Viola Plus

Participants

Diemut Poppen → viola & artistic direction
Mareike Morr → mezzo-soprano
Rostislav Krimer → Piano
Luca Sanzò → Viola
Christoph Hartmann → Oboe

Program

Johannes Brahms → "Gestillte Sehnsucht" from Songs for alto voice, viola and piano op. 91
Johann Sebastian Bach → Suite for Viola No. 2 in D minor BWV 1008 (original for cello)
Lucia Ronchetti → Finale from "Requiem for viola solo" (2006)
Frank Bridge → "Lament" for two violas H. 101 (1912)
August Klughardt → "Schilflieder" for oboe, viola and piano op. 28
Dimitri Shostakovich → Sonata for viola & piano op. 147 (1975)

From 15 to 19 October 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 masterclasses 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.

In the opening concert "Viola plus", teachers from the university will perform together with guests. They will begin with Johannes Brahms' "Gestillte Sehnsucht" with viola, alto voice and piano as well as solo works by Johann Sebastian Bach and the contemporary Italian composer Lucia Ronchetti. Diemut Poppen will then perform chamber music pieces by Frank Bridge ("Lament"), August Klughardt ("Schilflieder") and Dimitri Shostakovich ("Sonata for Viola and Piano") accompanied by piano and oboe or viola - in honor of the 50th anniversary of Shostakovich's death. Diemut Poppen is particularly pleased about the great musical diversity of the concerts at the "Viola Days". "They are a rare opportunity to hear viola ensembles: There are many very beautiful pieces for them, but often not enough violists come together to perform them together."

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