On her new disc, [violist Melia] Watras serves up an eclectic menu of pieces from the 19th century through several years ago. Watras is as vibrantly alert to mood and detail in Betsy Jolas’s Episode sixième as she is to the enterprising rhythmic activity in György Ligeti’s Loop and especially, the jazzy inflections and extended techniques that make Dan Visconti’s Hard-Knock Stomp such a whimsical delight.
—Gramophone, Donald Rosenberg (February 2013) full review
For her latest CD, Melia Watras has chosen a nice mix of more or less central repertoire and several seldom-heard pieces…Dan Visconti’s unaccompanied Hard-Knock Stomp makes for a rousing encore to this adventurous, well-planned and engagingly presented recital.
—Journal of the American Viola Society, Carlos Maria Solare (Fall 2012)
This Short Stories album, by Melia Watras, viola and Kimberly Russ, piano, is a thoughtful and diverse collection of twenty-first century viola repertoire. Described as “staggeringly virtuosic” by The Strad, violist Melia Watras proves herself in this album to be a leading soloist with an ability to interpret an impressive array of styles.
Dan Visconti’s Hard-Knock Stomp for viola solo (2000, world premiere recording): This piece, with its groove and swing, is an entertaining treat. Great performance!
—Journal of the Canadian Viola Society, Margaret Cary (Fall 2012) full review
In the liner notes to this wonderfully diverse 16-track recording—ranging from works by Henri Vieuxtemps and George Enescu to Rebecca Clarke and Dan Visconti—violist Melia Watras writes that her intent was to create a collection that “shows the viola’s warmth and depth, while also display it’s virtuosity and expressive capabilities.” She accomplishes those goals quite admirably with the thoughtful accompaniment of pianist Kimberly Russ. And when it comes to that “virtuosic” label, Watras fits that bill in every sense of the word, from her technical command of the instrument to her considerable interpretive skills. She is, first and foremost, an artist.
And this love letter to the viola, and many of the composers who embrace the beauty of its tone, challenges anyone to make the case that no one writes great music for the viola. Throughout, Watras shows that the viola has no limits in terms of emotional range and expression. These are, quite simply, great stories told with power and passion.
—STRINGS Magazine, Greg Cahill (September 2012)
In addition to the Shostakovich Sonata, [violist Melia Watras] also offered the audience three (essentially) “show pieces” by Kreisler, Visconti, and Wieniawski. All were played extremely well…worth noting was the young composer Dan Visconti’s Hard-Knock Stomp. With its references to blues and folk music, and virtuosic playing by Watras, it was an enjoyable choice to begin the recital.
—Classical in Seattle, Zach Carstensen (October 2007)