The XVII International Tchaikovsky Competition

As it commemorates its momentous year, the XVII International Tchaikovsky Competition pairs with a significant milestone - celebrating six and a half decades of providing an illustrious platform for emerging music talents. The inception of this esteemed contest, a guiding light for world-class pianists and violinists worldwide, first illuminated the international music circuit on March 18, 1958.

The idea to honor Tchaikovsky with a competition first stirred the minds as far back as 1939. The world was preparing for the centenary celebration of the composer's birth in 1940. However, the outbreak of the World War II in 1941 deferred this dream. Only 11 years after the victory this aspiration re-emerged, mirroring the ebbing of the Iron Curtain. The summer of 1956 saw the USSR government make a pivotal decision that would transform the musical landscape – the birth of an international competition carrying the esteemed name of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. This momentous event not only elevated the prestige of our nation's performing arts and music pedagogy but also opened the doors to enriched cultural exchanges with international societies and an increased appreciation of Tchaikovsky's mesmerizing compositions worldwide. At the dawn of this competition, Dmitry Shostakovich, the respected chairman of the organizing committee, shed light on the motivation to associate the competition with Tchaikovsky's name. He argued that the very essence of this revered Russian composer's music, renowned for its profound sincerity and humanity, embodied the reasons for this choice.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) emerged as a global luminary of Russian culture and art during his lifetime, winning hearts across continents. People around the world recognized and revered Tchaikovsky as a true global citizen – a Russian-European and a composer for all of humanity. He cherished the belief in the universal language of music and yearned for people worldwide to listen to his compositions: "... Through music I express my moods and feelings, and naturally, like any speaker with something to say, I desire an audience. The larger my audience is, the greater is my delight!"

Tchaikovsky marked his place in history as the first professional Russian composer to graduate from the inaugural Russian conservatory in Saint Petersburg. His tireless efforts greatly influenced the development of music education in Russia. Pyotr passed on his knowledge and expertise at the Moscow Conservatory for 12 rewarding years and penned the first-ever Russian harmony textbook. Tchaikovsky was a consistent champion for the younger generation, extending support to emerging musicians, fueling their talent, and providing scholarships. Among his notable actions was his recognition of a young Sergei Rachmaninoff, who was still a conservatory student. During an examination where Tchaikovsky served as an honorary panelist, he awarded Rachmaninoff not just an 'A+', but an 'A' embellished with three additional plus signs – a vivid testament to the promise he saw in the fledgling maestro...⁠

Tchaikovsky Competition, from the beginning, became one of the most challenging musical contests of our time. It isn't merely connected with the composer through the performance of his works. The competition truly encapsulates the grand and comprehensive vision of musical contests for the youth, first proposed in the 19th century by Tchaikovsky's teacher, Anton Rubinstein. Moreover, the competition categories reflect Tchaikovsky's universality. His prolific contributions to nearly all existing genres of music have left an immense legacy of 440 compositions.

On February 5, 1958, the Ministry of Culture of the USSR issued a resolution on "Preparing and holding the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Pianists and Violinists." Concurrently, a decision was made to launch several publications, including an album "Tchaikovsky in Klin," booklets about the Moscow Conservatory and the Central Music School, and a poster-exhibition "P.I. Tchaikovsky - Great Russian Composer." The USSR Ministry of Culture's publishing department was tasked with a large-scale production of a postcard series about Tchaikovsky's life and work, while the Department of Visual Arts and Monument Protection was to commission a porcelain bust of the composer. A particular item in the document specified the preparation of the Tchaikovsky Museum in Klin for receiving competition participants, jury members, and foreign guests. Plans were also made to accommodate all Soviet participants at the Ruza Union of Composers of the USSR House of Creativity.

Since the first competition, the program has been designed to allow each participant to showcase their skills to the fullest, interpreting works from different epochs and styles. In several competitions, performing pieces specially written for the contest by contemporary composers became mandatory. These included compositions from the likes of Dmitry Kabalevsky, Arno Babajanian, Andrey Eshpay, Krzysztof Penderecki, Rodion Shchedrin, and others.

The First competition took place in Moscow from March 18 to April 14, 1958, with two categories: piano and violin. The competition received 61 participants from 21 countries. The contest did not run simultaneously for both categories. Violinists competed first, followed by pianists. Interspersed between rounds were planned "excursions, theater visits, and concert hall visits following a special plan." The official calendar also included receptions with the chairman of the organizing committee, Dmitry Shostakovich, and the chairmen of the jury for violinists and pianists, David Oistrakh and Emil Gilels.

