The Primrose International Viola Competition (PIVC), also referred to as the Primrose Memorial Scholarship Competition (PMSC), is an international music competition for

viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...

players sponsored by the

American Viola Society The American Viola Society (AVS) is an organization headquartered in Dallas, Texas that encourages excellence in performance, pedagogy, research, composition, and lutherie by fostering communication and friendship among violists of all skill levels, ...

and named for the 20th-century virtuoso

William Primrose William Primrose CBE (23 August 19041 May 1982) was a Scottish violist and teacher. He performed with the London String Quartet from 1930 to 1935. He then joined the NBC Symphony Orchestra where he formed the Primrose Quartet. He performed in ...

. The 16th Primrose International Viola Competition was held December 12–19, 2021 in Los Angeles. The next competition is planned for June 2024.Primrose Competition news
Retrieved 11 Aug 2022.

History

International music competitions for instruments such as violin and piano had been held for decades. However, there was a void in the music world to recognize the viola as a major solo instrument. Because of a lack of substantial viola solo literature, the instrument's potential was not realized until the appearance of

Lionel Tertis Lionel Tertis, CBE (29 December 187622 February 1975) was an English violist. He was one of the first viola players to achieve international fame and a noted teacher. Career Tertis was born in West Hartlepool, the son of Polish-Jewish immigra ...

, considered the "father of viola playing". William Primrose continued in Tertis' footsteps of excellence in viola performance, catapulting the instrument on to the international stage. The Primrose International Viola Competition was created in 1979 as the first competition solely for the instrument. In subsequent years other major viola competitions arose: the

Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition The Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition is an international music competition for viola players established in 1980 to honor the memory of the English viola virtuoso Lionel Tertis. This triennial event is held at the Erin Arts Centre, P ...

, the now defunct

Maurice Vieux International Viola Competition The Maurice Vieux International Viola Competition (French: Le Concours International d'Alto Maurice Vieux) is an international music competition for viola players established in 1983 by the French viola society Les Amis de l'Alto. The competition i ...

and, most recently, the

Tokyo International Viola Competition Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

. The Primrose International Viola Competition has been held regularly since 1986, often in conjunction with

biennial Biennial means (an event) lasting for two years or occurring every two years. The related term biennium is used in reference to a period of two years. In particular, it can refer to: * Biennial plant, a plant which blooms in its second year and th ...

meetings of the North American Viola Congress. The competition currently makes its home in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

at the Colburn School. Eligible participants are 29 years and younger of any nationality. The competition involves three rounds during a week-long festival in which entrants perform a required work as well as several choices from a viola repertoire list that includes solo works, sonatas, concertos and transcriptions by Primrose.

PIVC / PMSC laureates

Required composition

A compulsory work to be performed by all competitors has been selected for some competitions. * 2014 – ''Aldonza'', Movement II from the Viola Concerto (2013) by Christian Colberg (b. 1968)
Christian Colberg website
* 2011 – ''Inner Voices'' for viola solo (2011) by Peter Askim (b. 1971); published by American Viola Society * 2008 – ''Recitative'' for viola solo (2007) by

Scott Slapin Scott Slapin (born 1974) is an American composer and violist. Career Slapin has written more than sixty viola-centric chamber works and was commissioned to write the required piece for the 2008 Primrose International Viola Competition. He ser ...

(b. 1974); published by Liben Music Publishers * 1991 – ''Aria and Allegro'' for viola and string orchestra (1990) by Richard Lane (1933–2004) * 1989 – Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (1989) by Wayne Bohrnstedt (b. 1923)

References

Primrose International Viola Competition

{{reflist

External links

Primrose Competition official website

2011 Primrose Competition video archive at Ustream
Music competitions in the United States Violas

History

PIVC / PMSC laureates

Required composition

See also

References

External links