Viola da Gamba Society of America

Members' Area Circuit Rider Program The Circuit Rider program is now accepting applications for Circuits starting in 2022! Apply here . Applications due by October 15th. ​ In 2008 the VdGSA initiated the "Circuit Rider Program" to provide support to communities that do not have a local viol teacher and wish to set up an ongoing relationship with a viol teacher by covering the cost of travel for a teacher to visit the community. The purpose of the program is to provide an opportunity for players in such communities to have ongoing lessons that will give direction to practice time and help set goals. ​ The application deadline for the Circuit Rider program is October 15 of each year with award decisions announced by November 1. The contact person must be a VdGSA member in good standing. See below for full information, including the "piggy-back option" (for a group close enough to an established Circuit to be able to offer their teacher another partial Circuit with coordinated dates). ​ The Circuit Rider program has expanded to include both 2- and 4-visit Circuits within the calendar year. The Full Circuit consists of 4 visits completed between January and December. The Half Circuit consists of 2 visits to be completed within 6 months, and is offered on a one-time basis as an enticement for new groups to try out the program and hopefully get ready for a Full Circuit the next year. Contact the Circuit Rider Coordinator, Isabel Hendry for more information. Program Guidelines: ​ ​ Ready to apply? Here are the steps you'll need to take: ​ Consult with other local players and assemble a group interested in having lessons and willing to make either, a one-year commitment to the program for a Full Circuit of 4 visits, or a six-month commitment for a Half Circuit of 2 visits (The Half Circuit is a one-time only, introductory option to the Full Circuit Rider program) Agree to guarantee the teacher a minimum of 10 hours of teaching at a rate of $50/hour for each visit (Canadian subsidies available). These teaching hours may be private lessons, group coachings, master classes, or beginner sessions. Your group may decide to divvy up payments as they see fit but must provide the teacher with a minimum of $500 per visit.​ Select a teacher from the list of participating teachers (below) and contact that teacher directly. The list of teachers includes airports nearest them so you can factor in travel costs when choosing.​ Contact the teacher and set up a preliminary schedule of 2 (Half Circuit) or 4 (Full Circuit) visits. Arrange to provide housing, food, and local transportation (as needed) for the teacher during each visit. The teacher's airfare, taxis, shuttles, and possibly rental car, can all be included in the travel budget paid by the VdGSA, as long as the total falls within the $500 per trip allowance. If your area is too small to guarantee 10 teaching hours per visit and is geographically close to an existing Circuit, you may apply to "piggy-back" on the existing Circuit. Piggy-back groups must guarantee 5 hours of teaching ($250) and may apply for a travel stipend of up to $125 per visit. Here are two examples of successful programs that may be used as a model to help guarantee the success of your new program. ​ ​ Here's what you'll get from the program: Coaching for any size or level of group, on music chosen by you or provided by your instructor. Continuity: personalized lessons from the same teacher with time to practice in between. A choice of teachers who are committed to the goals of the program. A special hourly rate below the national average. Because of the Circuit Riders’ generosity and desire to reach as many interested players as they can, the teaching rate for a Circuit is discounted by the teacher and set at only $50* per hour. Full Circuit: A stipend (paid directly to the teacher by the VdGSA) of up to $2,000 for 4 visits per year ($500/visit) to cover the Circuit Rider's travel; OR Half Circuit: A stipend (paid directly to the teacher by the VdGSA) of up to $1,000 for 2 visits over 6 months ($500/visit) to cover the Circuit Rider's travel. Additional funds are available for communities that can "piggy-back" their visits so that the teacher can make one multi-destination trip. ​ ​ *Canadian applicants my submit a request with their application for a subsidy to cover the difference between CAD$50 and USD$50. Circuit Rider Teachers: You must choose a teacher from amongst the VdGSA teaching members who have agreed to participate in the program. To browse the list of participating teachers and read about them, please visit the Circuit Rider teachers page. How to apply: Click here to fill out the application form . Deadline: The deadline for applications for each calendar year is October 15 of the previous year. For information about applications or general information about the Circuit Rider Program, contact Coordinator Isabel Hendry .

