by Karen Bartlett

If I’m not mistaken, Cascadia Viols is indebted to you for securing a new home for our workshops when we left Trinity Cathedral. How did that come about?

As with so many aspects of my involvement with the world of the viol, David Morris was the instigator. He was visiting here in Portland, saw St. Michael’s where my wife Pamela and I sing, knew that Cascadia Viols was in need of new workshop space, and suggested I make it happen. So, of course, I did.

You used to sing in a choir under the direction of David. What was that like?

In a word, fabulous! When I joined the choir in 1993, I was essentially untrained as a singer. I had some theoretical knowledge of music, but basically I couldn’t read and I couldn’t sing. I am a tenor, and David was, and still is, the tenor section leader. He could read anything flawlessly the first time. So amazing! So in the beginning, David was like a musical god to me. I could sing something and it would sound wooden to my ear. Then David would sing it, seemingly without effort, and it would be a beautiful living thing of beauty. Understated, but exquisite. At first I couldn’t tell what he was doing—it was like magic. But over the years I realized that it was not magic, it was a skill, and I began to see the vague outlines of how it was done. That meant it was something that could be learned, so David transitioned from my musical god to mentor. And eventually, as the decades passed and we sang together literally thousands of times, we became friends. I do still see and hear the musical god in him, though.

Was it David who encouraged you to take up the viol? Why did you choose bass?

Yes, David started all this. He stayed with us for a short time before the last conclave in Forest Grove. He had his treble with him, and one evening he handed it to me, saying “Why don’t you try this?” So I did, and I was enchanted. He recommended the bass as a place to start. He said it was the easiest size to begin with, then later the easiest from which to move to the others.

I am in awe of your ability to take up a stringed instrument for the first time as an adult. How has your experience as a singer helped you with viol?

My singing experience has been absolutely invaluable to learning to play the viol! I don’t think I would have made it through the early stages if I hadn’t already had some sight-reading ability, some theoretical knowledge of music, experience with polyphony, and a feel for the idioms of 16th and 17th century music. Even starting with those, it’s been real work learning to play. The disadvantage of starting an instrument at an advanced age is that learning is slower. But the advantage is that it’s more possible to just work away at it without judgment or resentment. I probably don’t have enough life left to become a really excellent viol player, but I can hear and feel my own limitations, and those are motivation for good practicing. 

What are your greatest challenges in playing the viol?

My biggest challenge is my bow hand. It looked so easy, and then I started to play. Not so easy, as it turns out. Another challenge is that playing consort music is an incredibly complex activity. There are so many things that require attention at the same time, and I only have so much attention. But it’s getting better, little by little.

As a newcomer to viol shortly after the pandemic started, do you think that the inability to  play with others hindered your progress?

It’s hard for me to know how much the pandemic has affected my progress. Certainly I had very limited consort playing opportunities until recently. It’s been an odd way to get involved with playing the viol, but it does seem to be working fine. This is another area where being a singer may have helped, as my experience singing polyphonic music seems to have made playing in consort seem pretty natural. It isn’t the same as singing, but feeling your part in the midst of the piece, listening to others, understanding you shouldn’t be really loud when you are playing a long note that is holding the chord—many things like that are common to choral singing and consort playing.

Do you enjoy practicing? If so, why?

I do enjoy practicing, and that is by design. I know that if I enjoy something I will do it because I want to, and if I don’t enjoy something I will not. So I practice until I hit that point where the pleasure is fading for whatever reason—frustration, boredom, back pain, etc. Then most days I practice a second time in the same way, beginning again refreshed. So, since almost all of my practicing is enjoyable, I look forward to it.

Since you practice regularly, how do you make sure you find time to do so?

This hasn’t been a big problem for me. I’m retired, so I do have time I can choose to spend playing my viol, and I practice almost every day. Although I sometimes do procrastinate starting to practice, I expect myself to practice every day, so if mid-afternoon comes and I haven’t played yet, I’m thinking about where to fit it in. It’s just part of my life now.

Do you now have opportunities to play with others? How is that going?

I have been very fortunate to have been adopted by several members of our community. Janet Loy, whom I know from the CV board, has very graciously invited me to play duets with her, and we are getting together to play regularly. She is helping me to become a competent consort player, although I’m not really there yet. Jeanne and Dan invited me to play with them before the pandemic hit, and we did that once. We’ve since talked about getting together to play again, and I’m very much looking forward to that. And Kris Hoeveler and I have engaged Adaiha for some coached trio sessions—and I can’t recommend that enough for people who want to improve their consort skills!

Your official title as Cascadia Viols board member (thank you!) is “communications coordinator.” What is it exactly that you do?

I began as the venue coordinator for our workshop space at St. Michael’s. And after a few workshops there, I noticed that Jeanne was doing an incredible amount of work to put the workshops together, to the point that I feared she might burn out. That would have been a disaster for the chapter, so I offered to help her. We had some discussions about what she did and what I could actually be helpful with, and I began by helping to put together all the various notifications that are sent for announcing workshops, annual renewals, requesting feedback from the membership, etc. That was the origin of my title. 

I’m happy to say that now the work of running the chapter is being spread among even more people, which is very healthy. Adaiha is doing season planning to find and engage presenters for our upcoming workshops, Zoe and Kris are taking turns managing each workshop, Jeanne is doing the music preparation and writing the announcements, David Solet is our treasurer, and I am supporting the CV website, doing the technical part of the messaging to our members, and continuing to interface with St. Michael’s. It’s a great team!

What other kinds of music do you like to play or listen to?

I like a wide variety of music – country, folk, light jazz, classical, rock (as long as there isn’t too much feedback), and more. I’ve always had an affinity for acoustic music, and for chamber music, which may be why I like the viol so much. 

What kinds of non-musical interests or work have you had in your life?

Pamela and I are bird watchers. Over the last decade, we’ve visited Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Spain, and India to see the birds there. It’s great to have a shared interest like that. We are also both choral singers, so we share that as well. I don’t think I’ll be able to get her to play the viol though. I’m also interested in astronomy, writing (I’ve written short stories), reading, vegetable gardening, and so many more lesser interests.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I’m very grateful to have found the viola da gamba, and this wonderful community of players!