Violist Basil Vendryes vs. Russian Rhythms

These are troubled times.

Uncertain times. 

Lonely times.

But in these times, we find ourselves seeking comfort from the artists in the world.


"This is precisely the time when artists go to work...There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. This is how civilizations heal." -Toni Morrison


Enter Basil Vendryes.

A devoted musician with over 40 years of service to the art, and one of the first principal string players of color in a major US symphony orchestra,  Basil steps forward from the shadows of the pandemic and civil unrest with a tangible passion for a project of togetherness and beauty.

Together with renowned pianist William David and Toccata Classics, Basil  endeavors to create a new musical adventure, full of exciting new pieces and invigorating life spirit that the world so desperately needs right now.

"The Russian Viola" is the first CD in a 3-4 disc set, featuring sonatas for the viola by Revol Samuilovich Bunin, Vassarion Yakovlevuch Shebalin, Ivan Glebovich Sokolov, and Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka. The haunting mystery and sublime beauty in these lesser known pieces promise to transport audiences to a different world (perhaps a world where viola jokes are actually funny...).

Additional CDs in the set will include a disc of viola music by Paul Juon, a disc of the viola sonatas of Julius Rontagen, and a forth disc still shrouded in mystery.

A former member of Rochester Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony (where he was the only musician of color), and New York Philharmonic (where he was only one of 2 musicians of color), Basil has since made his home in Denver, Colorado as the principal violist for Colorado Symphony Orchestra and violist for the Aurora String Quartet, with recordings for Naxos.

Despite his success in performance, Basil was eager to give back to the community. Thus, he earned a position as faculty violist at the University of Denver Lamont School of Music in 1995 and has been shaping and changing his students' lives ever since. 

Though record labels generally no longer fund or pay artists to record, Basil and William are eager and excited to bring this project to life, and bring a little extra life to the world. Funds from this fundraiser will be allocated to the following:

Piano tuning/checks: $500
Engineering set up: $500
Break down/Post session: $1500
Editing (est. 20 hours): $1000
Mixing (est. 10 hours): $500
Mastering (est. 6 hours): $300
Call backs/redos (est. 4 hours): $200
Cushioned costs (overages): $1500

Recording is scheduled to begin at the end of the month, and it's Basil versus all the Russian refrains and rhythms. 

In the face of all of today's uncertainty--furloughs across major orchestras, bankruptcy of entire performing arts venues, deferring attendance at music schools--Basil seeks to do what he has always done: put bow to string and move forward. 

Help Basil make his stunning CD project come to fruition. Every penny helps. Every share spreads the message. Every donation sets fire to a viola joke (not really...). 

Promotions from the artists:
$50: A signed copy of the CD!
$100: A live Q&A session with the Artists
$250: A mini performance just for you
*With permission from Toccata, major donors will be acknowledge on the CD 

Join our team today and donate!