ESO OFFSTAGE

Stuck in the middle of the virtuosic violins and the charming celli, the viola seldom gets the spotlight and has been the butt of many an orchestral joke. This episode we talk about a beautiful and often misunderstood inner voice of the orchestra with the help of some of our amazing ESO violists. “Tune in” as we answer the age old questions: What is a viola? What makes them so unique? And why-oh-why are there so many viola jokes? 

Featuring the voices of Principal Violist Keith Hamm and Assistant Principal Violist Ethan Filner.  

You can find the transcript of this episode here, 

Show Notes: 

Sensational Strings - Summer Day Camps at the Winspear Centre 

https://www.winspearcentre.com/tommy-banks-centre/summer-day-camps/ 

Rusty Musicians - Summer Camp 

https://www.winspearcentre.com/tommy-banks-centre/rusty-musicians/ 

YONA’s Road to Joy Fundraising Concert 

https://www.winspearcentre.com/tickets/events/other/2021/road-to-joy

Keith Hamm 

Bio 

https://www.winspearcentre.com/more/about/about-eso/meet-the-musicians/strings/keith-hamm/ 

Beethoven - Eyeglasses Duo for Viola and Cello | Keith Hamm & Julie Hereish 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_X6kvwRZic 

Keith Spotify Playlist 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1RV71l6sbcKTroIpF6udxK?si=f2d3743383fd4503 

Ethan Filner 

Bio 

https://www.winspearcentre.com/more/about/about-eso/meet-the-musicians/strings/ethan-filner/ 

Two Pieces for Violin and Viola | Ewald Cheung & Ethan Filner 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtvxmXscwL8 

Ethan Spotify Playlist 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4BP3uxtLz9XuKT6WHpTZct?si=c5e82e6a81f94ea9 

The Strad 

The History of the Viola Joke  

https://www.thestrad.com/playing-and-teaching/the-history-of-the-viola-joke/5399.article 

WQXR  

Why is the VIola the Butt of so Many Jokes? 

https://www.wqxr.org/story/why-viola-butt-so-many-jokes/ 

Carl Rahkonen 

No Laughing Matter: The Viola Joke as Musicians Folklore 

http://www.mit.edu/~jcb/jokes/viola-presentation.html 

New World Symphony 

Viola Visions Festival 

https://www.nws.edu/viola-visions/watch-now/ 

National Music Museum: Rivinus Viola 

http://collections.nmmusd.org/Violas/Rivinus/10830/RivinusViola.html 

National Music Museum: Tenor Viola 

http://collections.nmmusd.org/Violas/Guarneri3354/3354GuarneriViola.html 

The Met Museum: Viola d’Amore 

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/504490 

The Met Museum: Viola da Gamba 

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/503219 

Berliner Philharmoniker Master Class - Viola 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW0ncJ3-dxQ 

The New York Times 

This is What a $45 Million Viola Sounds Like 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe11Pp1g39I