Melia Watras

MELIA WATRAS: FANTASIES IN ALTO CLEF
for viola ensemble [4 parts] (2023)

World Premiere: American Viola Society Festival Mass Viola Ensemble; Anthony Devroye, conductor; June 22, 2024, Colburn School, Los Angeles, CA

Duration: 8:15

Program Notes:
Q. What do you get when you put 30 violists onstage together?

A. Joy!

Fantasies in alto clef for viola ensemble was commissioned by the American Viola Society for their 2024 festival, at the Colburn School of Music in Los Angeles. What an absolute honor to compose for AVS, an organization that is so amazing and important to violists, including me!

For this work, I used musical cryptograms by Arthur Honegger and Jules Écorcheville to spell “AVS” with pitches. The use of “AVS” is sprinkled throughout the score (as well as the letters appearing in the movement titles!).

Fantasies in alto clef is dedicated with deep gratitude and respect to the American Viola Society and to violist extraordinaire Anthony Devroye, who conducted the premiere.

—Melia Watras