Best of luck in '16 then, Sparkler But be sure to bring your "A-game". That is one tough competition.

Does one really have an advantage over the other? They both had excellent and intense training, and they both probably lack time to practice at present.

There are grey areas here too. What about the person who just has a minor in music, or who once accompanied and doesn't anymore, or who once played a concerto with the community orchestra?

I object to this post on the grounds it is insulting to bulldogs...

Along with me (already mentioned...Equitater, on youtube, Liszt addict is there....white tee shirt, Liebestraum. Sorry, I don't know how to lift the url code.

Thank you for the info.
I very much enjoyed the Chopin Nocturne and that Schimmel sounds fantastic too.
Also I recall a a wonderful version of Bach_Busoni Chaconne posted by Listaddict.
Really very fine pianists around here. I wish the best for all.

Brilliant Hakki!

Kreisler, i believe Vladimir Awesomeovich is not teaching anymore. Apparently Richard Kastle sued him for faking the last bars of HR in his masterclasses.

Hakki - very nice to see you in the contest too!

Now we can see some faces behind the nicks.

Sorry about that. I humbly apologize to all the canines and to lovers of all forms of canidae who might have felt slighted by my insensitive analogy.

P*D, I bet you just started that whole criticizing-the-bulldog thing to distract our attention from this pun.

Hakki, I don't normally watch the classical videos because I don't feel I can offer an educated opinion... but your "Mephisto Waltz" was amazing.

Well hallelujah, somebody finally got it!

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... actually, others may have gotten it, but were probably shaking their heads in disbelief and dismay.


BTW, can anybody just enter this contest by sending in a video? I haven't bothered to look it up.

As far as you fulfill their requirements about being an amateur, you haven't won any previous Cliburn Youtube contest, you are 35 or older and your submitted video is approved, then, yes, I think so.

Piano*Dad,

Here's the Eligibility requirements and Rules:Note, however, that submissions for this year closed on the 2nd of Novemeber.

Ed

I just got my ballot through e-mail. Lots of videos to plow through.

Great playing Hakki!!!

Hello!! I just joined here and was very glad to find your post. I had seen/heard your Mephisto Waltz on there (I at least looked at all of them.......I'm on there too) and was very impressed. One can tell from the very first bar that this is going to be an energetic, spirited performance. It's very exciting, full of momentum. Good luck!
BTW......link to my video (Scriabin 9th sonata):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ySs4aQ8f3U&feature=PlayList&p=5093B44F7AEC37D6&index=0

Are any other members here in the contest?
(I guess there must be since you said "as well" ......I'll do my homework and go check.)

.....OK, there we go -- I see that EQUITATER is a member here too.
(Hi Judi! If you're looking.......)

I think I'd rather be 2 years too young in 2011 too.

P.S. The F# minor polonaise is one of my favorites too.....just played it at the competition in Warsaw and didn't do too bad with it.

Although I see that your view isn't too popular here, I agree with you completely in theory. But, speaking as a "real amateur" who has been the route in these amateur competitions and has often 'suffered' at the hands of the quasi-amateurs, I think you're being too harsh. It's extremely hard to know where to draw the line. I mean, I don't think anybody would question that I'm a "real" amateur (no conservatory training, no piano degree, didn't major in piano) but I've been playing all my life, I've given concerts, and I practice several hours a day when I'm getting ready for a performance. PLUS -- and theoretically this isn't any kind of point but I can't help feeling that it counts -- I've ENJOYED AND APPRECIATED the presence of the higher-trained pianists at these competitions. Some of them have become good friends, so I suppose I can't be objective, but I can tell you for sure that being among them has helped me elevate my playing and my whole level with music, in addition to enriching my life with a whole new type of acquaintances. I can honestly say that I'd rather not get past the 1st round in such a field than to win a competition that is restricted to people like me.
But I'm glad to see that this issue is being discussed here -- and indeed I do think SOME of the amateur competitions are too loose in their definition. But I'll save that for another time......

Anybody else here besides Equitater in it too?
(Are YOU perhaps?)

Hi Mark. Welcome to Piano World. In case you haven't figured out who I am behind this nick, *hint* I was the one (in white jacket) playing Polonaise and Nocturne at 10 am in Warsaw.

Here is LisztAddict. Another excellent performance!! http://www.youtube.com/user/VanCliburnFoundation#p/c/5093B44F7AEC37D6/12/AG3rtfHzG9c

COOL!! May I say your name or are you purposely being "anonymous"?
Anyway......for now I'll just say that it seems IRONIC that you chose something about LISZT for your nick, because from what I could ever tell from your playing, it would seem that your role models are more like Chopin.
I'll never forget how beautifully you set the tone for the event in Warsaw. Your G minor Polonaise and C-sharp minor Nocturne were heavenly.

Yup -- I know him well!

P.S. Maybe to share with everybody a little more about your story in Warsaw (and also just because I'll enjoy saying it) .......

When we're at a competition, of course we're mainly wrapped up in our own success or failure. But I have to say, at the Warsaw competition I was so moved by LisztAddict's performance that it sort of became something personal for me, to the point that I became very much focused on his progress as well; I would have been truly hurt if he didn't meet with success. He had a tough assignment: he was the very 1st person to play. Besides the fact that this is a tough spot to have at any competition, there was a larger aspect to it because this was the first-ever amateur competition there, and like all such things, it was sort of an experiment. I mean, WHO KNEW how we amateurs would be? Would our performances be worthy of this setting of the renowned professional Chopin competition?

So, LisztAddict was the lead-off man. All eyes were on him. And he immediately put any doubt to rest. This was not just fine playing, it was SPECIAL playing. The G minor polonaise, a rare and early Chopin piece of haunting beauty, was a perfect way to start the event, and he played it as a beautifully melancholy jewel -- really, PERFECT Chopin playing. He enabled us all to be proud, and he set the tone for us to play our best and to feel part of a very special event.

BTW.......how about a thread on this also in the "Piano Concerts Recitals and Competitions" section.....I'm going to start one up over there. Please feel free to come on there too!

In here, I am just LisztAddict. Not that I don't love playing Chopin music but I had to submit at least a piece by Liszt to keep up with my nick.

I must say the Chopin competition was a scary, exciting, wonderful, and very memorable experience. The scary part was going there with a big unknown - can we play Chopin music up to their expectation? But at the end, I really think we all did quite well. Everyone made a special contribution to the event.

Hi Mark!



Yeah, LisztAddict's playing was brilliant. But yours was too, Mark! I enjoyed your performances A LOT, and so did my friends listening with me. I hope to see you in three years in Warsaw again!

By the way, welcome to the Piano Forum!

Just one side thought - you can always edit your posts to add some new lines without the need to post another message

Have fun and enjoy your stay here!
Mateusz

Thank you, Mateusz!
And, pardon my having to ask this, but.....Did I meet you? I don't recall any competitors with your name!!
I am so sorry if we did meet and that I just don't remember.

I hope VERY much to be able to participate in the Chopin competition in 3 years. Very very much. I asked Mr. Ossowski whether it is "definite" that the event will be held again in 2012, and actually this led to an extremely interesting conversation. He is such a learned and gracious gentleman!

By the way......my family lived in Lodz briefly in 1945 (i.e. before I was born). Needless to say it was a difficult time.....

LisztAddict and Mark... are there any online videos or recordings of you playing in the Chopin Competition?