Students honor luthier Daniel Foster with memorial concert
The late Daniel Foster (1943-2018) will be honored in a concert dedicated to his memory on April 13 at 1 p.m. at the Creativity and Innovation District on the Blacksburg campus.
The concert will feature Virginia Tech students performing on 12 stringed instruments all made by Foster — the first time so many Foster instruments have been played together in a performance.
Foster was a national award-winning luthier based in Blacksburg whose instruments continue to be played by amateurs and professionals throughout the United States. “It was wonderful to have him here,” said Alan Weinstein, associate professor of cello in the School of Performing Arts. "He was a valued craftsman, and visiting artists often stopped in Blacksburg to get work done or to borrow an instrument. Every string player in this area was impacted by Dan’s creative work.”
Virginia Tech owns six Foster instruments, comprising a sextet of two violins, two violas, and two cellos. The two cellos were acquired in 2016 from Foster and his wife, Elizabeth, both generous supporters of the university’s music program and key partners in developing the Virginia Tech String Project. Two local music supporters anonymously donated a violin and viola in 2019, and a 2023 crowdfunding campaign raised money to purchase another violin and viola. Virginia Tech has borrowed six additional Foster instruments for the concert.
According to Weinstein, the instruments also serve as a great recruiting tool for prospective music students.
Tommy Cummins ’22, M.A. '23 had the opportunity to play a Foster viola during his time at Virginia Tech. “I would not be where I am today without it,” he said. “Getting to play an instrument of superior quality made all the difference for me. Not only did the instrument sound better than any other I had ever played, but more importantly, it helped raise the ceiling on my potential as a violist and accelerated how quickly I progressed through advanced techniques and repertoire.
“Additionally, as a student teacher for the Virginia Tech String Project, it was important that I had a high-quality viola in order to demonstrate good tone. Young music students learn best when they see and hear their teacher play, so it's important for us to model with a quality instrument, and the Daniel Foster viola provided that opportunity for both me and my students.”
The program will include J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3; David Popper’s Requiem, Op. 66; and Johannes Brahms' String Sextet No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 18. Students in Weinstein’s chamber music class will perform, along with John Irrera, assistant professor of violin, and Richard Masters, associate professor of piano. Foster’s granddaughter, Miriam Joy Thompson, a violinist, also will join the ensemble.
Tickets, parking, and other details
The performance will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 13, in the Room 150 of the Creativity and Innovation District, 185 Kent St..
Admission is free; no reservation is required. Livestreaming will also be available.
Parking information for the Virginia Tech campus may be found online.
If you are an individual with a disability and/or desire an accommodation, please contact Susan Sanders at susansan@vt.edu at least 10 days prior to the event.