Feb. 18 2012

Another way New Media and musicians are getting along

By Diana Ross | Posted in Staff Blogs | 1 Comment

From the New York Times:

New Kind of Online Dating: Classical Competitions

By WILLIAM ROBIN, Published: February 12, 2012

MENDELSSOHN swore off them permanently. Debussy called them “a purely arbitrary affair.” Bartok said they were for horses, not musicians. The charges against classical music competitions are familiar: art is not a sport; the need for jury consensus rewards conformism; fear of losing stifles innovation; actual losing can cripple morale and, potentially, a career.

But several new endeavors challenge these complaints by tweaking the competition concept and using the Internet to create an open dialogue among composers, performers and the public.

On Nov. 15 the violinist Hilary Hahn announced the Hilary Hahn Encore Contest in a YouTube video. Until mid-March anyone may submit a short piece for violin and piano, and Ms. Hahn will perform and record the winner alongside 26 other encores she has already commissioned. Contestants enter by uploading a PDF of a score and a MIDI sound file to Ms. Hahn’s Web site (hilaryhahn.com).

Read the full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/arts/music/orpheus-hilary-hahn-and-david-lang-start-competitions.html

Tags:contest, hilary hahn, new media

About Diana Ross

Diana Ross is not the famous Supremes singer, but she does have big hair. Working in both Membership and Operations departments, she does a little bit of everything, including administering this website. You can contact her at dross@bccc.edu.