Jessica Duchen & the Seamy Side of Classical Music Competitions

Jessica Duchen's liberally-redacted piece on the corruption behind classical music competitions appears in today's Independent, and it's a sobering read, regardless of the fact that it was altered under the happy red pens of editing lawyers.

With "The Murky Music Prize", Jessica delves into the scarily-corrupt world of classical auditions, where the fear of lawsuits keeps the whistle-blowers from speaking out, and under the promise of awards & promotion, "there lies an iceberg of nepotism, sexual coercion, financial greed and downright megalomania that has gone unchecked for decades."

Here's the article that appears in The Independent, and here's Jessica on how her original article was altered.

Comments

[Rick Rack]

I love these kinds of articles! I think those of us who aren't singers or musicians and have lost touch of these competitions know of the harsh reality of the performance circuit. It's a shame that they're not based solely on talent, but there are too many bureaucracies at play. Anyway, it's good training for the young singers to experience what awaits them when they make it to the next level. Let's not try to fool ourselves.

[opera sugar]

I'm certainly not surprised to hear charges of hedonism. But really how hard would it be for one of these young female singers to slap a sexual harassment lawsuit on the jury and blow the whole scandal apart?

[El Cajon]

This is a good first step towards chicanery that goes on in these competitions. And one can only imagine what goes on behind-the-scenes during the reality shows and the "who's Got Talent" marathons. Much as I want Susan Boyle to win the current British competition, the whole thing seems very contrived. I can barely watch the evening news anymore, given how manipulative television has become. And musical comepetitions and awards seem just as bad. Can't believe the level of mediocrity among singers that make it to the regional finals of the Met auditions.

[Neil Funkhouser]

She asserts that "most music competitions suck", so I would ask "compared to what?" It sounds like "If I were running things, I would do it differently." Well, if that fantasy were to come true, she might find that reality might make her idealism impossible. And then she acts like there is some plot to keep the truth from getting out. I read it as poor journalism: accusations without merit or facts to back them up.

[tontin]

I agree, she should bring out facts if she wants to be taken seriously.

[nick]

Unfortunately things are even worse than they seem. It's a pity this kind of journalism (THE TRUTH) always seems to come out like "sour grapes" or something similar, but alas, this is only the tip of the iceberg. What to do, though????

[richard]

This is a fascinating , if somewhat depressing , thread.

There is just so much in the way of gritty undersides to so many events that never get exposed.

[La Cieca]

Norman Lebrecht is writing under a new name?

[Henry Holland]

I read it as poor journalism: accusations without merit or facts to back them up

Did you read the second link, the one to Ms. Duchen's blog?

A few strips of an article I wrote about corruption in music competitions have made it into the Indy today. Most of the piece didn't.

The original would have made your hair stand on end, then curl laughing. The lawyers weren't having it, though. It was all true, nonetheless - I mean, you just couldn't make this stuff up.

With British libel laws being what they are, if she had so much as hinted that jurist X had done something wrong without iron-clad proof that it was so --a video or audio recording say-- she could have been sued and ruined financially.

[me]

All I can say is: "Duh!"
If you've been in any major audition or competition, I'd hope you'd have the same response and not actually be surprised by this.

It sucks, but I didn't realize anyone didn't know this.

[me]

P.S.
The article really talks about piano competitions... but vocal ones are hundreds of times worse, auditions too.... even in grad school where getting something on your resume can determine if you get into that next audition for a program to an extent- it's about who slept with who's friend and who promises to get what other gig for who... And in competitions it's for thousands of dollars and career launching concerts.
Please. This is so nothing new.