Viola Encore

Contributors

Winners of the "Practice Prize Poppen-Baer"

Program

From October 15 to 19, 2025, everything at the College of Music Freiburg will revolve around the viola: from the opening to the closing concert, the program of which will be developed by students in workshops and master classes during the "Viola Days". International guests such as Stephanie Baer (New York) and the viola d'Amore violist Cecilia Bercovich (Madrid) will be attending. In several concerts, teachers and students will perform solo and ensemble works ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach to contemporary music.

At the "Viola Encore" closing concert of the "Viola Days", a prize of 1,000 euros will be awarded for effective practicing, the "Practise Prize Poppen-Baer", donated by Diemut Poppen and Stephanie Baer. Diemut Poppen explains the background: "As far as I know, it is unique in the world that a prize is awarded for the best practicing, not just for the best playing. Practicing is crucial when playing the viola: If you want to be successful, you have to be very disciplined and efficient at it. There is often too little focus on this: Everyone always just looks at the result, we look at the process. We want to reward this." The winner is allowed to perform the best-practiced piece given to everyone in advance at the final concert. The rest of the program for the final concert will be developed by students during the "Viola Days" with the lecturers. Solo and ensemble pieces for viola will be performed, accompanied by cello, double bass and harpsichord.

Further information on the "Viola Days" can be found in our press release.