AVS Recordings

The American Viola Society is committed to supporting recordings of viola music.  To make a donation to help support AVS recording projects, please click HERE.

AVS Presents Recording Label

In 2021, the American Viola Society announced the creation of a recording label to serve as a vehicle for AVS members to present and produce professional recordings sponsored by the AVS. Since that announcement, the AVS has released a full-length recording every year showcasing AVS members and promoting new and lesser-known works for viola.

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AVS Presents 2023: Works by Underrepresented Composers

The AVS is proud to release the first recording in our AVS Presents series, with the theme “Works by Underrepresented Composers.”  Violists Jacob Adams, Sheila Browne, Vijay Chalasani, Mary Moran, Fabio Saggin, Tallā Rouge Duo, Rafael Videira, and Alyssa Warcup perform works by composers Jeanne Behrend, Lycia De Biase Bidart, Andrea Clearfield, Reena Esmail, Tigran Mansurian, Jessie Montgomery, Olivier Toni, and Ellen Taafe Zwilich.

AVS members may enjoy the recording by visiting 2023 Recording Project.

AVS Flashing Forward, Thinking Back CD Cover Art

AVS Presents 2024: Flashing Forward, Thinking Back

Our 2024 Recording Project, “Flashing Forward, Thinking Back” is a double-length CD released in December 2024.  It features performances by violists Ames Asbell, Sheila Browne, Brenton Caldwell, Philippe Chao, Christopher Jenkins, Kevin Nordstrom, Joseph Skerik, Mason Spencer, Jacob Tews, and Meghan Yost, performing work by Sergey Akhunov, Adolphus Hailstork, Charlotte Hampe, Akira Nishimura, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Florence Price, Sami Seif, George Rochberg, Joan Tower, and Christopher Walczak.

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Track Listing – CD1:
1. Christopher Walczak – Flashing Forward Thinking Back, performed by Sonic Apricity (Erik Rohde, violin and Jacob Tews, viola)
2. Sergey Akhunov – Centaurs, performed by Philippe Chao
George Rochberg – Sonata for Viola and Piano, performed by Sheila Browne and Julie Nishimura, piano
3. Allegro moderato
4. Adagio lamentoso
5. Fantasia: Epilogue
6. Akira Nishimura – Whirl Dance, performed by Mason Spencer
7. Florence Price – Adoration, performed by Brenton Caldwell, viola, and Benjamin Loeb, piano

Track Listing – CD2:
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson – Blue/s Forms, performed by Christopher Jenkins
1. Plain Blue/s
2. Just Blue/s
3. Jettin’ Blue/s
Charlotte Hampe – Sieben Kleine Barock-Tänze, performed by Ames Asbell
4. Entree
5. Allemande
6. Loure
7. Gavotte und Double
8. Air
9. Menuett und Musette
10. Gigue
11. Sami Seif – Syriac Fugato 2 for Two Violas, performed by Joseph Skerik and Brian Isaacs
12. Joan Tower – Wild Purple, performed by Kevin Nordstrom
13. Adolphus Hailstork – Sanctum, Rhapsody, performed by Meghan Yost, viola and Choo Choo Hu, piano

Avs Presents 2025 Cover

AVS Presents 2025: Hypnagogia

Our 2025 Recording Project, “Hypnagogia” was released to streaming platforms in September 2025.

The project features works by composers Luis Enrique Casal Rodríguez, Gabriela Lena Frank, Jessie Montgomery, Roque Cordero, and Murray Gross, with performances by violists Luis Enrique Casal Rodríguez, Daniel Doña (of the Arneis Quartet), Michelle LaCourse, Daphne Gerling, Katherine Lewis, and Alicia Marie Valoti. Full track listing is below.

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Track listing:
1 – Luis Enrique Casal Rodríguez: Duo for Violin and Viola, I. Vigoroso – Majcherczyk&Casal DUO
2 – Gabriela Lena Frank: Hypnagogia for String Sextet – Arneis Quartet (Daniel Doña, viola; Heather Braun, violin; Rose Drucker, violin; Agnes Kim, cello), Michelle LaCourse, viola; Hyun Ji Kwon, cello
3 – Jessie Montgomery: Peace for Viola and Piano – Daphne Gerling, viola & Tomoko Kashagawi, piano
4 – Roque Cordero: Tres Mensajes Breves, I. Allegro comodo – Katherine Lewis, viola & Daniel Baer, piano
5 – II. Lento
6 – III. Molto allegro
7 – Murray Gross: Dark Forest for solo viola – Alicia Marie Valoti, viola

2026 Recording Project

Performers have been selected for the 2026 AVS Recording Project, including Tonya Burton, Jenny Douglass, Donghee Han, Brightin Rose Schlumpf, and Nilli Tayidi. A Spring 2026 release is planned.

2027 Recording Project

The AVS has announced the 2027 Recording Project, which welcome submissions around the project’s theme – “works by composers of the last 100 years.” Proposals for works of any instrumentation are welcome, as long as viola is featured prominently in the ensemble. Submission deadline is January 1, 2026.

AVS Premieres

SlapinReleased in 2014, the American Viola Society’s first recording features violist Scott Slapin and pianist Yui Asano in premiere recordings of music from the American Viola Project. Members can access this digital-only recording as part of the AVS’s many new member benefits. The album is also available for purchase from iTunes, Amazon, Google Music Store, and other outlets.

Members – hear the AVS Premieres recording here.