The first Tchaikovsky Competition was a resounding success, with American pianist Van Cliburn emerging as a true hero and legend. His astounding triumph made him one of the contest's symbols. Letters addressed to Cliburn, from his Soviet admirers, poured into the Moscow Conservatory and the Ministry of Culture of the USSR. He received letters from a diverse range of people, across ages and social statuses—from schoolgirls to pensioners. Some letters included drawings and photographs. Among these letters was a note from D.D. Shostakovich, addressed to the Ministry of Culture official Z.G. Vartanian, asking him to pass one of the letters to Cliburn. However, Cliburn never received these letters, neither in 1958 nor during his subsequent visits to the Soviet Union. Only during the Fourteenth Competition in 2011 were copies of these letters, kept at Tchaikovsky's House in Klin, handed to him. In his will, Cliburn asked for a birch tree to be planted in his name in the park of the Klin house. In June 2014, this last wish was fulfilled by Olga Rostropovich and members of the Galina Vishnevskaya Competition jury.

After the First Competition's conclusion, a resolution was passed under Nikita Khrushchev's signature, stipulating that the International Tchaikovsky Competition be held systematically every four years. The preparation of the Soviet group of participants was considered a crucial task, handled at the highest state level, akin to preparing the national team for the Olympic Games. Republic, inter-republic, and Union-wide contests were held, culminating in the All-Union competition of musician-performers. Conditions and programs closely mirrored those of the upcoming Tchaikovsky Competition, and the participants were provided with optimal comfort during their preparations. They resided in the Union of Composers of the USSR Houses of Creativity in "Ivanovo," "Ruza," and "Komarovo," and prior to the competition, they were accommodated in cottages in the Silver Pine Forest on the outskirts of Moscow.

The second competition took place in 1962. At the initiative of the remarkable Soviet cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, the "Cello" category was introduced for the first time. He also developed a program intended to identify a "universal artist" capable of handling compositions from a variety of genres and epochs.

Renowned cellist and competition jury member, Daniil Shafran, noted, "Listening to the young musicians' performances, I constantly pondered how the art of cello playing has advanced today. I recalled many competitions—both ours and international. No contestants have yet faced a program as complex as in Moscow. Here, they were given the choice from compositions of the utmost difficulty, not just technically but crucially, artistically. And almost none of the artists shied away from the challenge—each played in their own way and, for the most part, managed the task.".

Summing up the results of the first cello competition, Rostropovich affirmed: "Undoubtedly, the competition was a triumph for the new generation of young, talented cellists. Most telling is that this generation has not only brought us an abundance of talent, but also a variety of different cello schools and creative individualities... It was delightful to see that the hall was always filled to capacity, and so many people followed the competition on their radios and televisions. All this, of course, significantly contributes to the popularization of our beautiful instrument."

The introduction of the cello category in the Tchaikovsky Competition was a real breakthrough and the beginning of a new stage in the history of playing this instrument. Grigory Piatigorsky, a jury member of the second and third competitions and one of the leading cellists of the 20th century, noted: "I am delighted that my favorite instrument is represented at the second Tchaikovsky competition. And I really want these wonderful meetings of cellists to successfully continue in the future. I want there to be a Third, Thirtieth, and a Hundredth Tchaikovsky competition."

The Third Tchaikovsky Competition had already included four specializations. In 1966, the category "Solo Singing" was added to the program. The idea of the necessity to include vocalists in the competition was proposed by Heinrich Neuhaus: "In order for this performance competition to fully correspond to its high name – the name of Tchaikovsky, – it should represent two more performing specialties: conducting and singing... After all, Tchaikovsky is primarily a creator of immortal operas and symphonies, and his songwriting is as great and beautiful as that of Glinka, Mussorgsky, Schumann, or Brahms." The first vocal jury was headed by the outstanding Soviet choirmaster Alexander Sveshnikov. From the Fourth competition for many years to come, the permanent chairwoman of the vocal jury (except for 1994) became Irina Arkhipova, who considered one of the main tasks of the competition to be the mastering of the Russian repertoire by foreign singers and vice versa, works of Western composers by Russian performers: "I proudly think of the fact that the competition has expanded the concert repertoire of foreign vocalists with the compositions of Tchaikovsky, as well as Russian and Soviet composers... Along with the comprehension of the character of Russian music by foreign singers, there was also an understanding of the Russian language, the culture of our people. All this contributed to the deepening of contacts between countries, between people of different nationalities." We would also like to add that the Third competition in the "Piano" category witnessed a real sensation: the winner was a ninth-grade student from a music school at the Leningrad Conservatory – 16-year-old Grigory Sokolov, who grew into a true, great artist and became one of the most substantive, creatively interesting artists of his generation.

