Press Kit
“By showing that America values the diversity of cultures, we may be able to counter negative images of our own culture and build stronger ties of understanding and peace throughout the world.”
Madeleine Albright
64th U.S. Secretary of State, 1998
“In 2010, during my service as an Arabic linguist for the Army, an Egyptian colleague introduced me to the world of Egyptian classical music; my fascination continued to grow with each piece we listened to. So, in 2021, when the American Viola Society officially published their “Underrepresented Composers Database,” I sought out any Egyptian composer I could find. Much to my disappointment, there was not a single composer listed. As I continued hunting through the many developing databases across Western organizations, it became apparent that the contemporary Egyptian sound was still a missing piece in our search for inclusion.
“This album is the culmination of my doctoral studies and book, and in Melissa Terrall I could not have wished for a better collaborative partner for my debut album. I am thrilled to be releasing the full album on Army Day during our country’s 250th Anniversary. May we all understand each other better.”
Christina Ebersohl-Van Scyoc
RELEASE SCHEDULE
EP: March 18, 2026
Album Release timed for Veteran’s Day: October 30, 2026
Viola al-Mashura
The Enchanted Viola
Christina Ebersohl-Van Scyoc, viola and Melissa Terrall, piano
APL40724
UPC 198937640724 (CD)
Album time: 61:21
Album Release: October 30, 2026
*Le bédouin, Op. 12 (1932) 5:03
Youssef Greiss (1899–1961)
Two Songs for Viola and Piano (1975)
Gamal Abdel-Rahim (1924–1988)
“A Pitiful Song” Moderato 1:37
“Dance with Darbukka” Energico 1:12
*Utopia (2012) 7:30
Amr Okba (b. 1972)
*Egyptian Song, Op. 1 (1983) 6:27
Mohamed Abdelwahab Abdelfattah (1962–2025)
*Improvisations on a Peddler’s Tune (1981) 5:03
Gamal Abdel-Rahim
†Today and Yesterday: Suite in Five Movements for Viola and Piano (2024)
Sherif Mohie Eldin (b. 1964) Commissioned by Christina Ebersohl-Van Scyoc
Movement I 3:28
Movement II 3:36
Movement III 5:29
Movement IV 3:39
Movement V 7:55
†Les rêves du chat (The Cat’s Dreams) (2025)Marek Woods-Harris (b. 1961) Commissioned by Christina Ebersohl-Van Scyoc
I. Miaou (Meow) Moderato 2:32
II. La chasse (The Hunt) Scherzando 3:06
III. Le petit tigre se cache (The Little Tiger Lurks) Misterioso 2:08
IV. Les zooms du chat (The Cat Zoomies) Molto vivace, energico 2:32
Recorded March 14, 15, July 27, 28, 2015, Foellinger Great Hall, The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA.
Producer: Geoffrey Silver.
Engineer: Kevin Bourassa.
Editor and Mixing Engineer: Alexander Brusencev
Links: Christina Ebersohl-Van Scyoc | Melissa Terrall | Cover Art | Press Release