Violina Posted November 20, 2000 Report Share Posted November 20, 2000 It is time for this competition again! Five years have passed and on Sunday the first round began. I have had a look at the attending fiddlers list (www.siba.fi/sibeliuscompetition) and notice that participants come from 22 different countries with for example USA attending with 6 fiddlers and Finland with 5. The biggest number of contestants from one country (15 I think) comes from Japan! There is a recent doctorate work (don't know the proper term in English, the big stuff you do when you become Doctor in something) on the press writings and media attention in this contest and the writer claims that Asian fiddlers tend to easier get a worse review, being often said to play mechanically and without emotion etc. So the writer thinks the attitudes of the media hide racistic opinions. I was rather in awe for that, but then I am no expert. I have certainly heard this claim before but I haven't noticed any more mechanicality in Asian players than others. Anyone have an opinion on this? Usually this competition has brought out very talented young players who haven't yet hit the headlines, last time the winner was our own magnificent Pekka Kuusisto, and at least I am curious to see what happens this time! :-) Cheers, Violina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lydia Leong Posted November 20, 2000 Report Share Posted November 20, 2000 I wonder how Asian players do when they're auditioned behind a screen, as opposed to under other circumstances. Certainly we have more than our share of Asian superstars at the moment, especially young Asian females -- Midori, Sarah Chang, Yura Lee, etc. They seem to make particularly commercially-attractive prodigies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted November 20, 2000 Report Share Posted November 20, 2000 quote: Originally posted by Lydia Leong: Certainly we have more than our share of Asian superstars at the moment, especially young Asian females -- Midori, Sarah Chang, Yura Lee, etc. They seem to make particularly commercially-attractive prodigies. Norman Lebrecht ("Who Killed Classical Music") had some especially waspish (not WASPish) comments for this phenomenon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainyann Posted November 20, 2000 Report Share Posted November 20, 2000 Long Island certainly has its share of good young Asian players. In my son's youth orchestra all of the principals except for the bass are Asian. As a matter of fact there were no Asian bass players out of the 5. I have yet to see a young Asian male or female playing the bass. Is it also uncommon in other areas of the country? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric Posted November 20, 2000 Report Share Posted November 20, 2000 I just heard seven of the first round players, three japanese, two chinese and two europeans. I must say that the asian players seem to be on a very high level and I would say that there will be at least one chinese among the prize takers. I think the asian violinists had in the past some specific features like a bit thin and metallic sound in their playing, but that seems to be history. I just wonder how the jury can throw out 33 excellent violinists of the total 53 after the first round. It must be hard. They all seem to have excellent technical standard. So it must for the most be based on musical taste and most propably also on the quality of instruments as there seem to be huge differences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight_sweetie Posted November 21, 2000 Report Share Posted November 21, 2000 How do you get involved in it?? I was reading the songs they have to play and I have played most of em I think it would be pretty cool to enter it next time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violina Posted November 21, 2000 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2000 quote: Originally posted by starlight_sweetie: How do you get involved in it?? I was reading the songs they have to play and I have played most of em I think it would be pretty cool to enter it next time You have to contact the Sibelius Academy for that, the net page in www.siba.fi/sibeliuscompetition also has the rules but they're for this year and the next competition is only in five years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.