Competition Fosters Growth
Aspiring young pianists build confidence gradually as they partake in competitions
Any student in any discipline, be it science, art, or language, no matter their talent ceiling — needs barometers to keep them in check.
Do you have a great mentor? You have a structured, conscientious practice plan you keep to? That’s great! But what they don’t provide is something fundamentally important, if you’d like to raise your game, and challenge yourself.
Now when you think of classical music competitions, you may assume the following: the mood is stoic, the atmosphere is tense, and it’s just quite a daunting prospect.
But these competitions should not be feared, as they can be a positive character building experience if approached with the right attitude.
Win or lose, these contestants gain more stage experience and learn to play under pressure and build more confidence as they express themselves artistically.
It does wonders for musical growth.
It’s a platform that enables the most diligent and passionate of students to showcase their dexterity, interpretation, and artistry against a set of grading rubrics and allows them to gauge themselves in areas they can improve upon personally.
“This competitive scene would drive and motivate me to pursue my dreams even further,” states Daniel Loo, 15, of Category 3, who is one of the nine finalists competing for the ultimate prize this Saturday.
One youth pianist from across three categories of contestants in the final to represent Singapore regionally at the prestigious International Steinway Festival in Hamburg, Germany on 7 September 2018.
They’ll get the chance to compete in the regional round against other precocious talents from countries like South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, all while trying to be a better pianist today than they were the day before.
“This competition… Steinway is the brand that it is, a prestigious name in the piano industry, is a platform for me to perform, and to be who I am,” says Zhang Yifan Jem, 16, of Category 3, who pushed on and managed to get through to the finals this year, after giving it a second try this time around.
The 4th Steinway Youth Piano Competition will take place at the School Of The Arts’ Concert Hall this Saturday, 5th May at 3pm.
Get your Tickets at SISTIC here now!