Are music competitions necessary?

jb1966
Tue, 13 Aug 2013 15:46:50 +0000

Would winning a competition get you more money. That would depend on the school and the situation, I’m guessing. I’m sure that winning a competition, like being first stand in a state orchestra or participating in a prestigious seminar, would show that you could operate under pressure and had drive. But in the end I’m sure it’s mostly playing and character- that was the surprise to me when we were going to test lessons and auditions, that many of the teachers placed character and the ability to learn quickly over technical prowess or competition medals. They seemed earnest and I found this heartening.

Then again, I found myself appealing financial offers and if my kid had had some competition wins I’m sure I would have used those in the appeal.