Result: Premio Paganini contest was rigged
NewsIt has emerged that both the winner and the joint second-placed candidate in Genoa’s Premio Paganini competition are students of the jury chairman, Salvatore Accardo.
Simon Zhu’s biography lists him as studying at the Walter Stauffer Academy in Cremona with Accardo.
The same academy also congratulates Jingzhi Zhang for coming second.
Once again, the international music competition industry has lived down to its well-deserved reputation.
By applying the same logic, this would mean that a viral outbreak which happens to occur in a city where a US-funded laboratory was conducting research on said virus actually is not the result of a spillover from nature ?!?
Once again, the international pharmaceutical industry has lived down to its well-deserved reputation.
No May, there is no logic in your statement. As some one who has served on a number of juries up to and including international, I can assure you that even if someone like Accardo says nothing, other jury members will mark those candidates more favourably. You may argue that these candidates were the best – that may be so? In that case they should do just as well in competitions in which their teacher is not on the jury!
Simon Zhu, at least, has been first prize-winner in four other international competitions, and second in one, according to his website.
@WP My comment has nothing to do with Accardo. Or the WHO. Or Peter Daszak for that matter.
Safe and effective, please make sure to take your updated Covid booster shot!
Bartók: “Competitions are for horses”
Various Bartók-named competitions: “….Hold my beer.”
The regulations state that “Upon acceptance of the assignment, the members of the jury sign a declaration in which they certify that they are not related to the candidates and that they have not had any educational, public and/or private dealings with them over the last two years.”
How about the other six members of the jury? Does the accusation of corruption extend to them?
This is just written to give a good impression, do you think anyone in the jury cares…
In academia we constantly award research grants, hand out prizes for “best dissertation” and so on.
It goes without saying that you have to recuse yourself it there is a connection to the applicant, e.g. if s/he is a former student.
Apparently, music lives by different standards.
All competitions are rigged – the jury as a rule votes for the candidates whose performance they like more – a dictature of taste – the horror!
And Simon’s Paganini concerto was really not good, if not to say embarrassing.
I believe Salvatore Accardo abstained from voting during the rounds where his students ( Simon Zhu, Sara Zeneli and Gennaro Cardaropoli) and the second prize winner Jingzhi Zhang as far as her official bio states is NOT a student of Salvatore Accardo. If Jingzhi is a student of Accardo could you provide us with any data or source for this information. Both Simon Zhu and the second place winner Jingzhi Zhang gave extraordinary performances during all rounds of the competition.
I’m extremely interested in the source of your information about Jingzhi being a student of Salvatore Accardo who did not vote for his students or offered any applause during their performances.
Simon’s final performance of Paganini Concerto No 1 placed him over the top for its focus on cantabile lyricism and extraordinary flawless technical exhibition.
Check the Academy facebook page for the congratulatory message.
I believe the Facebook site is incorrect. Jingzhi Zhang doesn’t study with Accardo. And in my opinion it was a toss up between Simon Zhu and Jingzhi Zhang. The top awards were judged based on Accardo’s standards and specifications which were
the violinists who most accurately adhered to the Urtext Editions of the music. And it would have been a toss up between Simon and Jingzhi. Accardo didn’t vote for his students or applaud for them nor did he vote in those rounds that featured his students.
Contestants in many competitions are students of Jury members. In this Competition there were actually 3 students of Accardo.
https://www.cremonaoggi.it/2023/10/28/vincitori-made-in-stauffer-al-premio-paganini-di-genova/
Both Zhu and Zhang are pupils of Salvatore Accardo of Accademia Stauffer in Cremona.
In this link, Accardo said : “Grande emozione per me come insegnante, perché Gibboni due anni fa, il secondo e il primo premio di quest’anno, vengono dalla mia scuola di Cremona”.
(the second and first prizes this year, come from my school in Cremona)
I have checked out the academy Jingzhi Zhang is NOT a student of Salvatore Accardo. She’s a student of Pavel Berman. Faulty research on your part. Again why don’t you send us a link to info that claims otherwise.
Norman an important criteria in this Contest, especially this Contest, was how well contestants adhered to Urtext Publications namely the Henle Verlag.
Accardo did not vote or applaud for his students. And both Simon and Jingzhi adhered very closely to Urtext publications of the works assigned to everyone who performed as a contestant. It was not that difficult to place both of them in the Grand Finale and either one could have been provided a first place. Simon was very clever to study with Accardo as Accardo is a ‘stickler’ for the most minute aspects of Urtext Edition notations. There are Accardo Master Classes on DVD and Livestream and I recall in Volume 2 a Concertmaster of one of the prominent London Orchestras playing Revisionist notations while he was looking at the Urtext on the stand in front of him. It was amazing how many times Accardo would point out the details of the Urtext. We have all been trained and conditioned to hear Revisionist ‘efforts’ of famous works but THIS contest was judged on how well the violinists adhered to the source documents.
