The XV International Tchaikovsky Competition is in full swing in Moscow, with the names of the pianists advancing to the second round having been announced. When Van Cliburn won the very first one in 1958, he turned the music world upside down, becoming the only classical musician to ever receive a ticker tape parade in New York City. Here he is on his return engagement in 1962.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7MAriotZyE
At that time, unless you were a member of the jury or audience, you would depend upon news reports to know the competition results. There was certainly no way to watch it in real time unless you were in attendance.
In today's world, results are known the world over instantaneously. As I write this, I am listening to "play-by-play and color" commentary, in both English and Russian, from the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. It is less like a contest of musical technique and performance and more like watching the playoffs and Super Bowl.
Between performances, much discussion takes place about the strengths and weaknesses of each contestant while an excited crowd begins filling the hall. Dmitry Masleev is about to perform on what is Monday evening in Moscow.
I have interviewed many musicians, with some of them being quite young. Some, like Gavin George from Granville OH, seem destined for the concert stage and unfazed by pressure, audiences, or expectations.
Others, not so much. I think of one young performer, whom I shall not name, who was a wonderful pianist, but was quite uncomfortable with the social aspect of being a professional musician. I found him interesting and enjoyed our conversations, but he was never going to be comfortable dealing with the interactions demanded of soloists today.
I was just watching pianists Dmitry Masleev as he was introduced. Where Van Cliburn dealt only with the audience, jury, and whatever personal demons he may have been battling internally, Masleev was standing in the wings while a camera captured his every move and expression. He nervously crossed himself three times before taking a deep breath and striding on stage.
The competition world now can begin much earlier. The Van Cliburn Foundation is now sponsoring a junior competition for young musicians ages 13-17. One of the contestants said, "it's more like a learning experience because every time I go to a big competition, I don't just expect to win anything or to do anything big, but all my peers, I learn so much from them, and I think that's why we compete."
Another stated, "I think it shouldn't be even quote "competing." We're just here to get experiences."
The parent of one competitor had this viewpoint. "(Observing) lesser-important, state competitions has shown me that they are extremely competitive and lead to a very tense environment.
With the Van Cliburn being somewhat of a Junior Olympics in importance, surely many of these participants go there to seriously compete and try to win. The pressure to do this may stem from themselves, their teacher, and/or parent, and can be very high. Some can obviously take this pressure well. Others, and sensitivity is a common characteristic of gifted children, will have a more difficult time.
They went on to say that the parent(s,) teacher, and pianist need to consider the pianist's personality and how they would react in this environment. If you assume they entered to win-not just for "the experience"- one has to decide if the reward and title are worth the youngster's stress and many months (even years for many students) of preparing the exact repertoire required versus continuing to learn new repertoire. Together they must decide which path will allow the student to maintain their the passion for music. If that is lost, was it worth it, since the vast majority never realize a performing career?
The competition, which began on June 22nd, has 23 contestants covering the entire age range. The four preliminary rounds, which wrapped up Monday, were followed by the quarterfinals beginning June 23rd. The finals are next Sunday.
Maybe a 16 or 17-year-old is ready for this, but what about the 13-year-old contestant? Is this too much too soon? I'd be interested in your thoughts.