Pictured at the bottom right: UGA Viola Ensemble

The University of Georgia Viola Ensemble evolved from a collaboration between the UGA Viola Studio and Composition Department in Fall of 2018 when pieces were written for the viola studio including the work the ensemble is championing at the AVS festival by composer Kelly Catlin. Its current members are graduate students Nathan Groot, Elizabeth Boyce, Claudia Malchow, and Neelee Brauner. We’re told that guest composer Kelly Catlin is curled up with a bottle of Purell in self-quarantine, dreaming about the 2021 AVS Festival. Her piece, Presence for Four Violas, will be performed at the 2021 Festival. The inspiration behind this work is the warmth you feel in a quiet moment of deep connection. To learn more about the festival and performance, visit the American Viola Society Festival webpage.