Dear colleagues,

We are delighted to share news of an upcoming special event honoring Roberto Díaz, one of today’s most influential violists, educators and musical leaders. The tribute, Virtuosity, Vision and the Viola with Roberto Díaz, will take place May 8-9 at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Roberto will be joined by distinguished colleagues and former students who are among the most accomplished violists and teachers of our time, including:

• Ed Gazouleas, viola faculty, Curtis Institute of Music
• Ayane Kozasa, Kronos Quartet
• Teng Li, principal violist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; viola faculty, Curtis Institute of Music
• Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, violist of the Espressivo Piano Quartet
• Vicki Powell, principal violist of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

The event will feature master classes, panel discussions, lecture-demonstrations, a modern instrument demonstration and two concerts.

The opening orchestral concert, conducted by Junping Qian, will feature:

• Sierra: Viola Concerto — Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt
• Schnittke: “Monologue” — Ayane Kozasa
• Penderecki: Viola Concerto — Roberto Díaz

The second evening’s chamber music concert will highlight collaborations among our featured artists, CCM faculty and students, and special guests.

This event features the Stradivari Fulton, ex Baird, Tuscan-Medici Viola, which is generously on loan from the Library of Congress.

In 2025, the Library of Congress acquired the historic 1690 Tuscan-Medici viola by Antonio Stradivari as a gift to the nation from David and Amy Fulton and The Tuscan Corporation. One of only 10 violas by Stradivari known to exist, the instrument is famous for its remarkable state of preservation and beauty. The contralto viola was previously on loan to the Library by The Tuscan Corporation (of the Cameron Baird Family) in a collaborative custodial arrangement since December 1977.

The viola joins the Library of Congress’ world-renowned instrument collection, which is anchored by the five Stradivari instruments donated by Gertrude Clarke Whittall in 1935. The viola, the second of the Library’s collection, has been renamed to commemorate its newest chapter: Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1690, viola, Fulton, ex Baird, Tuscan-Medici.

This event is supported by William Harris Lee & Co., Reuning & Son Violins, Bein & Fushi, Inc., Rare Violins of New York, The Bow Resource, Arcotype Bows, The Greater Cincinnati Chinese Music Society, Brian Hong and Ranneig Marta Sarc, Summermusik, Timothy and Catharine Lees.

Questions about the event?

Please contact CCM Professor Catharine Lees at [email protected].

Learn more about CCM

Located on the campus of the University of Cincinnati, which has been named among the world’s “most beautiful college campuses” by Forbes Magazine, the state-of-the-art “CCM Village” provides students with professional-level working and learning environments to prepare them for future careers. Learn more about the CCM Village.

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