viola

← back to instruments

R a c h e l F a b u l i c h

Location:

Los Angeles, CA

Position:

Pasadena Conservatory of Music

Suzuki Violin and Viola Faculty

Westridge School

Lower School Strings Teacher

School:

BM, New England Conservatory

MM, Northwestern University

Hometown:

Sycamore, IL

Greatest opportunity through music:

The travel! I have been to places that I never could have dreamed of traveling to until music brought me the opportunity to go. My viola has taken me all around the United States as well as to Europe and Japan!

The best thing about the viola is:

Its tone quality. I love the mellow deep sound of the viola. There's nothing else like it.

How I got started in music:

My best friend was starting music lessons and I wanted to play too. Luckily my mom let me try and I've been going ever since!

V i o l a

___________

The viola is the alto voice in the string family. Like the violin, it is held under the chin, resting on the shoulder. Unlike the violin, the viola is slightly larger and is tuned five notes lower. It has a darker and warmer tone quality than the violin, but is not as brilliant.

The viola got its start early on with the violin, in the mid-1500s. Since the 17th century it has been the vital middle instrument in string ensembles. Mozart did much to develop its potential in chamber and solo music, most notably in his two-viola quintets and his Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola.

The 19th century saw considerable exploration of the viola’s possibilities in orchestral music. Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Brahms and Dvorak (who was a violist) all use the viola section of the orchestra for extended melodic passages.

Hear Rachel play Vivace from Sonata in E minor by Telemann

short sample full movement

Print a fingering chart here...

Print Scales

manuscript paper

online metronome

music dictionary

and more...