Faculty viola recital premieres composition from international call for scores

Maggie Snyder, the strings area chair for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, will be giving a special faculty viola recital during Women’s History Month that celebrates women composers.  On the program she will be performing pieces by both male and female composers, living and historical.  The first piece on the program is by Mozart- a trio for Viola, Clarinet and Piano called “Kegelstatt Trio, K. 498.”  Second is a piece by Maria-Theresia von Paradis called “Sicilliene.”  Interestingly, it was mostly likely for Maria-Theresia von Paradis that Mozart wrote his “Piano Concerto No. 18.”  Following this piece, Snyder will perform the Georgia Premiere of Lisa Bielawa’s “Insomnia Etude #2” for solo viola, written in 2018.  Lisa Bielawa is a living American female composer and her piece will be included in Snyder’s upcoming VIOLA2020 celebration of living American female composers.  

Next, she will perform the world premiere performance of a piece entitled “lost angel” by Virginia Samuel.  In January 2019 Snyder put out a call, both nationally and internationally, for scores for solo viola by living American female composers (with the support of the Nora Redman Fund based in Louisville, Kentucky.)  The winner of the call for scores receives a world premiere performance, a cash prize, and possible inclusion in Snyder’s upcoming VIOLA2020 celebration next season. Virginia Samuel started her career as a violist, studying with Dorothy DeLay and Scott Nickrenz at the New England Conservatory and has performed solo and chamber music throughout the US.  She earned her Ph.D. in Music Composition from Harvard University, studied with Donald Martino and Leon Kirchner and has had her music performed in the United States, Canada, Europe and Israel. Her composition awards include the Walter Hinrichsen Award and the Lakond Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, 1stprize in the Boston Chamber Ensemble Competition, among many others.   

The final work on the program is a piece that is widely known to be a staple of the viola repertoire: the Rebecca Clarke “Sonata for Viola and Piano.”  This sonata, written in 1919 for the Berkshire Competition received the 2nd prize at the competition and is celebrating its 100th year.  It is one of the most popular sonatas in the viola canon. Joining Snyder on this program celebrating women will be UGA Assistant Professor of Piano David Fung and Professor of Clarinet D. Ray McClellan.

The recital is free and open to the public.