In this episode of Cult, we go behind the scenes at the first Classic Violin Olympus in Dubai, where world-class performers competed for top prizes and a handcrafted violin.
00:00The most important thing is the exposure and also to have the possibility to raise your voice
00:09in the sense of playing an instrument and saying, there I am and I have something to say.
00:18A musical marathon came to a crescendo in Dubai with the grand final of the Classic Violin
00:24Olympus International Competition.
00:26Marking the first event of its kind, the contest saw violinists of the highest caliber go bow-to-bow
00:33to win prize money of €320,000.
00:38This competition has a bold ambition to revolutionize the world of music contests.
00:45Its global outreach was clear from the start, with six pre-selection events held at major music capitals around the world.
00:51It is also inclusive on the age front, with finalists about to step on this stage,
00:55ranging from 17 to 48.
00:59Amongst the talented 12 who made it through to the final stage were Rufi Ling from China,
01:06Mariusz Patira from Poland and Germany,
01:09Heik Kazarzyan from Armenia and 17-year-old Jingzhu Li from China.
01:25They performed concertos from Beethoven to Brahms, in addition to a solo encore,
01:31leading the orchestra as a concert master and interpreting one of three works by composer-in-residence Alexei Shaw.
01:39Everybody has their own story to tell through music and it's really exciting for me to see how they play my music which is the same music so differently.
01:51Responsibility for choosing the winner fell to 25 judges, made up of esteemed conductors, violinists and directors,
01:59with many emphasizing the importance of finalists showcasing versatility when playing both classical masterworks and contemporary pieces like those of Alexei Shaw.
02:09Everybody, when he thinks about classical music, okay, that's old stuff, but this is not true, but for this reason, it's very important that we don't play only composers of the 18th or 17th century.
02:25Respected Swiss-Bulgarian conductor and competition judge Misha Daumov is keen to see reforms in classical music concerts go even further.
02:34Why should we not be able to clap after a movement? Why should we not be able to stand up and whistle? I think all these kinds of things are not modernized.
02:45As Daumov and his fellow adjudicators scrutinized the techniques and talents of the artists on stage, displays of fun and fearlessness were warmly welcomed.
02:54Most importantly is this sort of not being scared, being courageous to put your stamp everywhere.
03:02China was strongly represented throughout the competition, and orchestral luminary Dai Lin reflected on the evolving classical music landscape in his homeland.
03:12The young generation loved class music very much. In Beijing or music hall in Shenzhen, Shanghai, yeah, everywhere there's any first class orchestra come here to make a performance.
03:24As Dai and his fellow jurors concluded their deliberations, 42-year-old Armenian Haik Kazazian proved the worthy winner.
03:36The seasoned violinists delivered outstanding performances of pieces by Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Beethoven, Alexei Shaw and a show-stopping encore.
03:45I said, this is the thing I need to choose. This should be something special and quite rare, really something special and interesting also for a jury.
04:01Kazazian's musical mastery earned him a check for 200,000 euros and a handcrafted Stradivari model violin by Fabio Piergentini.
04:10The violinist was humbled by his win in the Emirates.
04:13I feel responsible and first of all in front of my colleagues that were sitting there because I know all of them are really great.
04:19First inspired to pick up a violin as a child after hearing Vivaldi's melodic four seasons, Kazazian recommends aspiring competition winners do the same.
04:29I would advise to young musicians to listen recordings of outstanding musicians and feel that they will be inspired and they will want to play like that.
04:43Words worthy of note from the exemplary musician whose passion and precision embodied the first classical violin Olympus International competition.
