Second youth of Chaikovsky musical contest

A musical contest named after Russian composer Chaikovsky is being held at the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, this contest with its settled traditions is one of the most significant musical contests of the world. It brings super stars to the world, such as Mikhail Pletnev, Yelena Obraztsova, Zurab Sotkilava, Tamara Sinyavskaya, Denis Matsuev. This year the contest is held for the 12th time.

Russia’s popular composer Tikhon Khrennikov has been at head of the contest’s organizing committee for the last ten years. In his words, the Chaikovsky contest “is Russia’s national property, one of the most precious relics and, at the same time, an international musical festival joining millions of people from different countries.” He adds, “a complex and varied program of the contest, including works by composers from different national schools, epochs and styles, allows participants to perform their best.”

This year the contest has attracted a record number of applications for participation: 627 from 54 countries. Musicians from 40 countries will contend for the winner title. Amount of prize for the laureates has been increased this year as well (from $20,000 to first prize winners to $1,000 to every participant of the final rounds).

On the other hand, it was this very contest that was put to experiments, that is allowed mostly to young contests, just gaining authority ones. Success or failure, future creative work of musicians depend upon the decision of four juries: piano, violin, violoncello, solo signing. Presidents of the four juries, Vladimir Krainev, Vladimir Spivakov, Alexander Rudin and Yeugeny Nesterenko proclaimed that starting with this year the contest is open for experiments. For the first time in the history of the contest selection of participants was held on the basis of video and audio records, winners of other musical contests were not allowed to this contest for the first time as well. The amount of the first prize was doubled to $20,000. It was agreed (for the first time in the contest’s history as well) that three juries of the four will give not marks in the first and second rounds, but just announce words “yes”, “no” and “may be”. They will give marks at the final, the third round only.

By the way, according to the selection contest, Russian musicians performed the best, Chinese and Japanese musicians are said to be Russia’s strongest rivals.

Results of the first round are to be announced on June 11 in the evening, and membership of the contest is expected to be suddenly changed. Yelena Kiseleva PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/culture/2002/06/08/42412.html