A British musician accepts Moscow first prize
NewsAn Edinburgh-born musician, pictured here, was awarded first prize in composition at the Putin-backed Gergiev-Matsuev Rachmaninov Competition in Moscow.
His former schoolmate Petru Cotarcea writes:
I would like to express my absolute and disgust at a person I used to genuinely respect – my former schoolmate [– ] an acclaimed pianist and composer – who despite the awful suffering cased by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and against a backdrop of discontent from his fellow UK colleagues, has decided to nevertheless fly to Moscow to take part in the Rachmaninoff composition competition, organised by RosConcert – a Russian state organisation wholly supportive of Putin and his war. The organisers have had numerous events in the Red Square, that were clearly pro-Kremlin. Among the participants was even patriarch Kirill who literally ‘blessed’ the invasion.
The event was boycotted by all other western musicians.
The guy deserves his prize and he should take it… put politics aside when it is about music.
This competition is ALL about politics.zero about music.
I invite you to sign our OPEN LETTER protesting his participation if you agree to its points – https://chng.it/czSZngRJsK
No I do NOT agree to your twisted Misleading points!! It’s people like you that are what’s wrong with the world – insisting on cancelling cultures, burning books and forcibly attaching a competition to politics in the most twisted, misleading way possible. Even Wagner is performed everywhere today! Far from signing your disgraceful petition in favour of basically cancelling music and cultures and twisting this out of hand, I have reported it for misleading and factual inaccuracies. Shame on YOU! I do not support the Russian invasion nor their current regime and leader, but my God: long live the glorious music of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev – you will NOT usurp and remove them from our world! Get your filthy hands off our music!
So many talented musicians from the UK have cancelled performances in Russia because of the conflict in Ukraine to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people and their opposition to Putins bullying tactics. This competition is another example of Russian soft politics and this young musician should know better than to support Putins regime. The real culprit here however is his teacher, Prof. Vanessa Latarche, Head of Keyboard at Royal College of Music who supported and encouraged him to take part in this competition. (He wouldn’t be able to enter without her recommendation). But then RCM have been working closely with Russia for many years and why would they let something as trivial as a war in which innocent civilians are routinely slaughtered by the Russian state get in the way of their ambitions.
Really? When would you not put politics aside – ever?
Yet, a Russian Nobel Prize Winner sells his Nobel Gold Medal to help Ukraine!! This is an example to follow, not the creep Brit, who thinks he is a composer!!
in this blog for the first time a winner of a contest does not even have the dignity to be nominated (only nationality is mentioned). but an unknown former school mate can spit out sentences without first asking why the young composer decided to go to the Rachmaninov competition in Moscow. Respect even for those we think are wrong should be the first rule in music.
An unknown commentator is spitting out his comment without asking the former classmate who did try to stop this individual from going to Moscow by explaining all the moral consequences to him in a personal correspondence prior to the competition.
Should have rejected the prize on principal. His teacher should have advised him that despite the accolade that this was a bad choice. His career in Europe and elsewhere will now be a non-starter and he will be relegated to teaching piano to young children.
“Teaching is probably the noblest profession in the world – the most unselfish, difficult, and honorable profession, but it is also the most unappreciated, underrated, underpaid, and under-praised profession in the world.”
Leonard Bernstein
Bravo Achim Mentzel!!!! TAHNK YOU!!
You see, quoting one of the greatest of the greatest brings on this blog more down rates, even if one tried to react in a very subtile way to the first commenter’s reply.
Pedant’s Corner:
“….on principle.”
I suppose it’s Yuanfan Yang then?
I don’t think that the person in question [whom I don’t know] should have followed this course of action. Nevertheless, I must take issue with your remarks. There is NO part of the music world more important than those who teach piano, or any other instrument, to young children. Without them, there is NOTHING. Every great virtuoso you know began with a children’s music teacher. The outstanding maestro [a term I use advisedly] who taught my children at the Community Music School of the Eastman School, Howard Spindler, is, in my opinion, an absolute world-class master of his art, and I have no doubt that many SD readers could name teachers of whom they think equally highly. They live on a level of importance precisely equal to that of Conservatory professors. To suggest that this is the default, horrible fate of those who can’t have any other musical career is a disservice to music, to art and to children— and absolutely incorrect.
Well said. That swipe at music teachers was egregious .
or learn the Russian language and try to make a career in countries with a lot Putin fans?
Spot on.
Dodi and Aeneas
Looks from the website that Freddy Kempf was on the jury for the Piano category of the same competition. Similarly alarming. https://rachmaninoffcompetition.com/en/posts/объявлены-имена-лауреатов-междунаро-2/
Who is “Petru Cortacea”? Can’t find a trace of him on any search engine. Very unreliable journalism by Mr. Lebrect.
It’s “Petru Cotarcea”, a London-based musician who runs Lycaeum Music
https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=Petru+Cortacea
This “competetion”is of zero importance for the music world,and the civilized world in general .Doesn´t matter anything.The winners won´t get any significant gigs.Ridiculous Pootinistas PR stunt.