Circuit Rider Application Circuit Rider Program Application We are a: New Applicant Established Circuit Ride We are applying for a: Introductory Half Circuit (2 visits) Full Circuit (4 visits) Piggy-back on existing Circuit (What is a piggy-back Circuit?) Location of Proposed Circuit: Proposed Teacher: Total Expected Travel Expenses (for all visits): Round trip fares and rental car rates are based on current prices. For teachers who decide to drive their own vehicle to their destination, mileage is reimbursed at the current IRS rate. Amount Requested (for all visits): No single funding amount may exceed $2000 for the year ($1000 for Half Circuit). We are in Canada and requesting a subsidy to cover the difference between USD and CAD Proposed Start Dates for Visits (choose two for a Half Circuit and four for a Full Circuit): Date One: Date Three: Date Two: Date Four: Agreement: The above-named teacher has agreed to visit our location on the specified dates and for each visit is prepared to provide at least 10 instructional hours—any combination of lessons and group coaching—(or 5 hours in the case of a piggy-back Circuit). As hosts we will guarantee to pay the teacher a minimum of $500 (or $250 if piggy back), covering the first 10 hours (or 5 for piggy backs). Any additional teaching will be paid at the rate of $50/hour. We, as hosts, will provide housing and food to the teacher for each visit. The teacher will submit travel receipts directly to the VdGSA after each visit. The local host will write a review of the completed Circuit Ride for possible publication in the VdGSA Newsletter. I agree to these terms Contact Person: Additional Comments: Thank you for applying to the Circuit Rider Program, we'll be in touch soon! Submit

2021 Young Players' Weekend 2021 VdGSA Young Players' Weekend ​ Welcome, Viol Players! ​ It is my pleasure to invite you to the 2021 VdGSA Young Players' Weekend. Because of the current situation in the world with the pandemic, this workshop will be held onlin—no travel required. ​ The weekend will include a range of activities for viol players of all ability levels. We will gather on Friday night to meet all the participants. There will be three sessions spread out over Saturday and Sunday and led by Amy Domingues, Gail Ann Schroeder, and myself. On Saturday night we will offer a voluntary masterclass led by our guest coaches, Amy Domingues and Gail Ann Schroeder. ​ There is no age limit to attend YPW. If you feel that you are a young player, you are welcome to attend. ​ Pedro Funes-Whittington Young Players Weekend Director ​ Schedule (Central Time Zone) ​ Friday March 12, 7 pm CST: Welcome, Social gathering ​ Saturday March 13, 11 am CST (90 min): Amy Domingues, Soul Sisters: Music from seventeenth-century Italian Convents ​ Saturday March 13, 3 pm CST (90 min): Pedro Funes-Whittington, In Nomine: the chant Gloria tibi trinitas in music from Taverner to Purcell ​ Saturday March 13, 7 pm CST: Masterclass ​ Sunday March 14, 11 am CST (90 min): Gail Ann Schroeder, Sing the Notes, Play the Words: Using basic bowing techniques as a means to playing expressively ​ Fee: $25 Please email questions to YPW Director Pedro Funes-Whittington . Registration Form ​ Click here to submit your $25 payment

Additional funds are available for a second area to “piggy-back” onto a pre-existing Circuit if it is within reasonable traveling distance from that Circuit. This is a good arrangement for groups not large enough to support a full ten hours of teaching but would like to benefit from a teacher already traveling. The piggy-back group must guarantee five hours of teaching (a minimum of $250) and may apply for travel stipend up to $125 per visit ($500 for 4 visits) to cover the additional travel expense between areas. Circuit Rider applicants, both principal and piggy-back, should fill out this application form separately. It is the piggy-back group’s responsibility to coordinate with the principal group on details. The terms of the Circuit Rider funding are the same for both groups. Piggy-back groups should provide the details of their proposal in the “Additional Comments” box. CLOSE

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Grants Grants-in-Aid Private Lesson Subsidy Program Workshop Grants Chapter Start-up Grants Chapter Conclave Voucher Program Consort Loan Program The VdGSA Consort Loan Program is intended to help teachers begin a viola da gamba program for school-age children. The program is open to all private or school teachers of the viol who have been a member of the VdGSA for at least one year. While the teacher is responsible for designing and implementing the program (finding space, recruiting students, etc.), the VdGSA can provide the teacher with instruments to support their program. ​ A consort of five viols is available for loan for a period of two years (typically August-July). Renewal for additional years is possible at the discretion of the Consort Loan Program committee. Applications by letter or email to the Consort Loan Program Administrator are welcome at any time and a committee response may be anticipated within a month of receipt. Approval of any application is dependent upon the strength of the proposal and the availability of instruments at the time of application. ​ The application should include: Name of the VdGSA member applying for the consort loan Brief resume of applicant's teaching experience, with emphasis on viol teaching preparation and experience Detailed description of program: type of venue, ages of students served, typical activities planned, how the year's work is organized, sample syllabus for a class Estimated impact of program Specific dates of program Sizes of viol required* *The typical consort in the Consort Loan Program is 2 trebles, 2 tenors and bass, appropriate for high school and middle school. For younger children, a consort of small viols may be available. Please discuss your needs with the Program Administrator. If your application is approved, you will be required to send in a signed copy of the Consort Loan Program Agreement . ​ Costs and responsibilities involved in the Consort Loan Program: A security deposit of $500 is required, which will be refunded after the five viols are returned to VdGSA in the same playing condition as they arrived The applying teacher is responsible for all loss or damage to the viols VdGSA will pay for all viol shipping Periodic reports on the program by e-mail to the program administrator are expected semi-annually throughout the term of the loan, coinciding with the meetings of the Board of Directors Care and maintenance: Instruments will be sent in playing condition. It is the teacher's responsibility to replace any broken strings or frets before returning the consort. Any other problems must be reported to the program administrator to determine what action is to be taken. Teachers may apply to VdGSA for financial help in maintaining the viols; contact the Consort Loan Program Administrator with your request. ​ Shipping: The VdGSA will pay for shipping the consort to the teacher and back to the VdGSA. The teacher is responsible for any costs incurred by the VdGSA in retrieving an instrument, case and bow, including legal fees, and costs of repair of any damage. VdGSA strongly recommends that the recipient save the packing materials for the eventual return of the instruments. Packing materials, including the correct size of box, can be expensive and hard to find, so reusing these items is both convenient and cost effective. The VdGSA will not pay for replacing these materials for return shipment. Before returning the viols, please contact the Consort Loan Program Administrator first for detailed packing and shipping instructions. Please contact the Consort Loan Program Administrator with any and all questions about this program.

