SOUND ADVICE
Six winners give their tips for aspiring competition laureates
LUCA BURATTO Pianist
Winner, Honens Competition, Calgary (2015); Third Prize, International Robert Schumann Competition, Zwickau (2012)
‘The most important thing is to find the right competition to fit you, as they are all different in terms of repertoire, format and so on – so, for instance, if you are not a Chopin specialist, it’s really not worth entering the International Chopin Piano Competition. Then, the challenge is to work out the repertoire that really shows who you are as a performer – the most important thing when competing is to be sincere and then to communicate that.
‘You must also make sure you are strong in that repertoire too. What I found useful before Honens was that I took part in a summer music festival and got a chance to rehearse the repertoire. This was important for the chamber music part of the competition where you are playing with others – having just two hours to rehearse a difficult piece like the Hindemith Viola Sonata would never have been enough.’
EBÈNE QUARTET String Quartet
Winner of the ARD International Music Competition, Munich (2004)
‘When we won the ARD International Music Competition, we did our best to play as if we were in a concert’ [says violinist Gabriel Le Magadure]. ‘You have to show your personality. I don’t understand it when people say that you have to play in a certain way in competitions – technically perfect and with not too much expression. If you’re a judge, you surely want to see the light in a performer’s eyes, the power in their heart and what they will do on stage in the future if you give them the first prize.
‘As a competitor, you have to make the competition the main focus of your attention at that particular time. When we first entered the ARD, I remember that we had a lot of concerts and Pierre [Colombet], the first violin, and I were not focusing on it as much as we should. Thankfully, my viola and cello colleagues told us that, if we wanted to win, we really had to concentrate on it.’
OLGA KERN Pianist
Gold Medal, Van Cliburn International
Piano Competition, Forth Worth (2001)
‘The most important advice would be to practise – when you come on stage it needs to be 200 per cent. You must be sure of your interpretation because competitions involve so much stress. For the Van Cliburn, I practised for almost 20 hours a day. This is why I won. But practice isn’t just about the hands – it’s about finding the right sound and the right interpretation.
‘I never played for the judges. I always performed for the audience – it was like a concert every time. There are so many different people in the jury and they all have different opinions. Music has so many ways of expression, so everyone feels differently. You need to be you.
‘It’s also important which number you draw. It’s luck, of course. Mostly it’s better to be placed towards the end: people tend to remember you more, and psychologically you can rest a little longer and practise a little more. That always helps.’
MARTIN FRÖST Clarinettist
First Prize, Geneva International
Music Competition (1997)
‘You should prepare very carefully as if you are playing the concert of your life. That was one of my secrets. When I won the Geneva Competition, I didn’t think of it as anything except a series of concerts. I also isolated myself quite a lot – I did my thing and performed and rehearsed, and I was very focused. You should never compare yourself to others. We are much more unique than we think we are. Don’t listen to other competitors and trust your instincts.
‘You also need to be sure of the story you want to tell with the music – today, young musicians have access to so much music and video online. They can try to imitate other performances, but still people don’t know what story they want to tell themselves.
‘I’d also advise against doing too many competitions. After I won in Geneva, I didn’t do a single one afterwards. Prepare for one you really want to win, and then win it. And then stop.’
LISE DAVIDSEN Soprano
Winner of the Queen Sonja International Music Competition, Oslo (2015)
‘When you are playing in a competition you experience entirely different kinds of nerves from performing a recital or being in a opera, so my main advice is to learn your repertoire inside out. It is so important, as you have to be able to sing it under any circumstances. The other important preparation – to deal with nerves – is mental. Try picturing the stage you are going to perform on, and imagine yourself there. That way, you’ll get used to it before it actually happens.
‘Performing to a jury is a very different experience to singing in front of an audience. It can feel a bit unnatural – you know they are going to judge your performance when you are done. So, it’s important not to think about it too much. You have to approach it like a normal performance and imagine that your competition entry is just a part of a concert. Judges want you to sing well. They want to hear something good.’
EMMANUEL PAHUD Flautist
First Prize, Geneva International Music Competition (1992); Winner, Kobe International Flute Competition (1989) ‘Whenever I entered competitions, I would prepare the programme that I was going to play in them by performing the pieces in concerts beforehand. Gaining experience that way is very important. That said, whether you’re playing in a concert, a competition or an audition, putting yourself to be in a position to deliver your best should be a prerequisite – if you’re good in a competition, it then depends on the jury if you win or not; if you’re bad, it doesn’t!
‘I know I am always being judged by others when I play. But in a concert you have nothing to lose. In a competition, in contrast, you can be eliminated for choosing this phrasing, or that style or whatever. So the goal is not necessarily to be the most impressive player, but to get the highest possible ranking from every jury member. Listening to their own recordings to see how they play the music can help.’