Seventeen-year-old high school junior Isaiah Rose started playing the violin when he was six. He is still studying the violin and has also taken up viola, which is now his main instrument. He studies violin and viola with Shelley Beard, who in addition to teaching, performs regularly on violin and electric violin. Isaiah, who also hopes to explore the world of electric violin, has experimented with the instrument for some years and performed several times.
Isaiah joined the Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth Artists’ Initiative in 2019, and has since attended summer camps including Csehy Summer School of Music, where he was concertmaster in the string ensemble, the Philadelphia International Music Festival, and the Sphinx Performance Academy, where he studied with teachers at the Juilliard School of Music. Isaiah has also had the opportunity to take masterclasses from Chloé Kiffer, Juliette Kang, and Benjamin Beilman.
Isaiah is currently participating in the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra as well as the Settlement Music School’s Advanced Studies program, where he studies contemporary chamber music. When he isn’t practicing or in school, Isaiah rollerblades, plays guitar, and creates stop-motion films.
10 Questions with Isaiah Rose:
1. How has playing the viola helped you grow personally or academically?
Life as a musician has helped me to grow personally in my ability to pursue difficult goals. As a person who tends to grasp concepts easily, I have had to expand my capacity in order to learn the art of music, which has been very good for me.
2. What is your favorite piece to play on the viola and why?
My favorite piece to play on the viola is the Clarke Sonata. I have had so many chances to perform it and try out many different ways to find character and soul in the piece, and every performance feels like a better understanding of its intricacies. I also appreciate its historical significance and just love the way it sounds.
3. How do you handle nerves or stage fright before performing?
I handle stage fright by making myself as comfortable as possible on stage. For me, nerves often take the form of cold hands and chills. One thing I tend to do in anticipation of these symptoms is to eat shortly before a performance. A long practice, and then some fast food, tends to give me more confidence and take the edge off of my nerves, particularly with hot food.
4. How would you describe the sound of the viola?
I feel like the sound of the viola is not just lower than that of the violin. I also hear a difference in tonal texture. While the sound of the violin is very flowing and clear, the viola has a much slower-sounding tone, not quite sludgy, but thick, viscous, and slow like molasses. This still allows for smooth and flowing playing and does not inhibit the sounds we can make, but generally gives the instrument much richer tones.
5. Is there a particular achievement in your viola journey that you’re especially proud of?
In my viola journey, the achievements I am most proud of are the performances I have experienced. Playing the PMAY Showcase Recital is an exciting milestone that I have been preparing for for the last few months, and watching almost a year of preparation all come together into seven minutes on stage is such a thrilling experience.
6. Can you describe a memorable performance experience you’ve had?
One performance I’ll never forget was a few years ago, when I played the Romanian Folk Dances on violin. It was one of the first pieces I played entirely by memory, and not being tied to a stand gave me a newfound freedom of expression.
7. What do you find most challenging about playing the viola?
One thing I find challenging about the viola is the greater weight it possesses. As a former violinist, I have had a difficult time maintaining correct posture under the greater weight of the viola.
8. How do you prepare for an audition or concert?
When I prepare for an audition or a concert, I practice intensely in the weeks leading up to the show, but in the last few days, I just play and look for meaning and depth to the music, relying on the technical skill I have already built up to allow me to focus more on the soul of the piece.
The day of the performance, I practice until a few hours before the show, then just do other things like reading a book or throwing a baseball. Then, in the half hour before the performance, I warm up.
9. What are your goals for your future in music?
I hope to get into college, majoring in music, and ideally get a full scholarship.
10. What advice would you give to someone just starting to play an instrument?
To someone beginning to play an instrument, I would say that progress is not measured by other people’s success. The only way to mark your own progress is to measure yourself against your past self. Other people will always seem like they are making more progress, or like they are your competition. However, this is not true, and while music is a competitive vocation, the art and growth behind it is not to be measured against others.
Isaiah's Recommended Playlist:
