Ep 9 - In the Middle

Stuck in the middle of the virtuosic violins and the charming
celli, the viola seldom gets the spotlight and has been the butt
of many an orchestral joke. This episode we talk about a
beautiful and often misunderstood inner voice of the orchestra
with the help of some of our amazing ESO violists. “Tune in” as
we answer the age old questions: What is a viola? What makes them
so unique? And why-oh-why are there so many viola jokes? 


Featuring the voices of Principal Violist Keith Hamm and
Assistant Principal Violist Ethan Filner.  


 


You can find the transcript of this episode here, 


 


Show Notes: 


 


Sensational Strings - Summer Day Camps at the Winspear
Centre 


https://www.winspearcentre.com/tommy-banks-centre/summer-day-camps/ 


 


Rusty Musicians - Summer Camp 


https://www.winspearcentre.com/tommy-banks-centre/rusty-musicians/ 


 


YONA’s Road to Joy Fundraising Concert 


https://www.winspearcentre.com/tickets/events/other/2021/road-to-joy


 


Keith Hamm 


Bio 


https://www.winspearcentre.com/more/about/about-eso/meet-the-musicians/strings/keith-hamm/ 


 


Beethoven - Eyeglasses Duo for Viola and Cello | Keith Hamm &
Julie Hereish 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_X6kvwRZic 


 


Keith Spotify Playlist 


https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1RV71l6sbcKTroIpF6udxK?si=f2d3743383fd4503 


 


Ethan Filner 


Bio 


https://www.winspearcentre.com/more/about/about-eso/meet-the-musicians/strings/ethan-filner/ 


 


Two Pieces for Violin and Viola | Ewald Cheung & Ethan
Filner 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtvxmXscwL8 


 


Ethan Spotify Playlist 


https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4BP3uxtLz9XuKT6WHpTZct?si=c5e82e6a81f94ea9 


 


The Strad 


The History of the Viola Joke  


https://www.thestrad.com/playing-and-teaching/the-history-of-the-viola-joke/5399.article 


 


WQXR  


Why is the VIola the Butt of so Many Jokes? 


https://www.wqxr.org/story/why-viola-butt-so-many-jokes/ 


 


Carl Rahkonen 


No Laughing Matter: The Viola Joke as Musicians Folklore 


http://www.mit.edu/~jcb/jokes/viola-presentation.html 


 


New World Symphony 


Viola Visions Festival 


https://www.nws.edu/viola-visions/watch-now/ 


 


National Music Museum: Rivinus Viola 


http://collections.nmmusd.org/Violas/Rivinus/10830/RivinusViola.html 


 


National Music Museum: Tenor Viola 


http://collections.nmmusd.org/Violas/Guarneri3354/3354GuarneriViola.html 


 


The Met Museum: Viola d’Amore 


https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/504490 


 


The Met Museum: Viola da Gamba 


https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/503219 


 


Berliner Philharmoniker Master Class - Viola 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW0ncJ3-dxQ 


 


The New York Times 


This is What a $45 Million Viola Sounds Like 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe11Pp1g39I