ABOUT

Founded under the leadership of Françoise Gneri (Professor at the CNSMDP and PSPBB) and Jutta Puchhammer (President of the International Viola Society), the French Viola Society (FVS) was created in December 2021. This new association of violists aims to unite all violists and their initiatives in France, promote the viola heritage, the French viola school, and its many teachers, as well as to host an International Viola Congress (2026). In essence: unity.

In 2024, the French Viola Society then initiated a merger with the historic viola organization in France: les Amis de l'Alto.

Les Amis de l'Alto association was created on Tuesday May 22, 1979 at 6 p.m. at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris by Colette Lequien (president), Serge Collot (president), Christos Michalakakos (treasurer), Frédéric Sailly (treasurer deputy), Paul Hadjaje (secretary), Louis Daverede (assistant secretary). Its objective is to sponsor, organize, and support the creation, coordination, or management of all cultural and artistic events or research that are primarily or tangentially related to the viola.

Starting in 1980, there was an annual publication of a bulletin featuring articles, interviews, announcements, etc., which evolved into an internet blog now accessible through the SFA member area. This blog includes updates on current viola-related events, sections dedicated to repertoire and current or upcoming educational materials, articles from previous bulletins, and reports on National Competitions.

Consequently, the 1st National Young Violists Competition (CNJA) was inaugurated in June 1981 at CNR Versailles. This competition was open to students from all conservatories in France, excluding those at CNSM in Paris and Lyon. Since its inception, the competition has been hosted annually in various cities.

In 2018, the National Very Young Violists Competition (CNTJA) was established in Strasbourg and similarly achieved notable success…

 

Here are some key events:

​

- The first viola conferences in 1980 (Bougival), 1981 (Versailles), 1982 (Genevilliers), and others.

​

- A trip to Moscow and Leningrad with around sixty violists in 1984, where they met with Droujinin and Bashmet.

​

- The 18th International Viola Congress in Lille in 1990.

​

- The Maurice Vieux International Competition:

1983: Paris (1st Prize Tabea Zimmermann)

1986: Lille (1st Prize Lars Anders Tomter)

1989: Orléans (1st Prize Andrei Gridchuk)

1992: Melun-Sénart (no 1st Prize awarded)

2000: Paris - the last Maurice Vieux competition (1st Prize shared by Antoine Tamestit and Aora Sorin)

​

Over the past 45 years, several generations of violists have succeeded each other within the association, including figures like Carles Marc, Bruno Pasquier, Jean Dupouy, Pierre Lefevre, Christian Lormand, Jacques Borsarello, Marie-Thérèse Chailley, Jean Philippe Bardon, Padrig Faure, Marie-Christine Witterkoer, Frédéric Lainé, Frédérique Sauvage, Vincianne Béranger, Arnaud Thorette, Michel Michalakakos, Isabelle Lequien, and composer Marc-Olivier Dupin, among others. Notable guests and members of the CNJA jury have included Tasso Adamopoulos, Gérard Caussé, Jean-François Bénatar, Bernard Godefroy, Philippe Babiaud, Ross Charnock, alongside numerous violists who participated in competitions as candidates. The association has also welcomed distinguished honorary members such as Betsy Jolas, Jean Bauer, Pierre Boulez, Marc Bleuse, Jacques Charpentier, Marius Constant, Henri Dutilleux, Maurice Husson, Philippe Lefevre, Alain Louvier, Bernard Millant, Pierre Petit, and Etienne Vatelot.

 

Today, les Amis de l'Alto are pleased to continue organizing the CNJA and CNTJA annually under the FVS banner, advancing the initiatives of this remarkable association together!

​

​