The Jury picked Simon but Jingzhi could have won first prize. She was a fabulous contestant who studied closely the Urtext publications and didn’t confuse those sources with the revisionist publications so many others succumbed to in their performances. I understand why Accardo specified Urtext Editions and if you listen closely to Simon and Jingzhi’s performances you would understand why they made it to the tiny list of Grand Finalists.
Really? Why I thought his Paganini concerto is far from being good, many wrong notes, bad intonations, bow cracking and poor clarity in the fast passage. I really doubt my ear now lol
@Lily and Mike.
I am looking forward to hearing both of you playing the Paganini concerto. Don’t you both realize that that concerto is f444ing hard? Go practice the pair of you.
If I am reliably informed this concorso was conducted honourably. Seemingly Accardo did not vote for his own students which is more than can be said for most competitions.
Also, satisfied that all was in order I allowed the proceedings to be reported on my Facebook Paganini page. This I did not have to do.
Finally, I did not hear one note of the competition therefore I passed no opinion. I was neutral.
It’s hard to believe there are people as stupid as Pat!
Yes amazing isn’t it? I think your silly claims of fraud in the Contest are a remarkable example of stupidity…. And the type and kind of stupidity that passes unnoticed in your circle of colleagues!
Surprise surprise.
Wait till you check out all the conducting competitions, from the smaller ones to the large internationally recognised competitions.
They may have been the best.
This is a strong (and absurd) allegation. This brief statement slanders every member of the jury! I have served on several International Violin Competition juries — and I can say this much— no matter the outcome, these utterly baseless accusations are leveled after the favorite of someone in the peanut gallery doesn’t win. Usually, the actual outcome comes as a surprise to many on the jury! I’ve been there and can attest to it! Yet—- to my face, I have been told the jury on which I served was “ obviously rigged.” Please stop this nonsense.
The fact that 3 of the top prize winners were students of the president of the jury (Salvatore Accardo), is not suspicious? Are people really THAT stupid?? You’ve never served on a top international violin competition for the record or done anything as a violinist.
For the record:
David Russell was a member of the violin faculty and Assistant Director of String Chamber Music at The Cleveland Institute of Music for 24 years. He has been a member of the violin faculty of the Meadowmount School of Music, and a charter faculty member of ENCORE School for Strings. He also served as Visiting Violin Faculty at The Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and was Professor of Violin at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for 14 years.
He has been a distinguished member of the jury of the Sion-Valais International Violin Competition in Switzerland, the Buenos Aires International Violin Competition, The Midwest Young Artist’s Competition, and Sorentin Young Artist Competitions.
Larry W – none of those competitions DR sat on the jury for were major international competitions. He was a bottom feeder teacher at CIM. Are you (or is he) also going to now claim he has a full head of hair?
Are you going to claim you have done anything as a violinist?
How freely you make such petty and libelous remarks— without having the courage to do it under your own name! Perhaps you DO have a “higher than double digit IQ.” It would be quite foolish to make these remarks under your own name. Talk about “ bottom feeding…”
By the way, I’ve had former students in The Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony, New York Phil. A student of mine won the Menuhin competition and entered IMG Management at age 15. I maintain an international violin masterclass in Spain. It is clear the “bottom feeding” is good.
Shame on your lack of character and courage.
Dear David,
I trust this correspondence finds you in good spirits. While navigating the digital expanse, my attention was drawn to the webpage of Chad Hoopes, recipient of the Menuhin accolade, and notably, the very same 15-year-old virtuoso to whom you made reference. I observed, with a certain consternation, the conspicuous absence of any mention of your pedagogical influence in the annals of his educational trajectory, as delineated on his website: https://www.chadhoopes.com/about.
In my earnest quest for elucidation, I find myself contending with a certain lacuna in comprehension concerning the identities of the purported members of the New York Philharmonic and Cleveland Orchestra whom you assert as beneficiaries of your tutelage. Alas, my inquiries have failed to yield any cognizance of a distinguished soloist or orchestral violinist aligning themselves with your esteemed instruction. It prompts me to posit that mere physical proximity does not inherently bestow the hallowed mantle of mentorship.
With a sense of disquietude, I bring to the fore your advocacy for a competition whose integrity stands impugned. The notion that a violinist lacking influential affiliations with the adjudicatory panel would find their prospects hampered, not only in securing a fair chance but also incurring financial disquiet, smacks of orchestrating perfidious machinations. Such machinations, as you assuredly are aware, are reprehensibly labelled as fraudulent.
Allow me to elucidate that my expressions, albeit robust in their critique, are not motivated by a desire to libel. Rather, they embody a forthright exposition of concerns juxtaposed against a backdrop of self-congratulatory proclamations that have not eluded my discerning scrutiny.
