The Rice University, Shepherd School of Music studios of Ivo-Jan van der Werff and James Dunham would like to extend a huge welcome to the readers of the AVS Pedagogy Blog. We feel very honored to be this year’s hosts after the tremendous success of last year’s initial blog by the ACHT studio at Juilliard.

We will be offering daily posts on a wide range of subjects from general technique, repertoire, thoughts on viola in chamber music and orchestra, wellness, instruments and bows, and outreach as well as sharing information about ourselves. All will be written by our students, alumni, teaching assistants, and faculty as well as by visiting artists throughout the year. Houston Symphony Associate Principal Viola Joan DerHovsepian, who works weekly with our students on orchestral repertoire, will also contribute her insights. This is going to be an exciting year for us, sharing our thoughts on life with the viola, and we look forward to any feedback and questions that might be raised.