2016 Cliburn Amateur Competitors Announced

[kawai_cs]

https://www.cliburn.org/competitions/amateur-competition/competitors/?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Aprile-Notes&utm_content=version_A

Ok, go ahead and confess who of you has made it this year?  

[briansaddleback]

https://www.cliburn.org/competitions/amateur-competition/competitors/?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Aprile-Notes&utm_content=version_A

Ok, go ahead and confess who of you has made it this year?  

I know of Gordon Cheng he is an excellent pianist and won some local competitions around here. He used to work w an engineering acquaintance of mine at my current work they are friends he told me lot about him.

[ajlongspiano]

I'm friends with Robert Seppy. He's a wonderful guy and his piano playing is more than worthy of this competition. How have you been, Kawai? 

Best,

AJ

[kawai_cs]

Very good AJ. Slowly (very) but surely working my way to becoming a virtuoso;-)
How are you doing?

[ajlongspiano]

I'm doing well! Thank you for asking. I haven't been playing piano much lately because I've been studying for a huge exam. Hopefully, I'll be able to post some more recordings in the audition room soon.

Best,

AJ

[mjames]

I feel your pain. Ive skipped like 3days of practice now, have a differential equations test ;( ;(;( ;(

Holy crap, ive seen like recordings of past competitions and most of these guys beast.

[bronnestam]

I decided to try to enter next time this competition is hold.

I am aware it will be very difficult but at least it is a fun goal which will help me to stay motivated and hopefully will make my practice a bit more structured. I have very little hope of qualifying in the end, but just to be able to make an application would be great to me.

I have understood that most applicants have studied piano and taken exams in the past, which makes me question whether they are really to be regarded as real amateurs. I took a Master of Science degree in Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering in 1990, and I have never worked a day since in this particular field. Still, if there was a contest for "amateur physicists", I would not be allowed to apply, because my exam cannot be undone! 

[kawai_cs]

Good idea! Depending on my progress in next years I would like to participate in an amateur competition too but not this particular one. I think a lot of almost professionals are participating in Cliburn Amateur. Strange rules but what can we do. This sets the bar much higher for us!
For this one you have plenty of time to prepare because next one is going to be in 2020.

Great thing about it is that you can also qualify if you win Amateur Video Contest:
https://www.cliburn.org/competitions/amateur-competition/amateur-video-contest/

Preparing for this alone is a good goal. Maybe I will do this too

[briansaddleback]

Good idea! Depending on my progress in next years I would like to participate in an amateur competition too but not this particular one. I think a lot of almost professionals are participating in Cliburn Amateur. Strange rules but what can we do. This sets the bar much higher for us!
For this one you have plenty of time to prepare because next one is going to be in 2020.

Great thing about it is that you can also qualify if you win Amateur Video Contest:
https://www.cliburn.org/competitions/amateur-competition/amateur-video-contest/

Preparing for this alone is a good goal. Maybe I will do this too

If you enter I'll be in the bleachers shouting "WOO HOO!!" holding a big sign that says "KAWAI_CS RULES!!"

And yell out "DAM STRAIGHT!" after you nail every piece, immediately after the final note.


Hopefully that will sway the judges in a simulated home-court advantage for you.

[kawai_cs]

  Sounds good to me. I just hope you don't get arrested

[keniisaka]

The definition of an "amateur" from professionals has always been a controversial one. In the past, there were former professionals who gave up a professional career for a non-performance career, and many competitors had a performance degree or two, with an aspiration for a concertizing career.

However, far from everyone had an advanced performance degree from a conservatory, and many with advanced performance degrees didn't advance far. In the last two iteration of the Cliburn Amateur (formerly IPCOA) the level was all over the place.

But, the competition has helped relaunch a music teaching career for some past participants, and even a modest performance career for some. If the competition helped reignite passion for music, or even relaunch a career, all is good. But no one will go on building an international, full-time career from winning an amateur competition.

I felt a sense of camaraderie among us. From every iteration emerge several new couples, and I met my partner there in 2011, as well. If the competition reignited passion not only for music, but for love, what's not to like?

