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It has been a wonderful few days in Moscow. For some of us
(Andrea and myself) seeing Moscow under snow was a real pleasure.
For others, the snowing part and the freezing part was NOT on their
personal agenda… :)
Even if I do not talk about the candidates, let's talk briefly
about their repertoire. The choice of repertoire says a lot about
their personality, skills, sensibility as an artist, and
vision.
The Screening Auditions recital is a quick glance (40 minutes)
at the pianist's personality. Before listening to the first note,
the jury already has an idea of the technical and musical
challenges. If you play only Liszt pieces (very virtuosic), you are
saying something about yourself. If you play only Haydn sonatas,
that's another message. What we have to remember is that a
candidate in "the real life" will be expected to play a vast
repertoire-and sometimes as a replacement artist at the last
minute.
If an orchestra calls you to play the second Rachmaninov
concerto, you cannot say "Sorry, I have to practice." You have to
be ready, and quickly!
The success of this can help you to succeed in your career. Not
being prepared can have the opposite effect.
Thanks to the Moscow Conservatory for its welcome-especially
Vitali who ran everywhere for us!
-- Jacques
Travel tips: Taxis in Moscow work in mysterious
ways… First, they do not have any identification or counters, and
they tell you the price when you arrive at your destination. From
our own experience, we suggest you determine the price before you go. You will
avoid paying $30 for a 5-minute drive… :)
Food of the day: Last Borscht and last Vodka.
Now we're going to Milano: welcome Barolo and Risotto.
Quote of the day: "Music is enough for a
lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music." ― Sergei
Rachmaninov
Harpsichord in the stairwell
Screening Jury in the Rachmaninov Room at the Moscow
Conservatory
Jury members John Giordano and Yoheved Kaplinsky in front of the
Bolshoi Theatre
Screening Jury in front of Rachmaninov at the Moscow
Conservatory
Jacques Marquis on ice!
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