Organized as part of the Besançon International Music Festival, the 58th edition of the international competition for young conductors has begun. There are only 20 candidates left but there will only be one winner. Two young French musicians are in the running for the final scheduled for Saturday September 23.
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In the concert hall, we only see him! Standing on a platform in front of a music stand, the conductor waves his sticks or his hands. Occupying this function cannot be improvised. It is a profession that remains mysterious and impressive in the eyes of the general public. Because the one we also call Maestro is not just there for show. Its role is crucial. It is he who coordinates the instruments by giving them the rhythm and tempo so that the musicians play in harmony. This position is rarely occupied at the start of their career by musicians or composers. Most of the time, they start as assistants to an accomplished professional.
This is the case of these twenty candidates, preselected to participate in this international competition for young conductors organized at the Kursaal in Besançon. They are associate conductors or assistants but all want to go even further by winning the title of best young conductor. One of their tests consists of conducting the Victor Hugo orchestra for 15 minutes on Beethoven’s 4th symphony. So how are they judged by professionals? “First, II look at what we don’t see, I listen, I try to see what is in their heads, how they construct their idea, how they communicate their ideas and how the orchestra reacts and how they inspire the public, the jury and the musicians” says Debora Waldman, Member of the jury and associate conductor at the Dijon opera auditorium.
More than a profession, a vocation
No one can improvise as an orchestra conductor. It takes a lot of skill to achieve this. Beyond their solid musical culture, their personality and charisma count for a lot. It’s up to these music enthusiasts to show their leadership temperament and their ability to resist stress. Among the preselected, two French people: Souane Van Rechem and Simon Clausse. Already a semi-finalist in 2021, the latter admits to still being stressed before the event.
Immersing yourself in the score and knowing each instrument perfectly, how they work and their notes are essential for this prestigious competition. Discipline and firmness are also essential for this very demanding profession. “We work with the scores, so that all the information goes into our body, into our skin, so that we know exactly what we want to do in each measure, so it takes a lot of time, because it’s a lot of information“, explains Swann Van Rechem, candidate for the international competition for young conductors in Besançon.
The final will take place at the Théâtre Ledoux this Saturday at 4 p.m. for one of them, it will be the start of a promising career.