{"id":782,"date":"2026-05-13T18:00:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T18:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nau.edu\/music\/?page_id=782"},"modified":"2026-05-13T18:00:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T18:00:58","slug":"viola-studio","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/performance-areas\/orchestra\/orchestra-studios\/viola-studio\/","title":{"rendered":"Viola Studio"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Viola Studio<\/h1>\n<p>The Northern Arizona University School of Music offers a wide range of performing and teaching opportunities for violists. Students can major in Music Performance, Music Education, or choose the Bachelor of Arts in Music degree where they can major in music and major or minor in other subjects. There are also opportunities for those who wish to minor in music or play in the NAU Symphony Orchestra or Chamber Orchestra.<\/p>\n<p>At NAU, viola students will always study with a professor as opposed to some other schools, where undergraduates sometimes study with a graduate student. Music majors each get a weekly lesson, participate in weekly studio class and perform at a studio recital each semester. Viola students also have the chance to participate in the NAU Viola Ensemble and the student Showcase Recitals.<\/p>\n<p>Please contact me if you would like more information about the Northern Arizona University Viola Studio.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Jacquelyn Schwandt<br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:Jacquelyn.Schwandt@nau.edu?subject=Viola%20Studio\">Jacquelyn.Schwandt@nau.edu<\/a><br \/>\n928-523-0230<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/about\/directory\/user\/js433\/Jacquelyn-Schwandt\/\">read biography<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-portrait-image-sm wp-image-783\" src=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/332\/2018\/07\/schwandt_jacquelyn-150x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/332\/2018\/07\/schwandt_jacquelyn-150x225.jpg 150w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/332\/2018\/07\/schwandt_jacquelyn-300x450.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Auditions<\/h2>\n<p>About auditioning for the studio<\/p>\n<p>Before you schedule your audition, you need to apply to NAU and apply to the School of Music. Please see the School of Music\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/admissions\/undergraduate-admissions\/\">admission page<\/a>\u00a0for details about how to apply and to schedule an audition.<\/p>\n<h3>How to prepare for your audition<\/h3>\n<p>The audition should include on lyrical and one technical piece. Choose pieces which demonstrate a range of styles including lyrical and technical playing. In addition, be prepared to play three-octave major and minor scales. You should have all of them prepared; one or two scales will be asked.<\/p>\n<p>It is important in the audition to demonstrate your best abilities. Take the time to study with an accomplished private teacher for at least six months (more is better) before auditioning for any collegiate music program. Your orchestra director can help you locate a quality viola teacher in your area. Your private teacher can help you develop your abilities, select study material and solos, and then help you settle on the music you will play for your collegiate auditions.<\/p>\n<p>For additional information, please see\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/degrees\/viola-audition-repertoire\/\">viola audition repertoire<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>About financial aid<\/h3>\n<p>You will be automatically considered for a School of Music Tuition Scholarship on the basis of your audition.<\/p>\n<h2>Studio expectations<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Studio classes meet every Tuesday, with occasional guest master classes by guest artists, that may meet at additional times. All music majors and minors taking lessons are required to attend these classes.<\/li>\n<li>In studio class, viola students perform:\n<ul>\n<li>working pieces\/\u00e9tudes and receive positive, constructive feedback from their peers and professor;<\/li>\n<li>Scale and technique studies; and<\/li>\n<li>Orchestral excerpts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Every student in the viola studio performs repertoire learned during the semester on a recital. Viola students attend recitals given by the string faculty, their viola peers, and related events.<\/li>\n<li>Music Performance majors should expect to practice around three-hours daily, and Music Education and other majors should aim for ninety minutes to two-hours daily practice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Performance opportunities<\/h2>\n<p>Viola players perform as members of the Northern Arizona University Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Opera Orchestra, Viola Ensemble, and String Quartets. Solo performances happen every semester in our studio recitals, studio classes, and honor recitals.<\/p>\n<p>Students also perform around campus and off-campus. A number of our students form string quartets or other ensembles to perform at University functions and at community and social events in Flagstaff and Sedona. Many the NAU viola students participate as members of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, which is a professional regional orchestra which performs 6-7 concerts per year.<\/p>\n<p>Read more about Orchestra ensembles at:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/performance-areas\/orchestra\/\">NAU Orchestras website<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Resources<\/h2>\n<p>The American Viola Society (AVS),\u00a0is the organization dedicated to fostering communication among viola enthusiasts and promoting excellence in every facet of our instrument. The AVS sponsors performance, research, and composition. More information is available at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.americanviolasociety.org\/\">www.americanviolasociety.org<\/a>,<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The American String Teachers Association (ASTA) is the leading organization for string teachers in the United States. At the national organization website, www.astaweb.com, there are numerous resources and job listings for string teachers nationwide. At the Arizona ASTA Chapter website,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.astaaz.com\/\">www.astaaz.com<\/a>, there is information about state string-related events, competitions, and workshops.<\/p>\n<p>The Suzuki Association of the Americans,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.suzukiassociation.org\/\">www.suzukiassociation.org<\/a>, is the national organization for Suzuki teachers, parents, and students. Here, you can find information about workshops, teaching tips, and job listings for Suzuki teachers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Viola Studio The Northern Arizona University School of Music offers a wide range of performing and teaching opportunities for violists. Students can major in Music Performance, Music Education, or choose the Bachelor of Arts in Music degree where they can major in music and major or minor in other subjects. There are also opportunities for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":768,"featured_media":0,"parent":1693,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ring_central_script_selection":null,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-782","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/768"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=782"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/782\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5223,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/782\/revisions\/5223"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/school-music\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}