Gergiev breathes new life into tchaikovsky competition
The International Tchaikovsky competition held every four years in Moscow, is one of the most exacting and exalted music competitions. Inaugurated in 1958, past winners in its four categories of piano, violin, cello and voice have included Vladimir Ashkenazy and John Ogden( shared, 1962, piano), Gidon Kremer (1970, violin), Deborah Voigt (voice 1990).
The XIVth International Tchaikovsky Competition has just concluded in Russia, chaired for the first time, by conductor Valery Gergiev, appointed to redeem the competition from recent claims of partisan voting by the adjudicators. The voting system, rules of competition, and the appointment of members to the judging panel have all been revised.
The Australian (via The Times) reviews the “new” Tchaikovsky International Competition.