Melia Watras - 26 - Melia Watras

26 centers around the concept of violists performing and sharing their own compositions. As a violist/composer, I am inspired by the legacy of others who have picked up both bow and pen to create music. 26 was my way of gathering some of my favorite musicians who share a love of the viola, and a love for the new. This album features�performances and works by violists Atar Arad, Garth Knox, and myself. Our trio of violists/composers is joined by composer Richard Karpen and violinist Michael Jinsoo Lim. The title of the recording comes from the number of strings on the�instruments used: four strings each for the violas of Arad and myself and Lim�s violin; and 14 strings (seven playing and seven sympathetic) for Knox�s viola d�amore. As a student of Atar Arad�s, I had the opportunity to experience his artistry through his teaching, viola playing and his compositions. It was, indeed, Atar�s example that helped lead me to composing myself, along with the experiences culled from my performing career ?lled with new music and improvisation. I ?rst got to know Garth Knox as an admirer of his work as violist of the Arditti Quartet. I have since had the good fortune to perform with him on a number of occasions, and to get to know him as a composer. Richard Karpen�s sense of experimentation was one of the initial draws for me to join the faculty at the University of Washington, where I am very happy to be his colleague. Michael Jinsoo Lim has been my partner in crime since we met in college. As co-founders of the Corigliano Quartet and members of Frequency, Mike is the musician I most often perform with. �Melia Watras