SFA
The French Viola Society
Founded in 2021 at the initiative of Françoise Gneri (Professor at CNSMDP) and Jutta Puchhammer (President of the International Viola Society), the French Viola Society brings together violists from all backgrounds and generations.
This new association aims to bring together all violists and their initiatives in France, promote the viola heritage, the French Viola School, its many teachers, and organize an International Viola Congress in Paris in 2026.
In one word: unite.
In 2024, the French Viola Society initiated a merger with France’s historic viola association : Les Amis de l'Alto.
Founded in 1979 at the CNSMD of Paris by Colette Lequien, Serge Collot, Christos Michalakakos, Frédéric Sailly, Paul Hadjaje, and Louis Daverede, Les Amis de l'Alto began publishing annual bulletins filled with treasures from the very start: violist portraits, repertoire, competition reports, and more.
The Maurice Vieux International Competition, founded by Les Amis de l'Alto in 1983, came to an end in 2000, with its last laureates being Antoine Tamestit and Aora Sorin. The National Competition for Young Violists, created over 40 years ago, has been carried forward by generations of violists, while the National Competition for Very Young Violists, established in 2018, has also enjoyed great success.
In 2025, these two competitions will merge under a new name: the Young Violists Competition ! It will be open to participants from the 2nd year of the first cycle up to the Bachelor's level.
IVS
International Viola Society
The International Viola Society (IVS) is a non-profit international organization that unites and supports national viola associations and societies worldwide in their activities.
One of the main objectives of the International Viola Society is to promote ever-increasing standards of excellence in viola performance through its annual congresses and associated competitions.
The annual congresses have been held since 1973 (with only one exception). From 1973 to 2000, the congresses generally alternated between Europe and North America. In 2001, the first congress took place in the Southern Hemisphere (New Zealand), and since then, congresses have been held in Africa, Australia, Europe, and North America. In 2023, the congress made its debut in Asia (Thailand) for the first time.