Sincerely,
Have higher than double digit IQ
So many words, so little substance. So what have you ever contributed to music? SD posts don’t count. BTW, 100 IQ is higher than double digit IQ. Congrats on your average accomplishment.
I certainly am reluctant to answer such garbage as you spout, but feel at least that I must say that Chad was certainly my student for a number of years , leading up to his Menuhin Competition and IMG affiliation. There was a political struggle between teachers after I left CIM and his bio was re-written by those teachers. I urge you (or anyone) to write to Chad and ask him.
As for my former students in the Cleveland Orchestra (there are 2), the New York Phil, Boston Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, etc. if you feel the need to peruse the bios of each musician in the orchestra, be my guest. You’re a fool. Spend your time as you wish.
By the way, your absurd use of the English language has given away your identity. I now know who you are –and yes– my assessment of your character is correct- and your career success is certainly an apt reflection of it.
Keep it up, though! Your writing skills MIGHT help you get tenure SOMEWHERE… eventually. Maybe… but probably not.
Teachers should never serve as a jury member, period.
These shameful jurors must be lining their pockets with Chinese money. I know for a fact that’s how a lot of Chinese got their driver’s license, one paid a $400 bribe.
One of your more entertaining posts. LOL!
Thing is, players of merit who engage with the competition circuit are always students of prominent violinists or pedagogues. The latter are the ones who get engaged as jurors in competitions. Therefore, it is to be expected that students of jury members will appear at competitions where their teachers are adjudicating, and win prices. I once took part in a competition where the winner was a student of one of the jury members – far from the most prominent name in the jury by the way. It was, in any case, a fair win. I heard every single contestant and the winner was the best, hands down.
Before you start poo-pooing or slaughtering my comment, note that this files under “personal experience”. I do not claim to have the monopoly on Universal Truth or to have a permanently open hot line to God or The Muse.
Whilst classical music is a small world, it is not so small as to prevent a competition from having a jury that is both qualified and disinterested.
I have seen large sums of money passed under the table to adjudicators of LOCAL competitions – in very young age groups too. One was 8 & under.
Competition is rife with these injustices from the bottom up. I have also seen classes filled with the adjudicators students. Whether placing or not, the prime purpose of entering is to expose the student to playing for an audience.
Inadvertently a student entered where I was adjudicating. I didn’t disqualify her. She was allowed to play as the performing experience was most important, but I gave no mark, only an adjudication & I explained publicly why I did this. ETHICS. She was by far the best. She knew it. Many others knew it. But I did the ethical thing. As there was only one adjudicator – me – I could not recuse myself as 19 other candidates would have been disappointed & denied the chance to perform publicly.
Simon Zhu has made a significant mistake in semi-final round, he forgot music score in third movement of mozart concerto.
There were five candidates playing the same mozart concerto no.5 and the first candidate Elders playing mozart concerto no.4. Simon made significant mistakes but he went to next round while the rest candidates were eliminated, seems unfair. The very young Japanese candidate Koshiro Takeuchi is more outstanding than Simon in mozart concerto round, impeccable without significant mistakes but unexpectedly both Koshiro Takeuchi and brilliant Elders were eliminated.
The difference is how Simon Zhu recovered from the mistake. Memory lapses occur to everyone but in Simon’s case he didn’t allow it to influence his performance post memory slip. It’s how he ‘recovered’ post memory slip that elevated him from finals to Grand Finals. It’s how you recover that can make all the difference.
The ability of recovery from error is not part of music competition. Music competitions select best performers with minimum flaw, in these competitions, it is very important to avoid mistake, rather than making mistake and then recovering from it. Since there are other candidates who playing the same concerto without making such a mistake. Hence, to save one candidate with such a mistake is injustice to the others. I guess the eliminated candidates share similar opinion with me.
We don’t Generalize about these issues! I don’t know how Simon’s ‘memory slip’ did or did not impact the Jury’s decision. It may have played a role or not but I can’t assume his ‘recovery’ was not a positive factor in his movement to Grand Finale. We don’t have any notes from the Judges to address whether ‘recovery’ was a factor but he did move forward into the Grand Finale. I assumed ‘recovery’ played a role for this group of Judges!
This is disgraceful! I would like to express my sincere sympathies with the unfairly treated candidates
“Once again, the international music competition industry has lived down to its well-deserved reputation.”
And once again, Slipped Disc aka Norman Lebrecht has lived down to his reputation of appetite for sensationalism and slander!
I shall assume, Mr Klein, that you are a producer of crooked competitions.
No Mr Klein isn’t a producer of crooked competitions the word ‘crooked,’ however, is best applied to you and your false claims … you do understand by now right that Jingzhi Zhang doesn’t study with Accardo? Or are you still in the dark on this matter?
