The idea is to create a short animated movie based on the second movement of Hindemiths Viola Concerto âDer Schwanendreherâ. The movie could be shown in the context of a Family -or childrenâs concert, with the concerto being played live and parallel to the movie, but also standing alone as a short movie in digital form.
Similar to the way that a film director might try to find the right music for a scene, as a musician, I often thought about realizing the images that came to my mind while listening to certain pieces. Of course not all music tries to evoke pictures, but especially the music of 20th century composers like Prokofiev, Stravinsky or Hindemith, often carries this quality.
The piece that opened my eyes for Hindemiths music was his viola concerto âDer Schwanendreherâ. I was immediately captivated by its narrative quality, something that didnât match the sometimes believed misconception about his music being overly theoretical or dry.
AYAKA TANIGUCHI
SAMEDI 8 NOV - 11H
PROJET ARTISTIQUE :
« VIOLA à KOTO - CONTEMPORARY MUSIC»
Dialogue Between Spectral MuSic anD JapaneSe aeStheticS : «reSonance of SounD, tiMe, anD perceptionS of nature».
The concept for this project arises from my profound interest in contemporary music and my deep fascination with the musical traditions of my home country, Japan. It represents an integrated expression of my artistic identity.
Western and Japanese music differ fundamentally in their structures and underlying philosophies. However, there are remarkable points of resonance between them. A notable example is the French contemporary music movement, Spectral Music.
This project aims to focus on these shared qualities and to develop a program that embodies intercultural dialogue and musical resonance between these distinct traditions.
ALESSANDRA YANG
SAMEDI
8 NOV - 11H
PROJET ARTISTIQUE :
« WHAT DO YOUR EARS SEE? »
NurturiNg a Love of CLassiCaL MusiC through storyteLLiNg aNd art with the very youNgest of audieNCes
In a world where we are bombarded with AI-generated algorithms insidiously crafted to scream for our attention, how we respond to art remains a kind of individual eye in the hurricane that the modern cultural landscape has become. Yet, despite the designs of the arbiters of popular culture, we canât help but see and hear in our own way; no one can force anyone into a given interpretation. The inside of our head is a safe zone where we are free to escape and let art itself guide the exploration.
Classical music, with its ability to plumb the vast extremes of human emotion, is ideally suited for this purpose. However, classical music has an image problem, perceived by many as intimidating and inaccessible; few today would reach first for a Beethoven symphony or Mozart opera. I want to take action starting with the earliest of listeners: children.
With the focus on the next generation of music-lovers, we will demystify classical music and encourage young minds to approach classical music with curiosity and imagination. Through art exercises, we will build an interactive foundation with classical music that promotes creativity and expression, with the hope that the students cultivate their own relationship with this incredible artform.
EMAD ZOLFAGHARI
SAMEDI 8 NOV - 11H
PROJET ARTISTIQUE :
« BETWEEN WORLD »
For this artistic project, I aim to curate a CD (which will be concertized) that Connects new commissioned works by Iranian composers alongside the standard viola repertoire. The link between the standard repertoire and new works is that they are each inspired by art from their own culture, whether it be music, dance, or visual art.
I want to share my story as a second generation Iranian-American, and how I have assimilated to North American culture, while still keeping my roots close and knowing where I came from. This program will create an experience that is both musically rich and culturally immersive.
My project tells the story of those who moved away from their home and left everything for their dreams. Although I grew up in North America, I will always hold my Iranian roots within me, and remember where I came from. This program is all about this connection, and how despite our cultural differences, we are more alike than we think. All the composers in the following program, despite being born in different centuries and parts of the world, were inspired by other cultures and art forms to compose their works. We all find connection through music, food, language and emotion. This is why it is possible to assimilate to different cultures. We all find human connection through art.
BRIAN ISAACS
DIMANCHE 9 NOV - 11H
PROJET ARTISTIQUE :
« orChestrated eXPressioNs » a CoNCert PrograM ProPosaL
Since I first started to play in orchestras from the age of 16, I have always been interested in creating my own orchestrations!
âORCHESTRATEDâ
(a.) to develop my own orchestrations of a piece for viola
âEXPRESSIONSâ
(b.) to propose this orchestrated piece to orchestra presenters along with a âpreludeâ-recital and talk.
To bring details of the score to life through my own orchestration style (voice distribution, texture, balance, etc.).
To perform the piece in both its original and orchestrated forms, giving audiences the opportunity to experience each version and compare the layers of expression between them.
KINGA WOJDALSKA
DIMANCHE 9 NOV - 11H
PROJET ARTISTIQUE :
« THE VIOLA GAMBIT »
the iMMortaL oPera gaMe - a MusiC-theatre ProjeCt
Viola Gambit brings together two seemingly distant worlds â music and chess â into a single, immersive stage experience. Inspired by a real historical event, it transforms the legendary âOpera Gameâ played by chess prodigy Paul Morphy at the Paris Opera in 1858 into a live, multi-layered performance for viola, ensemble, and actors.
At its core lies the question: Can logic and emotion, intellect and beauty, share the same stage? While music has been my lifelong pursuit, chess is a more recent passion. I donât play competitively, but I enjoy following the chess world and watching games and analysis videos. I find many similarities between the two â both demand precision, creativity, and emotional discipline. They mirror each other in a way: grounded in structure, yet always reaching beyond it.
This project embodies my artistic mission: to connect the arts in unexpected ways and bring classical music into dialogue with other creative languages. Viola Gambit is not a concert about chess â it is a music-theatre work where the chess game becomes a metaphor for artistic creation, risk, and sacrifice.
Through this story, I explore how beauty is often born from the tension between calculation and emotion, order and chaos, winning and surrender.
ERIC SEOHYUN MOON
DIMANCHE 9 NOV - 11H
PROJET
ARTISTIQUE :
« SPATIAL MUSIC » where souNd surrouNds you
Spatial Music is a concert experience where the audience can hear sound from multiple directions, either with the musician physically moving or through speakers that are placed in different locations throughout the venue.
Classical music concerts have been perceived from the front of the stage to the audience (one-directional) for the past centuries. Yet our ears can hear sound in 360°. That raised a question in me: âWhy canât we experience concerts on a 3-dimensional scale in sound?â From that question came my concept of Spatial Music.
This concept itself is actually not unheard of. Back in 1727, Johann Sebastian Bach first performed the St. Matthew Passion in St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. It is a masterpiece written for two choirs and two orchestras which were placed on opposite sides of the church, creating an remarkable spatial effect. This piece therefore inspired me with the idea of sound embracing the audience, which I wanted to interpret in a 21st-century way.
The audience will experience their ears opening in all directions, perceiving the concert in a three-dimensional way. The repertoire will be curated according to this idea.
SARAH STROHM DIMANCHE 9
NOV - 11H
PROJET ARTISTIQUE :
«
360° OF PAUL HINDEMITHâS SONATAS FOR VIOLA »
Complete sonatas for solo viola and viola with piano by Paul Hindemith through three complementary approaches:
âą A narrator introducing the composer and the works, reading quotes from his correspondance
âą A projection of drawings/caricatures by Hindemith and photos of him in relation to the works performed
Concert conception: Journey through Hindemithâs different phases and inspirations:
âą Hindemith lyrical and inspired by Debussy
âą Hindemith inspired by machines and industrial progress
âą Hindemith inspired by Bach: Variations
âą Hindemith inspired by folk and jazz music: parody and playfulness
Between each section (and during the sections), a narrator would provide contextual information and read quotes in order to facilitate a better understanding of the works played.
