Death of a popular US violist, 73
RIPThe death has been made known of Lois Martin, a violist whose commitment to contemporary music was balanced by her interest in jazz and her job as principal viola of the Stamford Symphony.
She co-founded the Atlantic Quartet and played across the gamut of New York new-music ensembles. She commissioned ‘Viola Variations’ from Charles Wuorinen and recorded the works of 50 living composers.
In other genres she worked with Ornette Coleman, Esperanza Spalding, Shirley Bassey, Elton John, Paul Simon and more.
Those of us fortunate enough to have known Lois will remember her moving artistry and warm friendship.
Hmm… Pity I did not know of her. Besides having many things in common performance wise I could have pitched my composition to her. For example this my Second String Quartet
https://youtu.be/JEhuwz-xLf8?si=RI7lEd2w5PXu5KRt
This is so sad, she was such a wonderful colleague and musician.
Lois played (worked) across the widest range of NY area ensembles, and to every engagement she brought an amazing commitment to the notes on the page, the composer, any conductor or soloist leading a performance, and to every colleague she was playing/working with. That personal involvement extended even beyond the music itself.
It had been a few decades since I worked with Lois, and since then, we hadn’t been in much contact at all. But more than a few times, she let me know (fondly) that I was not forgotten. I will never forget Lois, her musical commitment, and her personal warmth. ZL