Call for Proposals: IVC2020 Castelo Branco, Portugal

Find below the invitiation from the Portuguese Viola Society (APVdA) for the International Viola Congress 2020 in Castelo Branco, including the Call for Proposals, outlining the rules by which you can submit your proposal for a contribution to this congress!

The Portuguese Viola Society is delighted to be hosting the 47th International Viola Congress from October 14th to 18th 2020, in Castelo Branco, Portugal. We are still vibrating from Porto-2014 and we are very happy to be able to apply all that acquired knowledge and experience to Castelo Branco-2020.

Castelo Branco is the capital of the Portuguese region Beira Baixa, it is a beautiful city founded at the beginning of the 13th century known for its Castle, the Cathedral, the beautiful baroque gardens “Jardins do Paço” and its tasty gastronomy. Situated in between Alentejo and the big mountains of Serra da Estrela it is part of an important touristic region. It offers fantastic opportunities to enjoy landscapes, natural adventures in communion with nature as well as very old villages and castles all around the region.
Situated 2h by car from Lisbon Airport, it is also reachable from Lisbon by a very beautiful train trip along the river Tejo where you can enjoy the amazing landscapes of Ribatejo, Castle of Almourol and Portas de Rodão. Other options by car are Porto, about 2h30 away and Madrid which takes 4h.

Castelo Branco has a very strong cultural tradition in which history meets modernity, with a good infrastructure and a diverse cultural life that portrays the dynamism of the city. There is an important Music School named Conservatório Regional de Castelo Branco and an Artistic Department of the Polytechnic University called Escola Superior de Artes Aplicadas with bachelor and master’s degree in music.

Our principal partner is the City Hall of Castelo Branco, that is allowing us to use the Concert hall, the Auditório of the new Centro Cultura Contemporânea, which has fantastic acoustics and is the perfect size for chamber music, and the Museu Francisco Tavares Proença Junior, all of them very near one to each other (a few minutes walking).

47th International Viola Congress
“Shining through: the Viola soul and sound “

Considering the role of the Viola in music. Its sound is unique and its soul undisputed. Its voice draws together instrumentation enhancing the depth and richness of the harmonies. It can shine through the texture of the orchestral sound, be the soul of a chamber group or find its unique voice as a solo instrument. We will be taking a fresh look at our perception of the viola to consider how different approaches to performance can be enriched by its diversity.

This 5-day event will host concerts, lectures, masterclasses, performances, workshops and round table discussions. We believe that, together with you, we will arrive at a diversified and rich program.

Call for Proposals

The Portuguese Viola Society is happy to announce a call for proposals to all International Viola Society branches for the 47th International Viola Congress. We would be delighted to hear from you and receive your proposals by February 15th, 2020.

The congress theme can be approached in numerous ways, and we welcome submissions from students, professionals and Viola friends with relevant views and experience.

Proposals for presentations will be considered in any one of the following formats:
The proposal may be for giving a recital, a lecture-recital, a lecture, a masterclass or a workshop. The maximum duration of a presentation session is 50 minutes, but shorter programs may be accepted, if they can be combined with other presentations.
The proposal should be accompanied by a short résumé and any other support you find enriching.

In accordance with IVS regulations, there will be no direct financial compensation for candidates selected to present or perform at the Congress. A personal letter of recommendation may be requested from the IVC organizing committee to support the candidate’s application for financial assistance.

Proposals should be submitted to ivccastelobranco@gmail.com .
Please note that English is the official language of this international congress.

Reviewing process
All submissions will be reviewed by the APVdA committee. Submissions will be reviewed in terms of their accessibility, relevance to the congress theme and their contribution to a diversified program.

Important deadlines
Proposals must be received by 15th February 2020
Presenters will be notified by 30th March 2020
Normal registration from 1st May 2020
General enquiries about registration, travel, accommodation should be
sent to ivccastelobranco@gmail.com

The Official contact email is ivccastelobranco@gmail.com.
Feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions.
Looking forward to seeing you all in Castelo Branco!

Yours,
Jorge Alves
President APVdA
Gonçalo Ruivo
Organizing Committee