The New Golden Age of the Viola Duo—Tallā Rouge Makes a Case for Two Vibrant Voices 

By Laura Schiller | From the July/August 2025 issue of Strings

Attention, violists! Never before has there been such a surge in music written just for you: the soulful, velvety heart of the string family. So grab a fellow violist, rosin up those bows, and get ready, because a new era of viola duos is here.

Violists have two of their own to thank for this duo viola revolution—Lauren Spaulding and Aria Cheregosha, the powerhouse pair behind Tallā Rouge. Their name, meaning “The Red Gold” in both Farsi and French, pays homage to their Persian and Cajun heritages. In addition to performing together—both as a duo and with other ensembles—Spaulding and Cheregosha are on a mission: to expand the viola’s voice by commissioning groundbreaking works from today’s most exciting and diverse composers. Taking their vision even further, they also founded the Tallā Rouge International Composer Competition in 2020. In just a few years, it has gained worldwide recognition, drawing composers from across the globe to enrich the ever-growing world of viola duo music.

Spaulding and Cheregosha’s story began in an unlikely place: the virtual world of pandemic-era online collaboration and music making. Despite the physical distance between them at the time—Spaulding freelancing in Colorado and Cheregosha studying under Roger Tapping at Juilliard in New York City—their musical connection was immediate, electric, and undeniable. From their very first collaboration, they knew they had found something special, and they haven’t stopped playing together since. (Incidentally, the now-D.C.-based duo not only shares a growing library of viola duets but also a home with two charismatic Asian leopard cats, Pyrite and Lady Shiva the Destroyer.)

But as Spaulding and Cheregosha dove into the world of viola duos and their musical bond deepened, they quickly realized something: they needed more. “A lot of violists feel musically repressed,” Spaulding admits. “We don’t have the endless repertoire that violinists and pianists do, so arranging is almost a rite of passage for violists.” She adds with a laugh, “Part of viola culture is learning to be creative so you’re not just playing Hindemith over and over and over again.”

After exhausting the usual suspects—Stamitz duos or a transcribed piece or two— Spaulding and Cheregosha turned to something more personal. They began arranging the music closest to their hearts: songs from Cheregosha’s Iranian heritage and Spaulding’s Southern Louisiana Cajun roots. The need to develop new repertoire that suited them soon evolved into something bigger, a viola duo that seamlessly weaves jazz, folk, pop, Middle Eastern, and western classical influences into a vibrant, genre-blending sound. 

Eager to push the boundaries of their ensemble—and with a robust network of composer friends—Spaulding and Cheregosha began commissioning new works for two violas. Their 2024 debut album, Shapes in Collective Space (Bright Shiny Things), showcased this vision, featuring pieces by acclaimed composers inti figgis-vizueta and Leilehua Lanzilotti, among others. 

Now, Tallā Rouge is embarking on a new ambitious project—an album of commissioned works by LGBTQIA+ composers. Featuring artists such as India Gailey, Andrew Yee, Tanner Porter, Nicole Lizée, and Mason Bynes, this collection will amplify fresh, powerful voices in the ever-expanding world of duo viola music.

But commissioning alone isn’t enough to transform the viola duo landscape. Spaulding and Cheregosha know that truly shaping the future of duo viola requires more than just adding new pieces to the repertoire—it means fostering a community where composers and violists can collaborate, challenge, and inspire one another. With this vision in mind, they launched the Tallā Rouge International Composer Competition. What began five years ago as a casual call on social media—an open invitation for composers to write viola duo music inspired by personal and family history—quickly grew into something far bigger. The response at first was overwhelming: 75 submissions poured in, revealing a vast well of untapped creative potential within the world of duo viola music. 

Since then, the competition has grown exponentially, drawing ever more participants. This year alone, the competition generated over 135 new viola duo pieces— arguably more than the entire pre-existing repertoire. “The viola is finally being recognized as a truly virtuosic instrument in every way,” Spaulding says. “We hope this moment for viola duos mirrors what happened 200 years ago when Haydn helped establish the string quartet. These new commissions are not just expanding the repertoire. They’re showcasing the viola’s sound in ways that have never been explored before.”

The competition has drawn composers from countries around the world, including Armenia and Iran, some as young as age 12—a testament to its global reach and growing influence. Winners receive a high-quality recording of their piece performed by Tallā Rouge, along with a feature on Vox Novus’ Composer’s Voice TV show in New York City. To ensure these works reach a wider audience, Vox Novus also publishes the semifinalists’ scores online, making them freely available to viola duos worldwide. In 2025, Tallā Rouge will have the Princeton University–based composer Dan Trueman join the jury to help guide and mentor the next wave of viola duo composers.

The winning compositions can be characterized as interesting, genre-bending works that propel the viola duo into uncharted sonic landscapes, often infused with folk traditions from around the world. Beyond innovation, the entries that make it to the final round are deeply playable—a challenge, given that few of the composers are violists themselves. And the true test of a great duo piece isn’t just its excitement in the moment but its ability to become a lasting part of the repertoire, programmable for generations to come.

Successful compositions must also do more than just feature two violas; they must weave them together as a single, cohesive ensemble—two voices in seamless, authentic dialogue. “A lot of young composers get caught up in making something overly complex,” Spaulding says, advising budding composers interested in submitting a piece before the August 15, 2025 deadline. “But sometimes, the real beauty lies in simplicity—creating something that you would want to listen to, something that truly moves you.

“This [competition] opens the door for other instruments to embrace unique ensemble combinations. There are only so many string quartets we can have in the world,” Spaulding reflects. “As long as we continue to find great compositions, commission inspiring works, and collaborate with composers who push boundaries, the possibilities are endless.”