"Here, listen to this," says violist Bill Schoen. He knocks off a fiendishly difficult run in tenths in the most difficult violin concerto ever written—the beautiful Wieniawski Concerto No. 1 in F-Sharp minor. Mr. Schoen’s technique does not waver despite the fact that he is approaching 90 years of age.
I visited Bill in his lovely Chicago apartment recently. He is a dear family friend as he and his wife Mona studied with my great late father, Oscar Shumsky.
While his contemporaries have retired to other pastimes, Mr. Schoen has kept his viola playing sparkling all these years—his pleasure has been polishing phrases in the world of beautiful string playing.
Immediately the conversation turned to the time he heard Fritz play and how his vibrato was so unique. (And when I mention Fritz, it is none other than the great Fritz Kreisler!) How many living today can talk about Fritz Kreisler or any number of the great conductors from the past with whom Schoen appeared? The number of past luminaries is astounding, in fact.
Born in Hungary of Jewish parents, Bill Schoen moved to Cleveland as a baby. His teachers included Demetrius Dounis, Oscar Shumsky, and Emanuel Vardi.
His resume is indeed impressive: Principal violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Associate of the Chicago Symphony, violist of the Claremont String Quartet and of the the Guillet Quartet.
Schoen has traveled the globe on many occasions as a chamber music player. The late Leopold Stowkowski and George Solti were admirers of his viola playing, and, in fact, they often asked for Schoen’s opinion on matters concerning violists. Daniel Barenboim asked Schoen to serve on the audition committee when he searched for new talent.
I feel privileged to know Bill Schoen, and I can hardly think of another so dedicated musician with such a huge passion. The word professional is synonymous with the name Schoen. What is his secret? His great passion for music never dies.
Nowadays, after many would-be soloists land orchestral positions instead, and their dreams of becoming the next Heifetz are quickly dashed, they become bitter. As a result, they criticize others—nothing anyone else does is good enough, and they turn their microscopic lenses on young talent and old. They have become sick of conductors telling them what to do and of having to take orders from anyone. Such musicians can be found in orchestras across the country, and for that matter, in Europe as well.
This cynicism runs rampant among musicians today. I have known many such musicians and experienced their pettiness both at faculty meetings and in orchestra committee meetings—even in the orchestra pit. If a poor conductor is on the podium, these musicians delight in trying to derail him.
Mr. Schoen is different. If a poor conductor were on the stand, he would lead the section and give his all to support the musician—and the music.
Thus, Bill Schoen has an aversion to cynicism. He reveres music. Even his name, Schoen means, literally, “beautiful” in German.
For Bill, playing music is not about winning contests and playing better than the next guy. It is about a life lived through music and about the essence of music. Bill has a religious approach to it, maintaining a discipline like an Olympic athlete, possessing the ability to rarely get bored.
In essence he focuses on improving himself rather than focusing on what others are doing. Bill Schoen has a great heart and therein lies his artistry.
How can he not inspire? I’d better call him up and get his opinion on the fingering for the Walton Viola Concerto which has been lying dormant in my repertoire for all too long.
Eric Shumsky is a concert violist. For more information, see www.shumskymusic.com .
