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I guess I might as well say which one I am... My initials are JBC.
They have a typo in my program though... the wrong book (and BWV #) for the Bach P&F... so I emailed. I'm pretty sure I didn't send in the BWV #... at least I hope not. I hope it wasn't my mistake. Some of the other pieces were listed a little differently from how I wrote them, and I never used a BWV # in the past when writing out the title of that piece. I guess there's no way to tell, unless someone can tell me how to see my submitted online application (but it doesn't look like there's a way to do that.) Hopefully there's time for it to be fixed before they print the booklets. I assume there will be some kind of program booklet.
So anyway... now I guess you know who I am... in case anybody even cared to know. Looking forward to meeting PW forumites in Fort Worth!
The competitors' bios and programs are online now. I've enjoyed reading everyone's bios & repertoire lists.
So JBC, whoever you are (JK ), did you notice the other information they shared - which I'm not very happy about BTW: "We have decided not schedule specific practice times but instead to open up the Practice Rooms on a first-come, first-serve [sic] basis." I guess it's going to be Black Friday all over again in the practice building. I hope I don't get trampled!
Seriously, though, this practicing arrangement doesn't seem like something that will just organize itself . . .
I have a tiny connection with one of the contestants. She came to my little corner of the world and gave a house concert and I tuned the piano. Very impressive performance. One of the things she played was a Haydn sonata, and she had the music copied and reduced so much that I could just barely read it if I held it close to my nose. I guess it was just enough to give her a bit of added confidence.
I heard her perform in another recital too, with a group of piano teachers (she is not a teacher). I'm sure the performance experience is a good thing to prepare for these competitions. I'm pretty sure she has competed before.
Small world - I'll be pulling for her! Well, for everyone, actually.
I am staying at the Worthington Renaissance, aka the "official hotel of the Cliburn."
When I tried to make reservations a week ago, they couldn't find any information on it at all. ("Is that C-L-Y-B-O-U-R-N-E?") (Even after I spelled it, they didn't see it.)
Anyway, yesterday I succeeded in making my reservations but was still asked... "Cliburn... is that with a 'C' or a 'K'?"
I guess not everyone has heard of Van Cliburn...
This is so funny! The "c"/"k" thing reminds me of a Facebook post with a picture of a Starbucks cup. The customer said his name was "Marc" with a "c". The Starbucks person had written "Cark" on the cup!
This is why you always just tell them your name is John. That they can't get wrong.
This is why you always just tell them your name is John. That they can't get wrong.
On my bucket list, some day I want to tell them that my name is "Shmendrick." When they ask me how to spell it, I'll just say I don't know, it's a nickname.
I know that this doesn't seem like anything, but I have to tell you, I crack up just thinking of it every time I go.
The competitors' bios and programs are online now. I've enjoyed reading everyone's bios & repertoire lists.
So JBC, whoever you are (JK ), did you notice the other information they shared - which I'm not very happy about BTW: "We have decided not schedule specific practice times but instead to open up the Practice Rooms on a first-come, first-serve [sic] basis." I guess it's going to be Black Friday all over again in the practice building. I hope I don't get trampled!
Seriously, though, this practicing arrangement doesn't seem like something that will just organize itself . . .
[I've posted this one before, but--hey--some of my best material!]
In every music school, there's always that one practice room with a wonky folding chair for a bench, a flickering light overhead, dried vomit on the carpet below, having an upright with a broken music desk (so that you have to test memory when you least want to), sharing walls with a trumpet player (already arrived for a brass camp next month) blasting next door on one side, and the men's room on the other--WHOOSH!
And guess which room will be the only one left for you on the day of round one! 😀
This is why you always just tell them your name is John. That they can't get wrong.
On my bucket list, some day I want to tell them that my name is "Shmendrick." When they ask me how to spell it, I'll just say I don't know, it's a nickname.
I know that this doesn't seem like anything, but I have to tell you, I crack up just thinking of it every time I go.
The competitors' bios and programs are online now. I've enjoyed reading everyone's bios & repertoire lists.
So JBC, whoever you are (JK ), did you notice the other information they shared - which I'm not very happy about BTW: "We have decided not schedule specific practice times but instead to open up the Practice Rooms on a first-come, first-serve [sic] basis." I guess it's going to be Black Friday all over again in the practice building. I hope I don't get trampled!
Seriously, though, this practicing arrangement doesn't seem like something that will just organize itself . . .
I didn't see that. Did it come in an email? Makes me glad my first round pieces aren't technically difficult.
Interesting finding - I saw Bach Capriccio from C-minor Partita, the one you decided not to play, is being programmed by someone else (Marisa Haines). Two other people will play "Sinfonia" from the same Partita.
