Performance competition

CZ just finished her first performance competition outside of her music school. I thought I'd write a little about what the process was like, because at least one person has asked me to write from time to time about raising a musician counter-culturally. And I know there are a few other musician families out there, too.

We learned a lot by participating in the competition. CZ decided to enter it because some of her home-schooled friends participate in plays sponsored by the same organization, and they told her about it. Her violin teacher had also mentioned she was ready to try a competition or two.

One thing we learned right away from this experience is that there are different kinds of competitions, and this one wasn't typical of the ones violinists usually enter. To begin with, she was competing against various ages and genres of performers--actors, theatrical vocalists, and dancers, as well as various instrumentalists. Also, it was the first time the competition had been held, so there were ad hoc adjustments to the schedule. Since most of the performers had some connection with the theatre company, some of them were coached at the dress rehearsal, and even given special lighting. There was the phenomenon of a dress rehearsal itself--conservatory students don't have them, it was announced after the second round, and it was during CZ's music school day, which required some logistical manipulations of the first order to pull off. And then there was the fact that no one dressed for it, though one of the judges kept telling CZ to wear color (conservatory students always wear black). Needless to say, by the time of Sunday's final round, we were sort of laughing at ourselves for even entering. We seemed to have stepped into a completely different culture that didn't favor classical musicians at all.

But that brings me to the other thing we learned: If you roll with the punches, sometimes surprising and fun things happen! From the beginning, CZ took the whole competition as an occasion to practice stage presence. To fully appreciate her final performance, you'd have to know that CZ is very reserved by natural temperament. But she kept saying, "I'm going out there to make them smile!" And she did! When she couldn't make eye contact with the audience like the other performers did (violinists are taught from the first recital to look at their hands), she still developed a way of communicating visually through movement and subtle facial expression, without compromising her correct position. When one of the girls complained to her about the officially disallowed, but unofficially present, on-the-spot coaching for some of the contestants, CZ replied, "Yeah, but we're just going to be better than they are!"

I wasn't at any of the early rounds, since parents and teachers weren't allowed, so I only saw the "Showcase" at the end. I was really surprised to see the final production. I liked all of the performers, though I didn't really know how to judge the more theatrical ones. I picked the last contestant, a Broadway-style vocalist, for the win. After all, one of the judges was the director of the musical In the Heights. (We didn't know at the time that one of the others was the assistant conductor of the Met Opera. That's probably a good thing!) CZ's performance wasn't perfect, but she did come out there and play loudly and clearly, with expression. Her stage presence was palpable. We had thought that perhaps the piece she was playing, an unaccompanied Bach Partita, might not be theatrical enough next to the other performances. But it rang out very suitably in the uncarpeted hall.

The fifteen minutes for the judges' decision turned into thirty, and then they brought everyone back on stage to announce the runners up and winners, Miss America-style. It was nothing like anything we'd ever seen! But it was delightful to see CZ's expression color when she suddenly realized that she had tied for first place--with an actor. It would have been a valiant effort no matter what, and we would have been proud no matter where she placed. Competitions, by nature, always have more runners up than winners, and she knows enough talented and hard-working musicians not to become overconfident. But it was a nice confidence-builder that she won.

Her prize is that she gets to play one more time, in April. She's hoping to play her concerto this time. And maybe she'll even wear some color.