ensemble music. Others also have kindly allowed us to make use of their transcriptions.

Viola players feel greatly encouraged and energised by Robin’s tuition in the workshops. Both technically and musically we learn a lot every session.  It is also very enjoyable having a day in the company of other viola players and there is a happy and friendly atmosphere. Some feedback comments: ‘I had a fantastic time and got a lot out of the day’; ‘An excellent day which achieves the right balance between playing, tuition and listening. Robin is an ideal leader for such an event – inspired and inspiring teacher as well as performer.’

More details of the workshops  www.viola-workshops.co.uk

Natalie Wing

A successful formula

It has been a joy leading and developing the viola workshops over the past nine years, and I think we have come up with a really successful formula now which alternates active participation with listening and observing. During the sessions of ensemble playing which form the core activity, I also aim for a balance, between offering some coaching in matters of style, technique and musical shaping, and simply playing through for the pleasure of it. I’m often amazed at what a good sound we create with mainly amateurs, all playing their hearts out!  Almost always now, we have one or two conservatoire students for the masterclass spot, and it is a good sign, I think, that they invariably go home having appreciated the whole day’s activities.

Robin Ireland