After a quick glance of everyone's program, I feel the overall program this time are not as diverse as 2011, meaning certain pieces are being programmed a lot by different people - like Chopin Ballade No.3 and Liszt Un Sospiro (in 2011 it was Ballade No.1) Also I noticed some people are stretching the time limit on the first round (I am pretty sure Ballade No.4 is longer than 10 minutes).
"We have decided not schedule specific practice times but instead to open up the Practice Rooms on a first-come, first-serve [sic] basis."
Seriously, though, this practicing arrangement doesn't seem like something that will just organize itself . . .
I didn't see that. Did it come in an email? Makes me glad my first round pieces aren't technically difficult.
Yes, from Talia, the one where she asks us to review the bios and repertoire.
I see that email with the attached bios, but I don't see anything about practice times in it... I also didn't get an email asking me to review my repertoire. I remember being asked to submit any changes I wanted to make, but I never saw a list. I will go check again!
Yes, I noticed all the Un Sospiros, as I'm one of them. Oh well!
My program got fixed. They've got me as Book I now. But I called anyway because I'm wondering if I am not getting some emails. I can't find anything in any email about the practice rooms being first-come, first-served.
Lots of Chopin Barcarolle too - As an audience, I personally don't mind these pieces being played by many people. Just not sure how I would feel if I was one of the people who actually plays these pieces, knowing my playing will be immediately compared to other people's performances....
Lots of Chopin Barcarolle too - As an audience, I personally don't mind these pieces being played by many people. Just not sure how I would feel if I was one of the people who actually plays these pieces, knowing my playing will be immediately compared to other people's performances....
I can only speak for myself, but I don't think it bothers me too much. There's something to be appreciated in all different interpretations.
Although I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if we wound up with 6 Schumanns in the finals... Out of curiosity, I just did a tally of the concerto selections. 16 Schumanns. By far, the most popular choice. Beethoven 3rd (1st mvt) was next, with 10.
Believe it or not, I do have a life and should probably get back to it, rather than counting...
although I am curious to know how many Un Sospiros there are now, if anyone else feels like counting.
The competitors' bios and programs are online now. I've enjoyed reading everyone's bios & repertoire lists.
So JBC, whoever you are (JK ), did you notice the other information they shared - which I'm not very happy about BTW: "We have decided not schedule specific practice times but instead to open up the Practice Rooms on a first-come, first-serve [sic] basis." I guess it's going to be Black Friday all over again in the practice building. I hope I don't get trampled!
Seriously, though, this practicing arrangement doesn't seem like something that will just organize itself . . .
So they've now backed off the practice free-for-all idea because various people - including me - complained about it. Democracy at work, y'all!
....After a quick glance of everyone's program, I feel the overall program this time are not as diverse as 2011, meaning certain pieces are being programmed a lot by different people - like Chopin Ballade No.3 and Liszt Un Sospiro (in 2011 it was Ballade No.1) Also I noticed some people are stretching the time limit on the first round (I am pretty sure Ballade No.4 is longer than 10 minutes)....
Yes -- the F minor Ballade takes longer than that unless you play the whole thing Presto.
The reason for all the 3rd Ballades and Barcarolles (etc.) is the short time limit. 10 minutes is much more limiting than 12.
I noticed some people are stretching the time limit on the first round (I am pretty sure Ballade No.4 is longer than 10 minutes).
Yes, it seems like a couple of people are definitely pushing the envelope. You're right about the ballade. I checked two recordings at random, Ashkenazy and Lugansky, and they're both almost exactly 11 minutes. A more striking example is Marco Di Marzio:
Preliminary Round SCARLATTI Sonata in B Minor, K. 27 GRANADOS "Los requiebros" from Goyescas, op. 11
So if you look at the combination of performances of the Scarlatti below, you'll see that only Michelangeli plays it under 3 minutes - and not by much. So basically, Marco has 7 minutes tops to play Los requiebros, which takes Alicia de Larrocha 8 minutes and 41 seconds. And trust me, Alicia does not play it slowly. Not going to happen IMO, even if he runs to the piano, doesn't pause between the pieces, and runs offstage at the end like a faster version of Usain Bolt.
About the Ballade, I'm guessing he's planning to do what you were almost nearly gonna do with the Bach.... Good luck to him with that. He may come to his proverbial senses between now and then and modify his 1st round program.
About the other guy: I'm guessing he won't take the repeats in the Scarlatti, which would make it about a minute and a half, which could work -- but it might require the same as the above, which I don't think will end well.
), did you notice the other information they shared - which I'm not very happy about BTW: "We have decided not schedule specific practice times but instead to open up the Practice Rooms on a first-come, first-serve [
