The Primrose International Viola Competition (PIVC), also referred to as the Primrose Memorial Scholarship Competition (PMSC), is an international music competition for viola players sponsored by the American Viola Society and named for the 20th-century virtuoso William Primrose.
The 18th Primrose International Viola Competition will be held October 28–31, 2027 at the Colburn School in Los Angeles. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
History International music competitions for instruments such as violin and piano had been held for decades. However, there was a void in the music world to recognize the viola as a major solo instrument. Because of a lack of substantial viola solo literature, the instrument's potential was not realized until the appearance of Lionel Tertis, considered the "father of viola playing". William Primrose continued in Tertis' footsteps of excellence in viola performance, catapulting the instrument on to the international stage. The Primrose International Viola Competition was created in 1979 as the first competition solely for the instrument. In subsequent years other major viola competitions arose: the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition, the now defunct Maurice Vieux International Viola Competition and, most recently, the Tokyo International Viola Competition.
The Primrose International Viola Competition has been held regularly since 1986, often in conjunction with biennial meetings of the North American Viola Congress. The competition currently makes its home in Los Angeles, California at the Colburn School. Eligible participants are 29 years and younger of any nationality. The competition involves three rounds during a week-long festival in which entrants perform a required work as well as several choices from a viola repertoire list that includes solo works, sonatas, concertos and transcriptions by Primrose.
PIVC / PMSC laureates
PIVC No. PMSC No. Year Location 1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize Notes / Jurists18 2027 Colburn School Los Angeles, California Jury: 17 2024 Colburn School Los Angeles, California Emad Zolfaghari Kinga Wojdalska Andy Park Jury: Ayane Kozasa (Chairman), Atar Arad, Cathy Basrak, Ensik Choi, Steven Dann, Geraldine Walther16 2021 Colburn School Los Angeles, California Natalie Loughran Samuel Rosenthal / Nicholas Swensen Jury: Barry Shiffman (Chairman), Andrés Cárdenes, Victoria Chiang, Daniel Heifetz, Mai Motobuchi, Dimitri Murrath, Chauncey Patterson15 2018 Colburn School Los Angeles, California Hae-Sue Lee Zoë Martin-Doike Leonid Plashinov-Johnson Jury: Lars Anders Tomter (Chairman), Roland Glassl, Kazuhide Isomura, Nokuthula Ngwenyama, Xidi Shen, Jon Nakamatsu14 2014 Colburn School Los Angeles, California Zhanbo Zheng Manuel Vioque-Judde Cong Wu Jury: Cathy Basrak, Martin Beaver, Claudine Bigelow, Caroline Coade, Wing Ho, Luis Magín, Massimo Paris, Cassandra Lynne Richburg, Pierre-Henri Xuereb Honorable Mention: Born Lau, Kei Tojo13 2011 Robertson & Sons Violins University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico Ayane Kozasa / Elias Goldstein Vicki Powell Jury: Che-Yen Chen, Kirsten Docter, Wing Ho, Luis Magín, Karen Ritscher, Yizhak Schotten, Barbara Westphal, Juliet White-Smith, Karin Brown Honorable Mention: Da Kyung Kwak, Matthew Lipman12 (11) 2008 Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona Dimitri Murrath Emily Deans Molly Carr Held in conjunction with the 36th International Viola Congress. Jury: Claudine Bigelow (Chairman), Ensik Choi, Bruno Pasquier, Carol Rodland, Eugene Sârbu, Amir Shiff, Steven Tenenbom 10 2005 Brigham Young University Provo, Utah Jennifer Stumm David Aaron Carpenter David Kim— not awarded — Jury: Matthew Dane (Chairman), Carol Rodland, Daniel Foster, Susan Dubois, Nokuthula Ngwenyama Honorable Mention: Yu Jin 9 2003 Samford University Homewood, Alabama Che-Yen (Brian) Chen Teng Li Nils Mönkemeyer Jury: Helen Callus (Chairman), Barbara Hamilton, Michael Palumbo, Kathryn Steely, Dwight Pounds Honorable Mention: Amalia Aubert, Abigail Evans 8 2001 Elmhurst College Elmhurst, Illinois Antoine Tamestit Ula Žebriūnaitė— not awarded — Jury: Ralph Fielding, Jerzy Kosmala, Charles Pikler, William Preucil, Juliet White-Smith 7 1999 University of Guelph Guelph, Ontario Lawrence Power Roland Glassl Elizabeth Freivogel Held in conjunction with the 27th International Viola Congress. Jury: Ralph Aldrich, Alan deVeritch, Hartmut Lindemann, John White 6 1997 University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas Christina Castelli Rita Porfiris Karin Brown Held in conjunction with the 25th International Viola Congress. Jury: Karen Tuttle, Alan deVeritch, David Holland, Karen Ritscher 5 1995 Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana Catherine Basrak Joan DerHovsepian / Scott Lee Held in conjunction with the 23rd International Viola Congress. Jury: Donna Lively Clark, James Dunham, Csaba Erdélyi, Abram Skernick, Thomas Tatton, Marcus Thompson 4 1993 Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois Nokuthula Ngwenyama Kathryn Lockwood— not awarded — Held in conjunction with the 21st International Viola Congress. Jury: William Preucil (Chairman), David Dalton, Mary Arlin, Paul Coletti, William Magers, Thomas Tatton 3 1991 Ithaca College Ithaca, New York Kirsten Docter Kin-Fung Leung— not awarded — Held in conjunction with the 19th International Viola Congress. Jury: Emanuel Vardi (Chairman), Harold Coletta, David Dalton, Rosemary Glyde, Pamela Goldsmith, John White 2 1989 University of Redlands Redlands, California Daniel Foster Ming Pak Kai Tang Held in conjunction with the 17th International Viola Congress. Jury: Louis Kievman (Chairman), David Dalton, Alan deVeritch, Roberto Díaz, Rosemary Glyde, Donald McInnes, Dwight Pounds, Sven Reher, Karen Tuttle 1 1987 University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Lynne Richburg Carla-Maria Rodrigues Paris Anastasiadis Held in conjunction with the 15th International Viola Congress. Jury: Robert Oppelt (Chairman), David Dalton, Rosemary Glyde, Nathan Gordon, Louis Kievman, Dwight Pounds, Ann Woodward1 — 1979 Brigham Young University Provo, Utah Geraldine Walther Jun Takahira Patricia McCarty Jury: William Primrose, Ralph Aldrich, Joseph de Pasquale
Required composition A compulsory work to be performed by all competitors has been selected for some competitions.
2027 – newly commissioned solo viola work by Sungji Hong 2024 – Remembrance for viola and piano by Nokuthula Ngwenyama (b. 1976) 2014 – Aldonza, Movement II from the Viola Concerto (2013) by Christian Colberg (b. 1968); Christian Colberg website 2011 – Inner Voices for viola solo (2011) by Peter Askim (b. 1971); published by American Viola Society 2008 – Recitative for viola solo (2007) by Scott Slapin (b. 1974); published by Liben Music Publishers 1991 – Aria and Allegro for viola and string orchestra (1990) by Richard Lane (1933–2004) 1989 – Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (1989) by Wayne Bohrnstedt (b. 1923)
See also List of classical music competitions Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition Maurice Vieux International Viola Competition Carl Flesch International Violin Competition – also judged violists from 1970 Primrose International Viola Archive
References Primrose International Viola Competition American Viola Society
External links Primrose Competition official website 2011 Primrose Competition video archive at Ustream