Are music competitions necessary?

POTO_Mom
Mon, 29 Jul 2013 17:50:03 +0000

I won’t be redundant of any of the other great comments. I am a believer in competitions. In addition to helping students getting used to the ‘art of planning and execution’ it also is just a great real world experience. Life is not fair, judging is not always perfect, others performers can be petty, accompanists can be a no-show, it can be too hot in the auditorium, your zipper broke and you brought two shoes that don’t match. Learn to cope with what life deals you. The more practice you have, the better you will get.

One other comment - competitions are also a great networking opportunity. Talk to others about what they are doing for summer programs, what schools they are looking at, what scholarships they are applying for. Who are the judges and do they teach at some schools that you want to apply to? Maybe there is a masterclass at the competition also. Make the most of any outing! If it’s at a college, take a look around and ask questions of the students.