Principal Viola Robert Vernon to Retire from The Cleveland Orchestra After 40 Seasons
By: Sally Henry Fuller Mar. 01, 2015
Highlights of Mr. Vernon's Cleveland Orchestra career include:
• Longest-tenured string principal in the history of The Cleveland Orchestra: 40 years as Principal Viola.
• He has performed in more than 5,000 concerts with The Cleveland Orchestra.
• As soloist, he has appeared in 17 different works in more than 120 concerts at home in Severance Hall. He has appeared as soloist with The Cleveland Orchestra in Carnegie Hall on three separate occasions, as well as performing as soloist at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Boston's Symphony Hall. Additionally, he has appeared as soloist on two United States tours and one European tour.
• He has recorded more than 300 works with The Cleveland Orchestra, virtually the entire standard repertoire, for five different record labels.
• He has made numerous solo recordings, including Berlioz's Harold in Italy, Mozart's Sinfonia concertante, Strauss's Don Quixote, and Schoenfield's Viola Concerto, as well as numerous chamber music recordings.
• He has performed in more than 110 concert tours across the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia.
• He has performed as soloist in the world premieres of three works commissioned for him by The Cleveland Orchestra, with the fourth to be premiered in November 2015.
• At his retirement from the Orchestra, he will have been a member of the faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music for 40 years. He is currently a member of the music faculty at the Juilliard School, from which he graduated with honors and attended with a full scholarship from the Martha-Dwight Douglas Foundation.
• His former students hold positions in more than 50 major orchestras in North America, Europe, and Asia. Eight of his former students have won positions in the viola section of The Cleveland Orchestra.
• He is featured on a CD study tool for violists in the "Orchestra Pro Series" on Summit Records and has written a book on orchestral excerpts titled The Essential Orchestral Excerpts for Viola: Keys to a Successful Audition.
• He has presented masterclasses throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia.
• He has performed as a regular participant in leading North American music festivals.
• He was invited by Georg Solti to lead the viola section for the Solti Project at Carnegie Hall and the World Orchestra for Peace on the 50th anniversary of the United Nations.
• He was recently presented with the Maurice W. Riley Award for "Distinguished Contributions for the Viola through Performance and Teaching," by the American Viola Society.
• He has served three Cleveland Orchestra music directors and has worked with most of the great conductors of our time.
Among Cleveland Orchestra musicians' comments on Mr. Vernon's retiring from The Orchestra:
"There are not enough superlatives to describe Bob's virtuosity, dedication, and contributions to our orchestra. The fact that he has been the principal of the best viola section in the world speaks volumes of his exceptional leadership and musicality," said Paul Yancich, principal timpani. "Equally impressive has been his record of teaching and mentoring literally hundreds of professional violists world-wide. Most of all, it is a privilege to count Bob as a colleague and friend."
"For over 25 years, I have been blessed to sit next to my wonderful stand partner," said Lynne Ramsey, first assistant principal viola. "During that time I have learned not only how to be a better violist but also how to be a better person. I have been asked many times what it's like to sit next to Bob Vernon. I tell them that he is respectful, kind, funny, and really, really nice."
In the fall of 2016 and beyond, Mr. Vernon will continue to perform and teach locally, nationally, and internationally.
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