Members' Area Grants Grants-in-Aid Private Lesson Subsidy Program Workshop Grants Chapter Start-up Grants Chapter Conclave Voucher Program Consort Loan Program The VdGSA Chapter Conclave Voucher program provides each Chapter with one $200 voucher per year, which may be used by one or more Chapter members towards their Conclave fees. All Chapters are encouraged to publicize the voucher’s availability to their members. ​ Interested in a voucher, but not a Chapter member? Find your nearest Chapter and join today! Requirements Each Chapter may award one $200 Chapter Conclave Voucher per year. The Chapter may choose to split the voucher amount among multiple recipients but the total may not exceed $200. Each recipient must be: ​ a member of the VdGSA a member of that local Chapter registered to attend Conclave that year Choosing the Recipient(s) The method used to select the recipient(s) is determined by the Chapter. This financial boost can be made available to anyone with more enthusiasm than financial resources: this includes the young, the un- or underemployed, and retirees. Each Chapter should determine need as fairly as it can. Larger Chapters might ask for letters of application; smaller Chapters might vote for candidates who express the desire to attend. These are but two of many possible methods. How to Redeem the Voucher The Chapter officer or a designated representative must send, before Conclave begins, the voucher award information to the VdGSA Treasurer. The email must include: ​ the name of the Chapter the name and contact information of the selected recipient(s) the amount for each recipient, if the Chapter has chosen to split the award Contact the Treasurer . The Treasurer will deduct the specified voucher amount from the Conclave fees of the recipient(s).

VdGSA Member Login ​ Already a member? Login Ready to become a member? Join If this is your first visit to the new website, even if you are already a member , you must click "join"! There are many reasons to become a member of the VdGSA! In addition to joining a large and friendly community of viol players, you'll gain access to the Members' Area, which has even more sheet music, our music-minus-one offerings, and the digital archive of the VdGSA News . Members also receive our biennial Journal and quarterly News in the mail. Read more about the benefits of membership (and find out how to join by mail). Back to Home

Members' Area Legal Code of Conduct Copyright Privacy Policy Copyright Notice for vdgsa.org The entire contents of this website, www.vdgsa.org , is Copyright © 2013-2021 by The Viola da Gamba Society of America. Some portions of this website have additional copyright notices as presented below. Copyright Notice for Images ​ Photos on the About the Viol pages copyright by Francis Beaulieu, Wesley Brandt, Sarah Mead, and Warren Shingleton. For inquiries about use of any of the images on these pages, contact the website committee by using the link below. ​ All other images copyright VdGSA. ​ Copyright Notice for Music Published in the VdGSA News The music published by the Viola da Gamba Society of America in the VdGSA News under the heading "News Music" is protected by copyright. Copyright © 2013-2021 The Viola da Gamba Society of America. Distributed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 license . Non-binding summary: You may copy, distribute, transmit, perform, and adapt this work for non-commercial purposes. You must credit The Viola da Gamba Society of America and distribute any copies or adaptations under the same license. ​ Should you wish to use this work for commercial purposes, please contact the VdGSA for permission to do so. Copyright Notice for the Database of Historical Viols The entire contents of the Database of Historical Viols found at https://www.public.vdgsa.org/historical-viol-database , originally started by Peter Tourin in the late 1970s, transferred to Thomas MacCracken in the early 1990s, and first presented publicly in 2011 is protected by copyright. ​ Copyright © 2011-2021 Thomas MacCracken. Tobi Szuts , chair of the website committee