World-renowned violist to lead class, judge contest at WMU

KALAMAZOO--A violist known the world over for his teaching and playing will visit Western Michigan University to lead a master class and act as judge for a concerto competition.

Roger Chase, who has played as a soloist with many of the top orchestras around the globe, will lead a chamber music and viola master class from 2 to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, in Dalton Center Lecture Hall. He also will serve as a judge for the WMU Concerto Competition Finals at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, in Dalton Center Recital Hall. Both events are open to the public free of charge. He also will lead a clinic with the WMU Symphony Orchestra during his stay.

Chase has performed as soloist throughout Europe, South Africa, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the Middle East, India, China and Scandinavia. Chase is violist and faculty member at Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts and has been a member of many ensembles. Those include The Nash Ensemble, London Sinfonietta, Esterhazy Baryton Trio, Quartet of London, Hausmusik, the London Chamber Orchestra.

Over the past 20 years, he has been invited to play as guest principal viola with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Academy of St. Martin–in-the-Fields, the London Mozart Players, the London Chamber Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Hamilton Symphony, the Montreal Symphony, the Toronto Symphony, and most recently with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He subs regularly with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and is principal viola with Music of the Baroque, Chicago.

Chase has taught at the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School in London, the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, Oberlin College and Roosevelt University in Chicago. He has given master classes at those institutions and many others, including the Royal Scottish Academy, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, Cardiff College, Brussels Conservatory, Princeton University, San Francisco Conservatory and in Korea in the summer of 2004. He also has made many recordings of chamber music for EMI, CRD, Hyperion, Cala, Virgin, Floating Earth, Dutton, Naxos and Centaur.

Chase is coming to WMU through the Visiting Scholars and Artists Program. Established in 1960, the Visiting Scholars and Artists Program significantly contributes to the intellectual life of WMU and the community. The program provides funds for academic units to bring distinguished scholars and artists to campus. These visitors meet with faculty and students in their fields and address the community at large.

Since the program began, it has supported more 600 visits by scholars and artists representing more than 60 academic disciplines.

For more information, contact Igor Fedotov, WMU professor of music, at (269) 387-4638 or @email.