Art Scott wrote:
> Janos's brief reporting of the Cliburn winners really doesn't
> convey what a compellingand pioneering event it was. The webcast
> of the competition sets a new technical and content standard for events
> of this sort. ...
Like Art, I was glued to the webcast and was impressed by how well
the young artists withstood such scrutiny. Just when it seemed like
one competitor had put together an unbeatable performance, the next
one rose to the challenge. I initially disliked Evgeni Bozhanov and
his tics but changed my mind as the event went on. He was a lone McEnroe
in a sea of Borgs - nutty, erratic, unpredictable, and unique. If a few
mistakes mean making the sentimental Rach 2 growl, so be it. I especially
liked how he stood his ground against the passive-aggressive James Conlon,
even to the extent of conducting from the keyboard when the orchestra
wasn't playing according to his plan. According to this, he didn't put
up with silliness from reporters, either.
http://www.star-telegram.com/144/story/1415993.html
While the technology behind the broadcast was superb, I think the
Cliburn Foundation make a gutsy call to invest in it, to put it all
out there, and for free. Kelly Rinne has pointed out how reluctant
promoters are to streaming their events. The Cliburn took a chance
on lower attendance, worked out the broadcasting rights issues with the
Takacs Quartet, the FWSO, not to mention the composers of the required
new music pieces. It all paid off. If the crowd shots were honest, it
didn't look like attendance suffered in the least. Jade Simmons was
also an excellent choice as host. I continue to work my way through the
archives.
Ravi Narasimhan
Redondo Beach, CA
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