James
Williamson
Submitted:
October 15, 2017
Awarded
: $
1500
Contact Information:
James
Williamson
99 Gordon St. Apt. 3
Boston
MA
02135
USA
8315662956
Reference 1:
Jane Hershey
Reference 2:
Sarah Cunningham
Summary of Submitted Materials:
An appraisal of the instrument showing its current purchase price.
Submitted Documents:
Submitted Recordings:
Committee Notes:
Project Description:
Although I have been asked to play treble viol professionally on a number of occasions, I do not own one, and have had to borrow from others. This past summer at Conclave, Wendy Gillespie was selling one of her Dietrich Kessler trebles, and I was intrigued. This instrument, which Wendy played in many recordings and concerts with Fretwork and Phantasm, is quite large, and I was initially wary of buying something so one of a kind. However, by the end of Conclave I had become convinced of its merits and knew I could not pass up the opportunity to have such a lovely and important instrument.
A family gift has covered $3000 of the cost, but the remaining $7,000 of the purchase price falls to me. My need is compounded by also needing to obtain a professional quality bow to go along with it, to let this instrument sound to its full potential. At the moment, an HF Grabenstein Renaissance bow costs $1600, so the total amount I need is $8,600. This is a daunting amount of money for a younger freelance performer, and any support towards making this instrument fully my own will be greatly appreciated. Wendy has generously agreed to let me take as long as I need to pay, but I still would like to be square with her as soon as possible.
Request Amount:
$
1500
Total Project Cost:
$
Budget and Additional Funding:
Qualifications:
I began to play the viol seriously while in graduate school at the Longy School of Music where I was studying baroque cello. I worked on the solo repertoire in lessons with Jane Hershey, and I also played smaller sized viols in consort repertoire classes. Since my time at Longy I have attended five consecutive Conclaves, participating in the consort coop for four of them, and playing lots of treble in the CC concerts on various borrowed instruments. I am also serving on the board as young players representative and helped organize the first professional development initiative. My professional musical activities outside of Conclave have become increasingly viol-centric: among others, I play professionally as a core member of Long & Away, a consort in Boston; I recently gave an unaccompanied recital of Telemann and Schenck; and I played in a performance of Nico Muhly’s “my days†at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. This December I will make my debut with the Boston Camerata. The time has definitely come for me to own my treble, and I look forward to my future playing this beautiful instrument for appreciative audiences.
Letter of Reference 1:
Sarah Cunningham
8:08 PM October 18 2017
to president
Hi Lisa,
This letter is in support of James Williamson's application for a VdGSA grant-in-aid in order to buy the Dietrich Kessler treble viol which Wendy Gillespie is offering for sale.
James is a talented and hardworking young professional and eminently deserving of this support. As you know he has been giving time to the Society as a board member in addition to his multi-faceted musical work in the Boston area.
At conclave last summer I had the pleasure of some after-hours consorts with James playing this very instrument, and it was a musical high point. He is a sensitive, responsive, and expressive consort player, and owning an instrument of this caliber will allow him to develop his skills to an even higher level. In my opinion this would be money very well spent by the VdGSA.
Thanks Lisa!
All best,
Sarah
Letter of Reference 2:
Oct. 15, 2017
19 Blakeville Rd.
Rindge, NH 03461
Recommendation for James Williamson
James was my student at the Longy School of Music of Bard College, where viol was his
secondary instrument. His interest was drawn to all the courses which involved use of the viol
and vielle, and became mainly a gambist during his Longy career, leaving the Baroque cello
behind for the moment.
James was instrumental in helping to organize the 2015 Laws-a-thon, a two-day performance
project co-sponsored by the VdGS-NE, VdGSA and Longy. He coordinated the performance
and rehearsal times for the many Boston-area professional groups and helped with publicity.
Since that time, he has served as the YP Rep. to the national Board. He has stepped up to help
with the new website recently launched by the VdGS-NE and contributes to events such as the
BEMF Gamba Garden. Next week, he plans to participate in a viol outreach project, organized
by Hannah Davidson, at the Community Music Center of Boston. This is a follow-up to the June
17 Gamba Garden and CMCB outreach.
James continues to be an active player in the Boston area, playing in the local consort ‘Long &
Away,’ and in the Dec. 2016 Silbiger Grant performance at Harvard University’s Memorial
Church, organized by Laura Jeppesen. I have worked on several ‘Long & Away’ projects with
him, and he always is ready to contribute his best. He also performed works for solo gamba on
Boston’s summer series, SoHip. From all reports, this was an ambitious and successful
program. I was able to hear his group, the Cavalier Consort, at the 2017 Gamut, bringing
rarely-heard works of Jenkins and Locke to an eager audience.
I recommend James for a Grant-in-Aid, which will help him to continue to develop as a serious
player, and a generous member of the VdGSA.
Jane Hershey