Viola students at Lamont are part of a tight-knit and encouraging studio dedicated to the pursuit of musical excellence. They study with the principal violist of the Colorado Symphony, Professor Basil Vendryes. Previously, Professor Vendryes was a member of the San Francisco Symphony, the Rochester Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic. He has also performed as a soloist across the country and globe and recorded for Columbia, Phillips, Decca, RCA and Nonesuch as well as chamber music for the Ariel Music, Cadenza Music, Centaur, CRI Toccata and Naxos labels.
Professor Vendryes has two new recordings on the Toccata label, Three Centuries of Russian Viola Sonatas and Paul Juon: Chamber Music for Viola.
Audition Repertoire Requirements
Undergraduate (BM, BA and Minor)
1. Your choice of one major AND one minor 3 octave scale that is NOT C major or c minor. It is preferred that you play 3 or 4 slurred notes per bow. You should also play the arpeggio series related to the chosen scales, minimum of major and minor arpeggios, 3 or 9 slurred preferred.
2. One etude of your choice, minimum difficulty level of:
- Mazas, Opus 36
- Dont, 24 Studies, Opus 37
- Kreutzer, 42 Studies
3. Two contrasting movements of a work by Bach (Suites for Cello or Sonatas/Partitas for Violin, transcribed for viola)
4. A movement (or movements, if connected) of a work of your choice, difficulty level of:
- F.A. Hoffmeister, Concerto in D Major (with cadenzas)
- Hummel, Fantasy
- Stamitz, Concerto, Opus 1 (with cadenzas)
- Schubert, Arpeggione Sonata
Graduate (MM and Certificate in Performance)
1. Your choice of one major AND one minor 3 octave scale that is NOT C major or c minor. It is preferred that you play 4 or 6 slurred notes per bow. You should also play the full arpeggio series related to the chosen scales. Flesch or Galamian series is acceptable.
2. One etude/caprice of your choice, minimum difficulty level of Kreutzer, Rode or Campagnoli.
3. Two contrasting movements of an unaccompanied work by Bach (Suites, Sonatas, or Partitas). If you choose a Suite, one movement should be a Prelude.
4. A movement of a modern concerto, difficulty level of Walton, Bartók or Hindemith (Der Schwanendreher).
5. A movement of a sonata or work with piano (ex. Brahms, Clarke, Vieuxtemps, Shostakovich, Hindemith, Schumann).
Review requirements for Artist Diploma
Review requirements for Certificate in Orchestral Studies
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Basil Vendryes.
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Lamont violists perform with the Lamont Symphony Orchestra.
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String quartet performing at the annual Lamont Honors Concert.
