Virginia Waring International
Restoring Humanity in Classical Music Competitions
By Mary L. Smith
The Virginia Waring International Piano Competition (VWIPC) is one of the world’s most accessible and multi-generational celebrations of live classical piano music. Begun in 1979 as the Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition (JHIPC) in Palm Desert, CA, this Olympic style piano competition was created for pre-teens, teenagers and young adults 30 and under. In the cutthroat world of classical music, the VWIPC distinguishes itself as a nurturing experience for young pianists. Attending the Waring competition is like going to spring training; you can cheer for the classical music stars of tomorrow today.
The VWPIC is all about music. The VWIPC’s ability to create a nurturing experience for young talent while engaging the local and global community remains unique and timeless. Young artists hone their skills while performing concerts before sizable and appreciative audiences in a joyous musical competition experience. Since its inception, the VWIPC has had a clear mission statement that guides its executives, board of directors and volunteers, ensuring that integrity and ethics remain an integral part of the organization’s competitions and daily operations.
The VWIPC’s global presence and vast network of resources have provided contestants opportunities to play at Carnegie Hall, throughout Colorado and California, as well as in Vienna, London and Rome. The VWIPC is deeply woven into the social fabric of the community and has uniquely positioned itself to forge strategic partnerships with a variety of public and private organizations including schools throughout the Coachella Valley. Since 2008, the VWIPC has provided music education opportunities for over 8,000 students in grades K-12. The organization also works with youth and senior community centers providing free and low cost concerts. Year after year, the organization works tirelessly to encourage listenership through their innovative programs.
The VWIPC takes place biennially and its pre-competition screening is rigorous. Only 40% of applicants were invited to compete in the 2019 competition. This year, 17 junior piano virtuosos ages 8 to 12 and 19 intermediate pianists ages 13 to 17 from eight countries played concerts before sizable audiences throughout the week competing for cash and future performance opportunities. Contestants are required to perform in the solo competition and have the option of participating in the concerto competition. In separate preliminary rounds for junior and intermediate contestants, the field was narrowed to to the six and seven highest scoring individuals from each respective group for the semi-finals. The three highest scoring contestants received cash and prizes. The concerto competition, which took place at the McCallum Theatre on April 1st, consisted of a preliminary round with the top 2 pianists advancing to the finals. Both junior and intermediate contestants enjoyed playing with a full professional orchestra before a packed house. In addition to generous cash prizes this year’s Intermediate concerto winner will enjoy a week’s residency with Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra in Fort Myers, FL, while the First Prize Junior Solo Contestant will perform in Snowmass, Colorado. For a full list of this year’s participants and prize winners please visit: vwipc.org/piano-competitions/.
Following the Olympic-style awards presentation, an impromptu reception hosted by Artistic Director John Bayless and Executive Director Ann Greer gave contestants and their families the opportunity to relax and spend the evening with this year’s judges: Maestro Jeffrey Swann, composer and international recording artist Daniel Lessner, and international pianist Bernadene Blaha. Throughout the competition, Master Classes were facilitated by judges for contestants who did not advance to the next round, so everyone had a chance to meet the judges, take pictures, and receive feedback. Blaha described the competition as “a daily celebration of world class performances.” Music was a unifying force that that transcended language, nationality and age. Contestants from various countries and continents arrived as strangers and departed as friends.
The VWIPC encourages everyone to achieve greatness and continues to set the bar in the world of philanthropy and classical piano music. If you are a virtuoso between 18 and 30 years of age and think you have what it takes to compete in the VWIPC, consider submitting your application for the upcoming senior competition in 2021. To learn more about upcoming competition, public or private partnership opportunities, please visit vwipc.org.
