WFDD Triad Arts Archive: Violist Sheila Browne

Triad Arts with David Ford

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Violist Sheila Browne

January 10, 2013

Q: How is lightning like a viola player’s fingers? A: Neither one strikes the same place twice. And that’s one of the kinder gentler viola jokes out there! The fact is the instrument and those who play it have been maligned for centuries. Viola has always been the middle child in the orchestra: larger, heavier and harder to finger than its smaller sister the violin, and unable to achieve the lowest lows of its big brother the cello.

But in the hands of a great performer, the viola is a wonderful string, often vocal-sounding string instrument in its own right with lots of great music to play. University of NC School of the Arts professor of viola Sheila Browne is one such performer, and you can hear for yourself during her upcoming recital with Czech pianist David Kalhous and harpist Jacqui Bartlett. The performance is Tuesday night, January 15 at 7:30pm in the beautiful Watson Hall on the UNCSA campus. On the wide-ranging program titled “The Viola in My Life” is the Morton Feldman piece by the same name, music by Turkish composer Hasan Ucarsu, Haydn divertimenti (originally for cello), Paul Hindemith’s 1939 Sonata, and Benjamin Britten’s Lachrymae just in time for the composer’s 100th birthday.

Tickets to “The Viola in My Life” are 15 dollars for adults and 13 for students and seniors. You can hear Sheila Live in Studio A this Friday afternoon at 1:00pm during Triad Arts Weekend when she’ll shatter the many myths surrounding her instrument and repertoire.

Sheila began her conversation with David Ford by sharing her love of 20th century American composer Morton Feldman's music.