A year ago this month I played viola in an orchestra for the very first time. I had always been a violinist, but they were needing extra violas and asked if anyone would/could play viola for that concert.
I debated in my mind. I had a viola - I got it for my 16th birthday - but I had never played it. Truth be told, I didn't even know how to read alto clef, which is the clef which viola music is written. But even so...I thought I was up for the challenge.
So I quickly tried to retrain my brain to read alto clef. At the beginning it was somewhat like reading a foreign language. I was slow. I was confused. But little by little I started to become more fluent, so to speak. And as I became more comfortable with alto clef, I started to fall in love with this instrument I had ignored for some 17 years. By concerts end I had made up a mind, I was there to stay.
I love playing viola. Something about it just invigorates me! I am not sure why I feel such a difference, after all, viola is played in the same manner as a violin - it's just a little bigger. Perhaps it's the deeper, richer tone. Or perhaps it is sitting in the middle of the orchestra where I can hear and feel the complete balance of music around me.
Whatever it is, I love it. I love playing viola. And I love that I have started to get more job offers to play viola lately than violin. Word is spreading: I am Lisa Sorenson, violist.
**** I will be performing viola with the Mid-Columbia Symphony tonight. Mahler's 1st Symphony is on the program and it is AMAZING!! Please come. Details here.
