In Thursday’s (6/14) Wall Street Journal, Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim writes, “Melvin Stecher and Norman Horowitz have shared not just a stage but also a piano bench for more than 40 years. As the Stecher & Horowitz Duo they were one of the most successful piano duos of the past century. … It might seem odd, then, that their most recent venture is a competition. Then again, it’s an unusual one. Next week, 22 young pianists come to the Manhattan School of Music to participate in the New York International Piano Competition. Founded in 2002 by Messrs. Stecher and Horowitz, the biennial competition now draws competitors aged 16 to 22 from as far afield as Indonesia, Austria and Costa Rica. But what sets it apart from other piano competitions are some unusual rules designed to guarantee that it makes a real difference in the career of a young musician, rather than merely passing judgment on it. … The most palpable difference comes from the no-elimination policy. … Once in, each contestant takes part in all four stages of the competition, which are weighted equally. Thus a less-than-stellar performance in an early round does not necessarily spoil that contestant’s chances at winning. Just as important, it takes the bite out of the otherwise Darwinian nature of competitions, making it less adversarial—and less stressful.”
Posted June 15, 2012
