Clarke/ Enescu/ Jolas/ Porter/ Watras/ Russ - Short Stories

Short Stories demonstrates the versatility of the viola. In gathering these works, I wanted to find a wide variety of sound, color, and emotional content. This collection shows the viola's warmth and depth, while also displaying it's virtuosic and expressive capabilities. A great joy in my musical life is working with composers, and I feel fortunate to have been able to meet and collaborate with a number of formidable ones. I met Betsy Jolas at a concert in Syracuse, NY and, taken with her music, was thrilled to record Episode sixteen. My admiration and friendships with Dan Visconti, Andrew Waggoner, and Anna Weesner resulted in performing Dan's Hard-Knock Stomp and commissioning Andrew and Anna to write their pieces Elle s'enfuit and Flexible Parts, respectively. - Melia Watras.