It clearly was not boycotted by all western musicians, Norman. Website says more than 500 applied. It then lists a huge number of countries including people from…I kid you not…Ukraine!
The participants and jury pages: people from France, Germany, Slovenia, Belarus, USA, and others from the UK too.
An impressive spread of countries but maybe they withdrew applications post-invasion ?
No they clearly didn’t – if you look at the participants page.
It is very sad that sport, music and perhaps most other things can be, and are usurped by politicians and the state for their own devious purposes. Sadly it seems nothing in this world is safe from political interference. The general population don’t make war, politicians make war, but you notice that they rarely fight or endanger themselves.
Does the Edinburgh-born musician have a name?
It certainly was not boycotted by Western musicians, if you see the full participants and jury lists. And rightly not so. Keep politics out of it.
NO! This competition was nothing but a propaganda exercise for the Russian state apparatus, directly supported by Putin, as can be seen in this official Russian GVMT video form Jan 2022 – https://www.facebook.com/minkultrf/posts/pfbid02f8oVZp8HskQ8L7mawwB2jPEdzyez6ffMePdCbDiYg8cP8Fcw7tRqEhCJUZTQ2T97l
A western musician that benefited from western education and the freedoms and support our society offered him HAS NO PLACE in Moscow propping up putin’s regime while it commits daily monstrous atrocities in Ukraine.
I invite you to sign our OPEN LETTER protesting Yuanfan’s participation if you agree to its points – https://chng.it/czSZngRJsK
What a rant! None of his school friend’s business. Disgust? Get politics out of it all. He deserves his prestigious prize, and others have made their own decisions.
Same for sports?
Keep him out of the country,anyone who thinks Putin’s actions are acceptable does not deserve to live with decent human beings,in my view they maybe don’t deserve to live in any democratic country.
Since when did entering some music competition mean you support Putin?
What complete and utter nonsense you spurt. Don’t think anyone wants to live with you.
It’s sad that people do not understand the difference between ideal vs reality. Yes, ideally, music and politics should be separate. But in reality, in many cases music is and have always been a political tool, especially in autocratic states. Just screaming “get politics out of it all” isn’t going to magically make that fact disappear. That’s what we call wishful thinking.
Thank you David!
I invite you to sign our OPEN LETTER protesting Yuanfan’s participation if you agree to its points – https://chng.it/czSZngRJsK
The guy who made that statement didn’t get any fans, that’s for sure. Nobody trusts a colleague who would “genuinely respect” you and then backstab you at the first opportunity of seeing a “moment to shine”.
No I do not feel like a hero – but I do feel like someone must call it out for that it is – a shameless self-interested action spitting in the face of the murdered and tortured people of Ukraine currently resisting Putin’s invasion.
I invite you to sign our OPEN LETTER protesting Yuanfan’s participation if you agree to its points – https://chng.it/czSZngRJsK
The name of the winner of the First Prize and Gold Medal in Composition of the Rachmaninoff International Competition 2022 is Yuanfan Yang of Great Britain.
There was no official international boycott of this competition, and other western musicians apart from Mr. Yang did take part in it or apply to take part.
If the Rachmaninoff International Competition has support from the Russian Federal Government or a subsidiary agency thereof, then that is support that is being denied to the Russian war machine. Anyone who claims solidarity with those who are made to suffer by the Russian war machine should applaud such events and encourage more of them.
‘I would like to express my absolute *and disgust with…’
All these virtuous comments about music and politics being different things! Shame on you all!
Try having family, friends, and employees (all professional musicians btw) desperately living under daily rocket attacks from a terrorist state, with fires a d dead around you and your life completely upended, only for some privileged t*at and his UK supporters to not give a crap about that and to prop up Putin’s propaganda machine by endorsing such a competition.
And it’s nothing to do with putin you will say? Look at this then – https://www.facebook.com/minkultrf/posts/pfbid02f8oVZp8HskQ8L7mawwB2jPEdzyez6ffMePdCbDiYg8cP8Fcw7tRqEhCJUZTQ2T97l
Shame on yuanfan and his petty fans here! MUSICIANS ARE NOT ABOVE POLITICS!
That video was from January – before the war even started. So pointless to share it.
I don’t know who you are Petru, but from all this obsessiveness and sheer hysteria with getting politics intertwined into music that you spew, you don’t exactly come across as a civilised nor rational individual yourself. If you hate music then stay out of this industry and go to Ukraine and fight yourself. Any wise person would know to stay far away from you.
‘if you hate music… ‘
Wow, I mean one must be really chicken-brained to utter this sentence based on everything I have written.
Loving music and opposing associations with murderous states are not mutually exclusive mate.
If your friend’s mum is murdered, would you honestly choose to play for her killer and take their money? If you feel angry that Ukrainians are being murdered by russian bombs in their shopping malls, resorts and hospitals, you wouldn’t go to moscow to play in a putin’s state competition. If you agree, please sign this petition to show the musicians are not spineless and ignorant as can be concluded based on those like the non-mentioned individual who chose to validate a terrorist-state despite being all clear about the immorality of his choice.
https://www.change.org/p/uk-musician-participates-in-russian-propaganda-event-in-moscow