Those who go into music do not need to be justified by the world. The obsession with music and performance is justification, not whether or not the world deems someone relevant. There will always be people who strive to be piano virtuosi, and to live off music, and their inner passion is reason enough.
That said, the current traditional mold (I say current because there have been traditional molds that precede ours) is probably no longer viable. Think of Van Cliburn, who goes to a top school, competes in an international competition, wins, and has a life-long career (or at least as long as he was interested in it). That just won't happen again.
The biggest mistake young pianists can make, in my opinion, is to try and imitate the career trajectory of past pianists. Every generation operates under different conditions, with different opportunities, and different possibilities.
These days one encounters young pianists who almost apologize for playing in competitions. For instance I heard and met a prizewinner from the Cleveland and Rubinstein competitions, who felt he had to explain that in order for a pianist to succeed, he "had to" play in competitions. Well, I didn't ask. But I still dispute his thesis.
In older days, a competition was a springboard to general success, it seems. But in these days, competition wins (one is never enough) are enough to succeed within a closed, self-perpetuating system, that incestuous three-headed monster of conservatories, competitions and festivals. Win some competitions, and then find yourself in a modest teaching post; judging other pianists in competitions; and going to summer festivals in rural Vermont or whatever.
For anyone to achieve a more popular success, that is a success outside the inner-circle of this particular music industry, a competition is a means, but not a necessary means by any stretch of the imagination.
Or to influence colleagues, to influence peers in their approach to music - what competition is necessary for that? To gain the respect of your colleagues, perhaps the most important thing in a career in music, takes much more than winning a competition, no matter how large. It takes real world achievement, a personal vision which resonates with public psyche, or affects the way people hear or perceive music in some way.
I always think of the anecdote of Brahms, who one afternoon was sitting outside the cafe enjoying his coffee. A theory professor from the Hochschule was passing by, and remarked that he wished he could enjoy his coffee in the afternoon. Brahms said, "Go back to work, earn the respect of your colleagues, and then you will deserve it." Or something to that effect.
I think because pianists generally know the sordid conditions under which competitions operate, one can rarely have a special respect for those that win them, because we know - it could have been anybody. There are times when pianists truly rise above the mire and stand out, but how often is that really?
Just some food for thoughts.
Walter Ramsey
Topic: Does the world really need another piano virtuoso ?