Competition on the Scales

The Sydney International Piano Competition of Australia, (SIPCA), has arrived and while listening to every note that has been either coaxed or demanded from the keys, I've been weighing up the pros and cons of competition.

"Music competitions are meant to identify the strongest young players and contribute to the establishment of their professional careers but are they necessary and do they really turn out the best performers?" This is an interesting question, and you'll find it at the Classic FM SIPCA website, (click on the title of this blog for the website link)

I've been looking forward to this prestigious competition all year, and I had not really thought about why until I came across the above question. I think one of the resons for all the excitment is the promise of all these young aspiring pianists coming to one place and providing a smorgasbord of entertainment and musical exploration. I love the fact that competitions entice contestants from all over the world to participate and consequentially bring their own culture with them to the stage through their music.

On the issue of whether competitions are a necessity in the development of future careers, I think they can be a starting point and a helpful key in getting yourself noticed. However, I do not believe that winning a prestigious award constitutes a definitive pathway to becoming a renowned and inspired musician. Music, for the most part, is a visceral expression of life. I believe it is the inexplicable need to express the varied elements of the human condition through music, that creates and nutures the true musician.

This process can take a whole lifetime, and it is inspiring to listen to both young and more mature performers, as you can get an idea of how interpretations evolve and change with the aquisition of life experience.

In weighing up competition, it is also necessary to think about all of the elements involved that are not so conducive to bringing out the best performances. 1. The pressure to play in a way that will impress the panel and ultimately win you a prize, rather than presenting personal interpretations of the compositions through the pure joy of making music 2. The thought that "I can't afford to make one glitch, because the person in front of me made no mistakes", or in other words "unnecessary noise". 3. The chance that you could come across a negative critique of your performance which throws you off. 4. Rivalry between competitors (although from what I've heard, the contestants for SIPCA were generously supportive of last minute changes in scheduling due to delayed flights). 5. Delayed flights.

So, where does competition lie on the balancing scales for me? Just now I'm listening to a fantastic performance from a pianist who I would not have heard of if it were not for SIPCA. However, the end results will hold little importance to me. In other words, "the competition" is meaningless, as what is important to me is the music being made and how it speaks to me in the moment.