Ear: Richard

Astorian Bill Sutton emailed the Ear with news that world-class violist Richard O’Neill (richard-oneill.com), son of Bill’s life partner, Colleen O’Neill (pictured, inset), won a Grammy from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for his performance of Christopher Theofanidis’ Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra. He has been nominated twice before, and is the second musician to receive an award for a viola performance in the history of the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category.

The Peninsula Daily News reported that Richard grew up in Sequim, Washington, where he learned to play the viola. He later performed with the Port Angeles Symphony, then went on to the Juilliard School in New York City after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The concerto Richard won the Grammy for performing is Theofanidis’ musical response to the events of Sept. 11.

Richard has the played the viola all over the world with many internationally known philharmonic orchestras. He performs with two rare instruments: one, made by Matteo Goffriller, of Venice, in 1727, and the other, by Gasparo da Salò, who was one of the earliest violin makers.

Richard, now 42, lives in Boulder, Colorado, where he is the newest member of the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music’s string faculty. The Grammy Awards was a virtual event this year, but he took the disappointment with aplomb.

“While I missed the pomp and circumstance of the red carpet,” Richard noted in a Colorado.edu news article, “there is an amazing comfort to going into your own music room and greeting the world from your laptop.”

When his name was called, he said “it was hard for me to contain my overwhelming sense of gratitude.” His acceptance speech reflected that emotion, as he thanked his fellow musicians as well as adding that “eternal thanks goes to my family.”

How did Richard commemorate the occasion? There were 2 feet of snow on his neighborhood’s sidewalks, so he celebrated by going outside and shoveling with his neighbors.