We remember former IVS president Dr Ronald Schmidt.
Obituary
We remember former IVS president Dr Ronald Schmidt.
2018: Dr.Ronald Smidt, Jutta Puchhammer-Sedillot, Dr Sobylle Hoedt-Schmidt
We are very sad to announce that the International viola society has lost another important member of our viola community on June 12, 2023, former IVS president Dr Ronald Schmidt (13 Feb, 1951). Ronald was an enthusiastic viola player, far too good to be called an amateur.
He was raised in Rheinland, Germany and grew up both in Germany and UK.
He studied the violin in high school, regularly playing in youth orchestras, and later picked up the viola with professor Herbert Hoene in Aachen, where he joined the chamber orchestra as principal violist.
However, professionally he chose a different path and graduated as a historical and academic librarian, a field which occupied him most of his professional career.
The viola and later the viola d’amore was never far from him and his loving wife Sibylle Hoedt-Schmidt, as much a viola enthusiast as himself both regularly attending Viola congresses.
Ronald played with several chamber orchestras and chamber groups and was principal viola in a chamber orchestra in Bonn. In 2009 he started on the viola d’amore and on the bass viola and enjoyed delving into the discovery of unknown material for these instruments.
Within Germany he was vice chairman of the German Viola Society and served on its executive board for many years. He was instrumental in the 1999 transfer of the International Viola-Gesellschaft to the International Viola Society to make it more international in appeal and in this regard a founding member of the current IVS.
Dr. Schmidt served as IVS Secretary (2000-2002) and was IVS President from 2002-2004, and IVS Vice President from 2011-2013. Within his leadership the primary goals were the creation of an IVS viola electronic website, the expansion of the IVS member sections, beginning with Norway, Poland and Lithuania, and to encourage THE STRAD to continue publishing an annual “viola issue.”
Ronald cohosted the the highly successful 31st IVC in Kronberg in 2003, organized the 2008 Bratschistentag(Viola Day) in Düsseldorf with brio, and was highly involved in the organization of 39th IVC in Würzburg in 2011. In recognition of his many contributions to the viola he was awarded the IVS Silver Alto Clef in 2008.
Ronald’s tiredless efforts resulted in countless beautiful hours at Viola gatherings underlined by your always friendly and optimistic nature nurtured by your love for your instrument, the viola and viola d’amore.
You will be dearly missed! Our warmest thoughts go to Sibylle. RIP.
2018 IVC Cremona: left to right: former IVS board members: Dr Ronald Schmidt, Bruno Giuranna (guest), Baird Knechtel (dec), Dr.Michael Vidulich, Dr Dwight Pounds, Ann frederking, Carlos Maria Solare
2018: Dr Ronald Schmidt, Jutta Puchhammer-Sédillot, Dr Sibylle Hoedt-Schmidt
Obituary:
“I was looking for music and when I found it, I fell in love with it at first sight.” Leonard Bernstein.
“The only important things in life are the traces of love that we leave behind when we have to leave without being asked and say goodbye.” Albert Schweitzer