“I wanted to do something different, something special. I am drawn to unique projects, and I felt there was a gap in the music scene that needed to be filled.” As I talk to Pavel Vernikov about his much-anticipated upcoming project, the Classic Violin Olympus International Competition, it is clear from the start this is more than just another event in the crowded scene of music competitions. It is rather an opportunity to reform that very scene, to propose an original formula which aims at changing the rules of the game altogether.
With applications already open for participants, the Ukrainian-born Swiss violinist lays out his ideas and hopes for the competition, which – after a round of auditions in several capitals around the world – will take place in Dubai in 2025.
In his long-established career as a musician, Vernikov has gained his fair share of experience with contests, both as a participant and as an organiser. In 1979 he won Munich’s prestigious ARD International Music Competition, and he has recently chaired competitions for young artists such as Il Piccolo Violino Magico in Northern Italy and the Tibor Junior in Switzerland. His commitment to guiding and discovering emerging talent keeps him regularly busy – and yet, in his words, there is always more to be done.
“I realised that so many music competitions are, so to speak, children of the same parents,” he observes jokingly. “The programmes are often very similar, and even after a win, the opportunities to make yourself known and proceed into a good career are surprisingly slim. As a teacher, I have sensed a lot of bitterness and disappointment, and as an artistic director, I have tried to fix that as much as possible – which brings us to the Classic Violin Olympus.”
Born from a broad-scoped pre-existing competition called Classic Strings, whose first edition took place in 2018, the Classic Violin Olympus draws on its predecessor while focusing on a single instrument. The decision to split Classic Strings into separate divisions was made to emphasize the versatility of each section and extend the width of the event, whose first rounds will be held in six capitals in Europe, Asia and North America. With a clear intention to open the competition to as many participants as possible, this resolution was followed by what is perhaps most extraordinary about the Classic Violin Olympus: its abolition of age restrictions, which allows violinists of all ages to apply.
“In my career, I have met some incredible musicians who were well into their 40s or 50s but had never got a chance to play in front of an audience that would really listen. Many times, life gets in the way – the need to find a secure job and to take care of one’s family, or the lack of a platform where to share one’s achievements. There are people of profound artistry who deserve to be heard, but who have little or no contacts. This is disheartening, and it shouldn’t mean that one’s shot at receiving recognition as a professional musician is gone forever,” Vernikov explains. It was his need to provide such a platform that prompted him to pitch the idea of a contest with no age limit.
“When I realised that I couldn’t just wait for someone else to do it, I set things in motion. I had the luck to find another person who is as proactive as I am – Konstantin Ishkhanov, the founder of Classic Strings. We met over dinner, we exchanged thoughts, and his reaction was immediately enthusiastic.” But this is not all. In Vernikov’s case, good ideas seem to come in pairs: another key component of the Classic Violin Olympus is the jury, which will be made up of a variety of experts – with the exception of professional violinists.
“It may seem like an odd decision to make, but it is meant to prevent some unpleasant accidents that I have witnessed as a juror. Of course, the members will still be experienced in the world of music, concerts and competitions. We have picked conductors and artistic directors of theatres and festivals. Some of them do play the violin, just not as professionals.” In addition to this, the jury will be unusually numerous, comprising 23 people in total. As one may expect from Vernikov, there is a reason behind this choice too. “We wanted to maximise the chances of our contestants being noticed and rewarded.”
“With a group of jurors this large, it is unlikely that everyone will agree. While there will ultimately have to be a winner, other participants could be invited to play by a juror that appreciated their talent, even if they didn’t win. In fact, it is very likely that many of them will be, since, after the competition, each jury member will be offering one or more finalists of their choice the chance to collaborate on a future concert. That’s why it was important for the jury to have members of different backgrounds, in charge of different institutions. The competition’s prizes are still conspicuous since they are amongst the highest ever offered in the violin world, but the Classic Violin Olympus will not just be about awards,” Vernikov teases, “it will be about opportunities.”
Indeed, a unique competition calls for a unique winner. Given his status of artistic director, juror and violinist, I figure that Vernikov already has an idea about what he is looking for in a contestant, and I am not disappointed. By his own admission, the stakes are very high. “My wish would be to find not just a violin virtuoso, but an all-round artist. A Leonardo da Vinci of the violin, if you will.”
This is not just a provocation, but rather a call to all musicians to expand their horizons, looking beyond their instrument and cherishing other forms of art and culture. “Because there is so much pressure to succeed early nowadays, many emerging violinists participate in a number of contests every few months, which doesn’t leave much room for anything else. They simply have no time to delve into the scores they play, let alone dedicate themselves to something that is not the instrument’s technique. I would like to promote the idea that fostering a wider perspective on culture isn’t a waste of time – on the other hand, it can help musicians develop a deeper understanding of what they’re playing.”
First-hand experience is the best teacher: “As a young violinist, I played with Natalia Gutman at the Musikverein in Vienna. It was an important concert, and I was very nervous. On the day of the concert, I asked her if we should rehearse one last time, and she wouldn’t hear of it. She invited me to go visit a museum together instead. That is what I mean, when I say great music playing isn’t a mystery or a miracle. It’s intellectual, spiritual exercise. It’s curiosity.”
To test this, Vernikov has arranged a schedule which adds to the Classic Violin Olympus’ exceptional character. Through the rounds, the participants will have to do what he calls a triathlon. “In order to win, our contestants will be asked to play the customary violin concertos and sonatas, but also chamber music and solos from larger orchestral works, accompanied by an orchestra. They will be asked to lead the orchestra itself as concertmaster, and also to participate in a performance of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, which to my knowledge has never formed part of any competition programme before. Versatility will be at the basis of our requirements. Our winner should be a good soloist, ensemble musician and concertmaster.”
Ranging through centuries of violin literature, the programme will feature a large part of the canon, while cultivating an interest in the contemporary repertoire through the works of composer-in-residence Alexey Shor. “In our competition, the name of the masters of the past – Bach, Beethoven, Paganini, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius – will appear next to that of Shor, to have a taste of several compositional styles. His music has been performed in some of the biggest venues in the world, including the Musikverein, Berlin Philharmonie and Carnegie Hall. It’s engaging and accessible to a wide audience, which makes for a great addition to the programme.”
As one last treat, Vernikov hints at the possibility of a special conclusion at the end of all performances. “We thought that it would be interesting to have a Q&A panel with the jurors and the participants, as an extraordinary close to an extraordinary journey,” he suggests. During the exchange, violinists would have the possibility to elaborate on their work and converse more broadly about art. “In this final step, it would be clear that music can only exist within a broader cultural context, always connected and never isolated – which, as you must have guessed by now, is the key point of the Classic Violin Olympus.”
This article was sponsored by the Classical Music Development Initiative
