Just wondering how many PW members are planning on competing in the Cliburn Amateur?? I heard yesterday that I was accepted. Really excited about being there!!

Congrats, Judy!!!!

BTW: me2

But I think it's best to wait on saying too much, because of people who haven't yet heard, but will.
Because I've 'been there' myself.....and I know how it is. I really worried when other people starting talking about it.

So, I would wait till the official notification date (Apr. 1) before celebrating too much. Just my $0.02....

Congratulations, Judy! What are you programming for the three rounds (there is, of course, no question you'll make it to the finals!)?

Incidentally, what is Seth doing these days? I remember talking with him after the first round -- said he was SO nervous before going on-stage. He played the Chopin Scherzo No 2 very well, though; and, if I recall, did make the 2nd round.

Cliburn people - please let me know when the competition nears. I would LOVE to make a sticky topic or two so we can hear more about the competition from those participating or attending.

And congrats to musica!

Congratulations to both Judy and Mark!

Seth played the Beethoven 4th Concerto in Montreal in Nov. I don't know how he did it, it was really great. And ...yes Mark, I guess it is best to wait until Apr. 1. I was just so excited! I am doing things I am really comfortable with...I just want to be there to experience it.

May I add my congratulations too.

One question: What kind of qualifications are there to complete? What level? How advanced? How prepared? (Just dreaming).

Just go on their website Cliburn.org....it is all there. Different Competitions have different ideas as to what an Amateur is. It is all spelled out in the guidelines.

I think they are defining "Amateur" in a rather vague way- so music degrees are okay- as long as those with music degrees have day jobs in another profession. They seemed to suggest that potential competitors are quite serious about their music...and not "dabblers" as quoted on their webpage.

I wish anyone who enters the very best!

There's always some controversy surrounding the definition of "amateur," and yes, many of the "amateurs" who compete are able to maintain a more rigorous performance/practice schedule than some university music professors I know. (And, to be honest, it shows!)

I believe that they will post the performances to their youtube station. I am very much looking forward to viewing & listening to the performances- I find this to be so inspiring!

Depending on the universities, if from big name universities known for their piano program, those professors can beat the amateurs at any time even though they do not practice as much as these amateurs. Their past experiences will not disappear just because they do not practice enough. They had enough flying hours where real amateurs do not have.

Do you consider people who graduated from Moscow Conservatory amateur? or people who had competed in a big professional competition such as Van Cliburn be considered an amateur too? To me, those people are not amateur, regardless what the do now. If you consider these people are amateur, should we also consider John McEnroe or Chris Evert amateur too, for they do not make money from tennis anymore.

So far the real amateur piano competition is the one in Texas organized by the Houston Chopin Society. The other amateur competitions appears to be a gathering place for ex-piano major students who stop pursuing piano as their profession for any reasons. Even though, lately, many more non piano major people have joined the competition for fun, however, the winners generally had some kind of advance piano education.

They do not need to have a job. As long as they do not make substantial amount of money from piano (how we prove this?, I do not know). We cannot prevent people from wanting to win....If one could not win in the professional level, and this person wants to win badly, one will enter the amateur competitions. Nothing, we can do, unless the organizers are really strict in preventing these people. Organizers want the competition that they organize appear to be a tough one too to increase the prestige. If they do not allow piano major people, the quality of the competition will decline.

There are non piano major people who can play big pieces, but how many? very few. Non piano major people, generally, can play only short pieces, early advance level, and usually cannot not play well too. Some of non piano major people tried to play big pieces, usually end up with unsatisfactory quality. I forgot who said this "We know that they are amateur, because they play pieces that are beyond their capability"

Anyway, it is ok...everybody has different goals, some join the competition for fun and gathering. It is totally fun to hang out with people who have the same hobby, and more importantly friendship too. Some join to win.

You make some arguably-good points, but this thing isn't so, Ronald. There have always been many such people in these competitions, and there continue to be, and I doubt that the proportion has changed significantly. (And if it has changed, it's not clear in which direction.)

Is there any news yet on who is participating?

I saw on the web page that participants would be notified by today.

I believe they will be publishing the list of Competitors with a short bio and mug shot soon. I also believe that people CAN play the big works well without a degree....what about Ricker Choi (AWESOME) who was 2nd in Berlin, or Thang Dinh?? Also a degree from a famous school does not ensure one's ability years later. My degree is as old as the hills and many of my friends (who do not have music degrees) now study with top teachers in big Metropolitan areas. If you live in a small town this is difficult without much travel expense, etc. Surely an advanced degree from Julliard or Eastman is a big accomplishment and indicates a high level of ability but there are exceptions.

BTW, Judy -- now that it's the official notification date, I think we can celebrate openly.

YAY, WE'RE IN!!

Congrats! I'm excited for both of you.

Once again Mark C.
In competition will be
At the Van Cliburn.

Cool!
And I'm afraid you're 'forcing' me to link to some of our other Haikus.


(And Judy
Also known as
Musica seventy
One, will be making her Cliburn
Debut!)

BTW: That's called a "cinquain."

Congrats to Judy and Mark!!!

Yay for the Cliburn. Mucho competition and scary people. But super duper fun. I heard some of the contestants play from last year on youtube and I was thinking, Yikes! You haven't played in thirty years? That's Ravel Jeux D'eau.

Some of them play better than professional's. It is truly scary. Hope you do fantastically Judy and Mark.

Congratulations to both of you. I'm an advanced amateur myself, but doing something like that is a little over my head.

To others who have stated that amateurs are somehow necessarily below the level of pros and high-level teachers, of course that's true generally, but there can be exceptions. Case in point: Jon Nakamatsu, who was probably the inspiration for the amateur competition in the first place.

Theoretically, it's possible. An amateur might well have the time and resources to fanatically pursue the art of piano performance, even more so than most teachers or pros, and that combined with good instruction could still push someone over the top.

Not that I mean to sound defensive as an amateur...

I know an old friend from college who is going this year, Chris Shih. We used to play silly duets for fun in the common room at school as there were two grands sitting together that we could play on. Perhaps, I could make it there myself in 10 years or so if I practiced and studied a whole lot more.

Good luck to those going!

He probably has to be considered the 'favorite' to win the competition. Of course you never know, but.....he has already won a few other amateur competitions, including the one in Paris, and he won the first Cliburn youtube contest which got him free entry to this one (as if he needed that).

He's excellent, and a great guy too.

Congratulations Judy and Mark !!

I wish you the best at the competition.

For me (I don't have any kind of degree in music) the main handicap is the lack of performing experience (controlling nerves on stage) and also the necessary practicing time.

With a full time day job I really just don't have enough time to get my pieces to competition level. I am not even convinced with the recordings I have posted, and I have received comments such as "why post something on internet if it is not ready".

Since Cliburn is held every four years, I very much wanted to enter this year's competition, but because of the above facts and other family related reasons, I didn't apply to the Cliburn.

But, hey, I have four years now to practice. That is fair I think even for a real amateur like me.

I'll add my congrats to Judy and Mark!!! Good luck and have tons of fun.

Thanks, Peyton! And BTW.....I see that your website doesn't yet list your 'shows' for this year. Coming soon I hope, or are you taking a season 'off'?

Thank you for all of the good wishes. I just figure that as long as this is every 4 years I 'd better get cracking! I look forward to just being there and absorbing the experience. I would be ECSTATIC to make the semi's. I just hope my nerves aren't too debilitating. Always a worry! Therefore I am starting with very comfortable things (and let the chips fall where they may!).