BBC Young Musician Competition Options

[Chris H]

Being at university or conservatoire does not make one a professional. I still believe it should be a platform for conservatoire students. I also disagree with having musicians from each category rather than the best. There were brass and string players who were better than the recorder player.

That's not what my son's teacher said. She said that as soon as you are at conservatoire you are a professional musician - not the case for university students, though.

[DiscoPants]

Being at university or conservatoire does not make one a professional. I still believe it should be a platform for conservatoire students. I also disagree with having musicians from each category rather than the best. There were brass and string players who were better than the recorder player.

That's not what my son's teacher said. She said that as soon as you are at conservatoire you are a professional musician - not the case for university students, though.

in that case, your son's teacher is wrong.

[CJB]

Ok only a single example and from several decades ago but I have 1 friend who took part in the early rounds and set himself the goal that if he reached a certain round he'd apply to music colleges and if he didn't he would study maths instead. He knew he wasn't in the same league as the JD or specialist school folks but in the local area he was the best and wasn't getting much from the local competitions/festivals. He used the early rounds as a reality check.

Yes, but that's just silly. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
There are many, many people who have gone on to have very successful performing careers despite not getting past the first or second round of the BBC.

With hindsight it wasn't silly at all. He knew then that it wasn't the only route to a performing career it was more a benchmark he set himself. I think deep down he'd already decided to study maths but years of being told he was an amazing musician had left him wondering 'what if'. As it is he graduated with a first and is now a well paid successful solicitor who enjoys his music as a hobby.

[DiscoPants]

With hindsight it wasn't silly at all. He knew then that it wasn't the only route to a performing career it was more a benchmark he set himself. I think deep down he'd already decided to study maths but years of being told he was an amazing musician had left him wondering 'what if'. As it is he graduated with a first and is now a well paid successful solicitor who enjoys his music as a hobby.

Good for him, but this doesn't seem relevant to the discussion of whether or not it might be beneficial to raise the maximum age for the BBC.......
If he'd made the other decision, he might well have turned out to be a well paid musician who enjoys soliciting as a hobby.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[FullofWind]

It's a tv show! The majority of the target audience know only a limited amount about Music and wouldn't know the difference between a good musical performance by a 14 year old and and a better one by a 20 year old conservatoire student - but they watch it to see the prodigies... it wouldn't have the same appeal (and consequently the same high profile) if it weren't confined to schoolchildren.
It's all just another dancing dog at the end of the day (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Many of the winners have remained high profile when they really aren't as good as many of their contemporaries. If the age was raised then I suspect many of the winners wouldn't be winners at age 20-22.

[DiscoPants]

It's a tv show! The majority of the target audience know only a limited amount about Music and wouldn't know the difference between a good musical performance by a 14 year old and and a better one by a 20 year old conservatoire student - but they watch it to see the prodigies... it wouldn't have the same appeal (and consequently the same high profile) if it weren't confined to schoolchildren.
It's all just another dancing dog at the end of the day (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

To me, it no longer works well as either a competition or a TV show.
Judging by the widespread and well publicised apathy towards it, I don't think I'm alone.

[sbhoa]

It's a tv show! The majority of the target audience know only a limited amount about Music and wouldn't know the difference between a good musical performance by a 14 year old and and a better one by a 20 year old conservatoire student - but they watch it to see the prodigies... it wouldn't have the same appeal (and consequently the same high profile) if it weren't confined to schoolchildren.
It's all just another dancing dog at the end of the day (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

To me, it no longer works well as either a competition or a TV show.
Judging by the widespread and well publicised apathy towards it, I don't think I'm alone.

I think it's that well hidden that it doesn't actually have a target audience..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[Chris H]

I think it's sad that it's no longer mainstream - I used to watch it when I was a child, along with "My Music" (is that what it was called? Joseph Cooper and his dummy keyboard? I wish that was on now - my son would love it!

[Bagpuss]

Face The Music I think. Robin Ray ALWAYS knew ALL the Opus numbers...

B (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Chris H]

Face The Music I think. Robin Ray ALWAYS knew ALL the Opus numbers...

B (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Ah yes! I think My Music was on Radio 4 with Steve Race???

[Cyrilla]

Face The Music I think. Robin Ray ALWAYS knew ALL the Opus numbers...

B (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Oh YES - loved it - even Joseph Cooper's dummy keyboard - that had a horrible fascination! Robin Ray was wonderful and I loved Joyce Grenfell's contributions.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Village Flute]

I've watched Young Musician since it started and have always found one or two of the finalists to have that something that makes you sit up and take notice. It wouldn't be the same if you increased the age limit, having attended summer schools with a mix of those still at school and those at music college the ones at college are of a similar standard to many people who make a living from music which is how I would define a professional.

I think it also gives teenagers something to aspire to, particularly if they have not decided whether music is their future. Taking part in the competition would give them something to look back on with pride even if they don't go on to study music. It could also provide some tips for those struggling with unwilling secondary schools - the percussion player practicing in the drama studio and the winner have some consessions in her timetable to have her lessons in Germany.

[BerkshireMum]

Good for him, but this doesn't seem relevant to the discussion of whether or not it might be beneficial to raise the maximum age for the BBC.......
If he'd made the other decision, he might well have turned out to be a well paid musician who enjoys soliciting as a hobby.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Is there such a thing? If you exclude a few top performers, according to most people on these forums it's quite hard to make a living from music. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[barry-clari]

I would like to see the competition return to all the category winners playing in the concerto final.

Yes, I was very sorry when that changed, even though it does make for a very long final if they are all included.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) , and I do wonder if this is because the BBC feel that the modern audience wouldn't have the attention span to cope with five concertos in a row (or, in a nutshell, 'dumbing down' )... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)