Shock in Besancon: Frenchman wins

Shock in Besancon: Frenchman wins

News

norman lebrecht

September 24, 2023

The international conducting competition in Besancon is one of the fairer and better regulated among such events, often uncovering major young talents.

Still it was a shock when a Frenchman Swann Van Rechem, 25 years old, came away not just with the grand prize but with the majority votes of both the audience and the orchestra.

Comments

  • Ludwig's Van says:

    Why was it a shock? Please explain.

  • Alexy says:

    Not a complete surprise if you know him and for sure not shock . Smart guy very talented and hard worker.

  • AD says:

    Maye you could (should) articulate why it was such a shock. At least for those like me who don’t know anything about this competition.

  • s113921 says:

    Not a shock at all. A musically and technically very mature conductor, as we all could see in the final. He will make a big career.

  • Zarathusa says:

    Swanny is an incredibly gifted, talented, and dramatically dynamic conductor! Now that he’s been recognized by near universal acclaim, the classical musical world is his pearl-laden oyster! Heartiest congratulations and all success in the future!

  • Anthony Sayer says:

    Good for him. Bravo.

  • David A. Boxwell says:

    Appropriately mediagenic for these times, at least.

  • Melisande says:

    Let’s conclude that writing is also a kind of art which can be learned!

  • Willym says:

    So as I understand it from the headline, there was shock and surprise because he was French?

  • Clément says:

    At least, if you have focused on Besancon for recent years, you wouldn’t say it’s still among the best or fairer conducting competitions nowadays: – No any formal invitation of great orchestra for winner. -Extremely prefer 20-year-old guys who might dance with orchestra elegantly but are clearly inexperienced of rehearsing music honestly. – Always inviting more mediocre Asian candidates from the competition’s Asian host , like this year from Japan and since so many years from China. – No great conductors siting in jury, never.

  • Michel Lemieux says:

    He won the Grand Prize, the Public’s Favorite and the Orchestra’s Favorite prizes.

    Previous winners include Lionel Bringuier, Yoel Levi, Osmo Vänskaand Seiji Ozawa.

    The Besançon International Competition for Young Conductors, which dates all the way back to 1951.

    This is a major competition and I’m sure we will hear and see a lot more of Monsieur Van Rechem.

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