Summer 2013 - The American Viola Society

TH: Altadena, California, was a fine place to
grow up in the 1940s. Nestled in the foothills of
the San Gabriel Mountains, it lies fourteen miles
due north of downtown Los Angeles—sitting
just above Pasadena. This economically and
ethnically diverse community encompassed very
wealthy neighborhoods and some much less so.
Zane Gray, the famous writer of the Old West
and a resident of Altadena from 1920 until his
death in 1939, said, “In Altadena I have found
those qualities that make life worth living.”
Other, somewhat less public but nevertheless
philanthropic, “artsy,” and scientific personalities
populated Altadena. At the time I had no
notion of the nature of the personality of the
community nor how fortunate I was to grow up
among those who were and who were about to
become so distinguished.
The leading violin teacher in the community
was Vera Barstow, and I had the distinct
privilege of studying with her during most of
my junior high, high school, and college career.
Richard Lert conducted the Pasadena Civic
Orchestra, and Vera was the “string coach.” I
was a good, young violinist, member of the
civic orchestra, and doing well with the standard
student-type violin literature, but I was not at
the top of the class by any means. The youthful
musicians I mingled with did well in the World
Federation of International Competition, the
Naumburg Competition, and the like and
eventually filled the ranks of the Los Angeles
Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra,
and others. I was not one of those wonderful
players, and I really did not want to be.
One of Vera Barstow’s passions was The
Coleman Chamber Music Competition, and as I
approached my senior year in high school, she
needed a violist for a Coleman ensemble. I was
the right size and, as she thought, the right temperament.
I learned the clef in a flash, relished
the inner-voice function, and I loved the sound.
I moved to the viola section of the orchestra and
have been kept busy as a violist ever since. I
auditioned for entrance to the University of
Southern California (USC) with the Brahms E-
flat Sonata!
Vera Barstow (courtesy of Skinner,
www.skinnerinc.com)
TT: Tom, I would like to follow up on Vera
Barstow, if you don’t mind. She was, in her
early career, a pioneering violin soloist. I can
think of just a couple of other women (Maude
Powell (1867–1920), for one) making their
way in what could only be described as a
gentleman’s profession. Later she became a
celebrated pedagogue, especially well known
in southern California. She touched and
guided countless youthful musicians who are
now beginning to retire but filled the
professional orchestras around the country
and beyond, sat in professional string
quartets, and served in college and university
studios. What is it about her teaching
methods and approach that made her so
successful as a teacher?
VOLUME 29 SUMMER 2013 ONLINE ISSUE
65