News and Notes
Pedro Funes-Whittington is traveling to the Viola da Gamba Association of America's annual Summer Conclave. If you'd like to donate items for the Conclave's silent auction, please get them to Pedro before he leaves.
VoH President Pedro Funes-Whittington's report on his activities with young viol players was featured in the Spring issue of the Newsletter of the Viola da Gamba Society of America (VdGSA). Here's the article.
Report from Viols of Deer Park
by Pedro Funes-Whittington
It all started with Aquila di Guera (2015-2019) and then it changed to Viols of the Creek (2019-2023) and now it's called Viols of Deer Park.
What am I talking about? In schools where I have taught, these are the ensembles I have created offering orchestral students the opportunity to play the viola da gamba. It's been a great experience for students to get a chance to play music in a non-competitive state. These ensembles have been invited to perform for the Gamba Gamut at Boston Early Music Festival in 2017, 2019, 2021 (online), and 2023. They have a great experience, and they get to see what the world of early music is like and how supportive the community is!
In Texas everything is a competition, or a way to get a rating by judges based on one performance the students do under pressure. The viol ensemble has always offered a relaxed atmosphere of learning an instrument and performing for people who aren't writing comments or giving you a rating. We have had the chance to play for people that are just there to be supportive and enjoy music.
In February 2022 Viols of the Creek had the opportunity to perform for the Texas Music Education Association convention, which was inviting viol players for the first time. There was a large audience to hear middle school and high school student groups perform beautiful viol music. They were surprised to see students enjoying to play these "older" instruments and styles of music.
I started a new position as the head orchestra director in the fall of 2023 at Bonnette Junior High in Deer Park. I brought the viols with me to start a new program, but waited until October to do a demo with my former student Matt Dunn (a member of Aquila di Guerra). We played some Telemann, Ortiz, and Abel, and had so many students wanting the chance to just try out the viols after we demonstrated them! In the end, eleven students and the orchestra director at Deer Park Junior High joined the ensemble to create Viols of Deer Park.
The system I use to start out my students begins with a Susato Allemande that is found on the VdGSA website and edited by Sarah Mead. This piece focuses on playing one specific string at a time to get the student used to reading music on the new instrument, and adjusting to the new posture and new way of holding the bow compared to modern string playing. Once they feel comfortable playing through the four lines in the Allemande, the next step is to build their confidence and play some of the solos in Julie Elhard's Passamezzo Method Book 1; then, by Christmas concerts, we have learned to play some easy arrangements of holiday music in four parts. When we return from the break we study more from the Passamezzo ensemble collection and hope by late April we can play some four part consort music. There is always safety in numbers in this process, when students have a friend to double and also have me play in the ensemble. I always love it when someone needs more attention or has questions. They help each other out and don't just wait for me to give them the answer. (I learned this tip from Wendy Gillespie).
VoH President Pedro Funes-Whittington's report on his activities with young viol players was featured in the Spring issue of the Newsletter of the Viola da Gamba Society of America (VdGSA). Here's the article.
Report from Viols of Deer Park
by Pedro Funes-Whittington
It all started with Aquila di Guera (2015-2019) and then it changed to Viols of the Creek (2019-2023) and now it's called Viols of Deer Park.
What am I talking about? In schools where I have taught, these are the ensembles I have created offering orchestral students the opportunity to play the viola da gamba. It's been a great experience for students to get a chance to play music in a non-competitive state. These ensembles have been invited to perform for the Gamba Gamut at Boston Early Music Festival in 2017, 2019, 2021 (online), and 2023. They have a great experience, and they get to see what the world of early music is like and how supportive the community is!
In Texas everything is a competition, or a way to get a rating by judges based on one performance the students do under pressure. The viol ensemble has always offered a relaxed atmosphere of learning an instrument and performing for people who aren't writing comments or giving you a rating. We have had the chance to play for people that are just there to be supportive and enjoy music.
In February 2022 Viols of the Creek had the opportunity to perform for the Texas Music Education Association convention, which was inviting viol players for the first time. There was a large audience to hear middle school and high school student groups perform beautiful viol music. They were surprised to see students enjoying to play these "older" instruments and styles of music.
I started a new position as the head orchestra director in the fall of 2023 at Bonnette Junior High in Deer Park. I brought the viols with me to start a new program, but waited until October to do a demo with my former student Matt Dunn (a member of Aquila di Guerra). We played some Telemann, Ortiz, and Abel, and had so many students wanting the chance to just try out the viols after we demonstrated them! In the end, eleven students and the orchestra director at Deer Park Junior High joined the ensemble to create Viols of Deer Park.
The system I use to start out my students begins with a Susato Allemande that is found on the VdGSA website and edited by Sarah Mead. This piece focuses on playing one specific string at a time to get the student used to reading music on the new instrument, and adjusting to the new posture and new way of holding the bow compared to modern string playing. Once they feel comfortable playing through the four lines in the Allemande, the next step is to build their confidence and play some of the solos in Julie Elhard's Passamezzo Method Book 1; then, by Christmas concerts, we have learned to play some easy arrangements of holiday music in four parts. When we return from the break we study more from the Passamezzo ensemble collection and hope by late April we can play some four part consort music. There is always safety in numbers in this process, when students have a friend to double and also have me play in the ensemble. I always love it when someone needs more attention or has questions. They help each other out and don't just wait for me to give them the answer. (I learned this tip from Wendy Gillespie).
I have had the opportunity to have Sarah Mead work with al the incarnations of this ensemble, starting from the beginning. She says, "I have so enjoyed visiting and working with Pedro's school-aged viol students. From young players just beginning to discover the instrument to those with years of experience, they are routinely engaged with the instrument, the music, and each other." In early February Sarah came ot work with them on how to play more accurately in the style and how to use the bow to their advantage while they prepared to open for a concert by the Harmonia Stelarum ensemble.
I have been doing this work for free; the district doesn't pay for my sessions. Recently I have been grateful to the VdgSA for giving me a Gutsy Grant that allowed me to get paid for the work on Viols of Der Park. as well as provide upgrades of some instruments and repairs needed on others. The viols have been provided by the Consort Loan program for the VdGSA and from donations by locals in Texas.
Starting every new ensemble, I have always had to say goodbye to previous members, but they always find away
to continue. From the Aquila di Guerra era I have four alumni that continue to play and have access to a viol. In
addition, a few former students from Viols of the Creek join reading sessions by Viols of Houston and are provided with an instrument at no cost to continue. I can say firmly that in this time I have had the opportunity to teach more than fifty students the viola da gamba, and hope to continue this for many years to come.