No professional pianist would gain any prestige by participating in this competition. It helped some competitors to return to music, or enhance their avocational music career.

This is my third time to participate . I was not expecting to advance as far as I did in the past years, and I was seriously ill-prepared in 2011. I am taking a more deliberate approach in my preparation, with a far more conservative (but not quite mainstream) repertoire that is well within my abilities and comfort zone.

[kawai_cs]

Oh, congratulations!:-) It must be a really exciting time for you now preparing for your 3rd Cliburn competition already! I guess you didn't want to say what you would be performing, otherwise you would have written it, but maybe you could reveal at least for the final round, which concerto have you chosen?
So are there a lot of socializing opportunities and events while competition? Or is everybody paying more attention to focus on practicing? How is the atmosphere between the competitors? Just curious:-)

[keniisaka]

Thanks.

Those who remember me from 2007 and 2011 will be shocked that there will be no Alkan, and there will be no Kapustin. However, Medtner, Ravel, Scriabin and Beethoven return:

Preliminary: Ravel Sonatine
Quarter-final: Messiaen Prélude No.1: La Colombe / Scriabin Sonata No.5, Op.53 / Medtner Forgotten Melodies: Danza Rustica, Op.38 No.5
Semi-final: Beethoven Sonata No.32, Op.111
Final: Mozart Concerto in E-flat, K.271: Presto

I am better prepared than the previous competitions, in a way that everything is now at the performance level, well in advance of the competition. I've already played much of the repertoire in public in the last year and have learned much from recordings. In 2011, I remember going back to the practice room trying to learn a few more pages, after learning that I was among the finalists, which I was not expecting.

[kawai_cs]

Very nice and diversified program that you have prepared. Have fun performing it and good luck to you!

[briansaddleback]

Sounds good to me. I just hope you don't get arrested

I'm a kawai_cs groupie.

[reiyza]

Is it just me or are the competitors all adults and no young adults or teens? Or maybe my eyes just skipped past them. Then again, it is an amateur competition after all. I also want to enter in my late 30's.  Hopefully I can. Fingers Crossed.

[kawai_cs]

You can participate if you are at least 35 if I can remember properly. I think it is pretty fair. There is another amateur competition they announced here on PS, I guess in St. Petersburg, where even 18 year olds can participate. How can one tell they are amateurs?

[visitor]

I am a living room concert pianist. I hope there is a compeition for me 

[kawai_cs]

Meet you at the next Cliburn! Who else signs up?
Disclaimer: or it might be one or two after the next one as far as I am concerned

[mjames]

visitor is too young
still watches anime and plays final fantasy (im on to you, you nerd xDDDDDDDD)

[kawai_cs]

Oh, you have a new signature

[rachmaninoff_forever]

The requirements to enter these competitions are ridiculous

I remember I read the requirements for one big name competition and they were like 'we need four newspaper articles about your concerto performances'

FOUR

FOUR

FOUR newspaper articles!!!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

FOUR

Newspaper articles!!!

[kawai_cs]

FOUR

Newspaper articles!!!

I assume paid content wouldn't do?
Seriously, how pretentious is that?!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I assume paid content wouldn't do?
Seriously, how pretentious is that?!

If you look at the resumes of some of these competeteteteetetetors it's ridiculous.

Like you guys are already famous and successful give the small fry a chance!

[reiyza]

If you look at the resumes of some of these competeteteteetetetors it's ridiculous.

Like you guys are already famous and successful give the small fry a chance!

What's up with the resumés? The competitors are all successful in life.?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

What's up with the resumés? The competitors are all successful in life.?

They've all won like 50 different competitions, performed all over the world with 20 different orchestras, played every piece ever even the ones that haven't been composed yet etc.

[kawai_cs]

SEVENTH CLIBURN INTERNATIONAL
AMATEUR PIANO COMPETITION

June 19–25, 2016

Watch online live at Cliburn.org.

[ffchopinist]

Who else watched the videos online this year, and what do you all think about this year's finalists and winner?

Any standout performances that anyone particularly enjoyed?

etc