Viola Festival

October 7, 2023

This hands-on workshop for viola players will include master classes for high school and collegiate level students, technique classes for different levels, and a final concert! The festival will be held in Russell Hall on the UNI campus. View the details and registration form below. 
 
FREE T-shirt! All participants who are registered on or before September 25 will receive a free UNI Viola Festival t-shirt! 
 
Concerto Competition Details: Students this year have the opportunity to solo with the Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra during the grand finale concert at Viola Festival. Students who are interested should submit a video of themselves performing either the Telemann Viola Concerto in G (mvt. II) or the Bruch Romance in F by midnight on September 30. Links to videos should be sent to tyler.hendrickson@uni.edu
 

PRE-REGISTRATION HAS NOW CLOSED! However, we'd still love to see you or your students on Saturday! If you missed pre-registration, please just print the late registration form and bring the completed form with you to the registration table in the Russell Hall lobby on Saturday, Oct. 7. We look forward to seeing you soon! 

Festival Schedule

  • 9:00 am Registration Opens (Russell Hall lobby)
  • 9:30 am Viola Ensemble, Part I
  • 10:30 am Presentation Block I
  • 11:00 am Collegiate Masterclass          
  • 12:00 noon Lunch Break (on your own*)
  • 1:00 pm Viola Ensemble, Part II
  • 2:00 pm Presentation Block II
  • 2:30 pm Viola Ensemble, Part III
  • 3:00 pm High School Masterclass/Concerto Rehearsal
  • 3:45 pm Break with Area String Vendors
  • 4:30 pm Grand Concert 

 

* You are welcome to visit our dining options on campus, or to enjoy some local cuisine off-campus on your own. 

About our Guest Artist

Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Gabriel Forero is an active solo, chamber, orchestral and baroque performer. He has presented concerts and recitals in the United States, Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Spain. He actively performs with various orchestras and chamber ensembles mainly in the Nebraska and Iowa areas. During the last few years he has devoted much of his time to researching the music of Heinrich Biber, his Mystery (Rosary) Sonatas and their historically informed performance practice. As part of this research he prepared a complete transcription of these complete sonatas for viola and basso continuo, which he has performed in its entirety in a single recital setting. Outside the classical setting Gabriel has played for shows alongside the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The Celtic Woman, Danny Elfman, Rachel Barton Pine, Sandy Cameron and Ezinma, just to name a few....

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UNI Viola Festival Registration Form

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Street Address
For those entering the competition, video links are due by e-mail to Tyler.Hendrickson@uni.edu by Sept. 30.