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It struck me quite a long time ago that I wonder if there is anyone who digs deeply into evaluating how competitions work, how well (or badly) they are run, if judges seem fair and reliable, and so on. As many of us young musicians end up going to some of them, we sometimes discover a bit too late that certain things seem to be made up in advance, that a competition does not adhere to its own rules etc etc - I have seen all of this in the past, and more. Many times have I thought that there SHOULD exist some sort of network for young musicians, exchanging information and experiences, both good and bad. I have also at times thought that revealing certain dealings of jury members to the public would be a very just thing to do. What is everyone's thoughts on the matter?

Hi, fnork! Well, first of all, congratulations are in order -- those that have listened to your recordings are certainly not totally surprised by this turn of events. And, the left-hand Concerto is IMO one of Ravel's best works, if not in fact his very best, and so it's great to hear that this is your tour "vehicle".

I can only respond to your query in very general terms: since there now seem to be just SO MANY competitions available, and that competition participation is an increasingly necessary component to a career in piano performance, the time probably IS ripe to provide a compendium of assessments for each competition's focus and expectation. I don't think aspiring pianists have the luxury to waste time and energy on competitions not pitched to his/her strengths, and I think it IS possible to provide specific information regarding this -- or, if a given competition seems inconsistent and/or political -- to provide THAT assessment. Who's going to compile this? I don't know -- but it feels like that needs to come predominantly from the network of the aspiring pianists themselves.

CONGRATS!!

Big congrats -- and really, you shouldn't 'hide' it like that!

I kind of feel the same way as Tim - this probably can be done simply by young pianists themselves, creating a network of some sort. A pianist friend of mine participated in making a movie about competitions, I know endless amounts of pianists who have taken part - this could be a good start...

Congratulations! That should be a lot of fun. How long is the "tour?"





I am currently heading a committee that organizes a small scholarship audition, so I can tell you that the issues that you raise are the same ones we grapple with. And this is just a small event for ages 12-19.

We are working to ensure that our judges have no conflicts, that our rules are clear to the applicants and to the judges, and that we follow them transparently. Fairness is important. We must act fairly, and the process must be perceived as fair. That's essential for drawing the best applicants into the event.

Sounds very good that you're in the committee then, considering how dedicated you are to transparency and fairness! I have seen the opposite so many times in competitions, and I'm getting tired. Also in smaller events, like how local scholarships are being handed out. I know a case where smaller scholarships were given out by one academy, ranging from 700 to 2500 euros. Only one student (a violinist) got the sum 2500 euros, and she was at that time in a relationship with her teacher (a young and newly appointed teacher), who together with HIS teacher were mainly responsible for selecting who gets scholarships among the violinists in the school...

That's called …. corruption.

We have $6,000 to $7,000 to give out, plus a summer camp scholarship to a great program. We spread the money rather than concentrating it on a big winner, and we want professional judges who are from a bit outside of our geography, so that they do not know the students or most of the teachers. In addition, the students come on stage without being named. As far as the judges are concerned, they have a number only. That's why it's really helpful to get judges who do not know the area.