Your cheap attempts at slander and charlatanism is well noted.
Everyone that in school have lernt to read, can read on the Facebook Page of Stauffer Academy, that Jingzhi for sure a student of Accardo! She is often on their photos and also when the diplomas for class of Accardo were given end of the school year!
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0d5vzMHgs6ipHWuNCxiPV8FZ2vYQboCdofMTDCNkwa5j3o7sTUBZKkCNz4MAxL92Ll&id=100064547475482
Hi Giulia… I only now have come across some text not on the Paganini Competition site but a congratulatory note to Jingzhi that she is studying with Accardo. If this is so the Maestro taught her well. Jingzhi successfully navigated the treacherous waters of a successful adherence to Urtext notations in that part of the Competition where an autograph manuscript was mandatory.
Many competitors in the Competition co-mingled ‘Urtext’ with ‘Revisionist text’ notations. If she’s studying with Accardo she was well schooled in not co-mingling phrases from one era’s publications with the critical editions available today.
You all maybe correct that Jingzhi is studying with Accardo. I’m glad she’s doing so but this doesn’t mean she won a high prize in the Contest because she was his student. Two of Accardo’s other students failed to move forward one didn’t get through the Preliminary round and the second student didn’t progress beyond the Semi Finals.
Jingzhi is a truly remarkable violinist of the highest order. My vote would have given her first prize. I look forward to following her career.
A poor assumption on two counts. You must be confusing this Klein with the respected and totally uncrooked Irving M. Klein International String Competition. Andreas Klein produces highly regarded recordings and is a fine concert pianist.
You rather neglect the truth, more convenient..
Worse things happen at sea ( or the tschaikovsky competitions).
Albert Markov my teacher was a jury member of 1998 Paganini competition that I went to and won 5th prize. He told me if it wasn’t for him I would’ve not made final round. There were better players who did not reach final competition stage that had no political connection to jury members. Oh well, I still got into NY Philharmonic which higher prize winners and lower ranked players in competition didn’t do! I now teach little kids in Long Island because I couldn’t secure tenure…but that’s another story.
Thank you Anton for your insights! But your teacher should have abstained from voting I’m glad Accardo did do in this specific contest event!
This is extremely common and should come to no surprise to anyone familiar with classical music competitions.
Most prize winners of the Tchaikovsky Competition from the old days were students of either Oistrach or Kogan, who were the presidents of the violin jury. Should Tretiakov, Kremer and Mullova among many others deliver their medals to the state?
They are all rigged.
Everybody knows the competitions are rigged. I knew a professor who would tell his students not to take certain competitions based on how many people on the jury were friends with then jury chair or even the same nationality and he was right 100% of the time when he predicted that the jury chair’s student would win gold.
Snoring loudest, guarantees commentary: WHO won that competition:
Deep vain thrombosis, covid19 vaccine heart-attack affects drummers and athletes and morally concerned billionaires……?
Guitarists like Queen’s Brian May and myself somehow survived the heart-attack secretly induced by cybernetic weapons attack DEW. (1st April 2016)
“The life of BRIAN” pronounced “bRian the bRitish scapegoat”
Or alternatively it is WRITTEN…
Brian_MUST join us for a list of long and lovely symphonic interludes! From intimate solos to undulating crescendos:
Dialed-in _nominal_ awareness (47 comment)
.
It’s not the same as Andy Warhal winning the consumerism and hoarding prize for dim-witted INTIMIDATION ()
But the comparison is interesting enough: and you^could hear_it:
and I will secure the rest.
The Stauffer Center for Strings has acknowledged that Simon Zhu and Jingzhi Zhang User both under the guidance of Salvatore Accardo.
https://www.stauffer.org/en/stauffer-students-triumph-at-the-premio-paganini/
I apologize for my ignorance of this matter. I only looked at Jingzhi’s Bio and other info on her from the Premio Paganini website which states she’s been a long term student of Pavel Berman. Jin’s Bio has not been updated to include her attendance at the Stauffer Center and her studies with Salvatore Accardo. I apologize to you Norman for my harsh words. I don’t believe, however, your premise that the Competition was rigged. Accardo’s decisions to insert Autograph Manuscripts of important works in the initial rounds was more than sufficient to propel the few that were well schooled in the minute details of autograph manuscripts. This one issue alone could explain the large number of contestants that didn’t progress beyond the initial round of the competition.
I’m actually very pleased to learn Jingzhi is a student of Accardo. This to me is confirmation of her extraordinary performances with astute attention to minute details of the autograph manuscripts those details are at the core of Accardo’s teaching method and Jingzhi was well schooled in not co-mingling text from Revisionist Publications with those of the Urtext a major mistake even advanced talents make in performances and especially present in this most recent Paganini Competition.