The Fourth Competition (1970) represented a sort of pinnacle in the history of the renowned musical contest. Celebrated musicians traveled to the Soviet Union as honored guests and jury members. The distinguished Polish pianist, Halina Czerny-Stefańska, visiting the competition for the first time, couldn't help but marvel at its scale and scope: "What a colossal bloom the international performance movement is experiencing!" It was at that time that the great Maria Callas attended the competition as a vocal jury member for the only time in her life, and the legendary Tito Gobbi arrived in Moscow for the final.

At the opening of the Fourth Tchaikovsky International Competition, the Polish composer and conductor Kazimierz Wiłkomirski noted: "The laureates of the previous Moscow competitions are now educating young musicians themselves. Some of their students will perform at this competition."

The Fifth Competition (1974), marking its 16th anniversary, already boasted unprecedented artistic and public prestige. For the first time, musicians from all five continents came together: 281 applications from 37 countries around the world! The eminent violin pedagogue Yuri Yankelevich noted: "The Tchaikovsky Competition, like a magnet, attracts the crème de la crème of performing art," and its participants believed that a contemporary performer cannot consider themselves complete without having participated in the famous competition. It's a true "academy of music"!

In 1974, the competition was last chaired by the stalwart chairman of the organizing committee – the great Dmitri Shostakovich, who in his message, read out at the opening by Tikhon Khrennikov, said, addressing the contestants: "Let music be the main victor in your competition!"

The Sixth Tchaikovsky Competition (1978) celebrated its first milestone – the 20th anniversary of its founding. A large number of foreign guests and professional musicians from across the country – teachers from leading conservatories: Gorky and Sverdlovsk, Tbilisi and Kiev, Chelyabinsk and Perm, Kharkov and Leningrad – flocked to Moscow. Professor I.Z. Zetel of the Ural Conservatory emphasized that the audience of listeners is not called the "second jury" in vain - this is not just a metaphor: "there are so many professional musicians of all generations in the hall."

On June 9, 1978, at the competition's opening in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, a fantastic surprise awaited everyone – the "divine ballet 'Swan Lake'" starring the divine Natalia Bessmertnova. The jury of the anniversary competition included those who had received the highest awards – laureates of the Tchaikovsky competition – 20, 16, 12 years ago. Additionally, the Sixth Competition gathered an unusually intriguing roster of musicians. For instance, 73 pianists from 20 countries competed in the "Piano" category, earning the Sixth Competition the nickname "Competition of Piano Poets". Moreover, it reaffirmed one of its best traditions across all specialties – to serve as a launching pad for young, talented, and highly gifted artistic personalities. The cellist jury member Mikhail Khomitzer said, "Our task was to sustain what had already been achieved by the great, 'old' generation, and understand the best that comes into our art with the younger generation."

The Seventh (1982) and Eighth (1986) competitions became, in the acknowledgment of many renowned cultural figures, "contests of outstanding virtuosos". The Seventh Competition had 253 musicians from 37 countries participate, and over 400 applications were received for the Eighth Competition from representatives of 46 countries across all continents. Musicians of all specialties exhibited virtuosity, artistry, skill, and inspiration. However, as the chairman of the cellists' competition jury Daniil Shafran stated, "the competition in technical skills takes a backseat to the tasks of music interpretation – such is the enduring tradition of the Tchaikovsky Competition, and in this lies one of its greatest victories".

Jury members noted the increasing level of comprehension of Russian music by foreign performers, as well as the fact that Tchaikovsky's works, with their profound humanity and outward modesty of expressive means, still remained the most challenging for them in terms of interpretation, as they tolerate "no performers' inventions". The sincerity and simplicity that constitute the essence of "Tchaikovsky's expression" are the most difficult in performing the works of the great Russian composer.

The cellist Natalia Gutman, a jury member of the Eighth Competition, addressing the participants, said, "What's the most valuable aspect of the Tchaikovsky competition? It unveils new talents. This acute sense of anticipation for discoveries has been indelibly with us since the First Competition when we tried to infiltrate the Great Hall of the Conservatory to hear Van Cliburn, Liu Shikun, Valery Klimov, Stefan Rukh. And, of course, there's a wondrous phenomenon: everyone in the hall at times feels like the sole discoverer of a new talent..."

Any competition is invariably a "drama of passions and ideas", a complex whirlwind of fates and circumstances. Lev Vlasenko, a jury member of the Eighth Competition, noted: "Each competition has its unique characteristics, as it involves different musicians. The winner of this year's competition, Barry Douglas, participated in our previous competition and did not make it past the threshold of the first round, while his compatriot Peter Donohoe became its laureate. What happened next? As Barry himself recounted, he drew significant creative conclusions from his unsuccessful performance in 1982 and prepared for this year's competition with great diligence and seriousness. The Tchaikovsky Competition is a competition of personalities!"

The Ninth Competition (1990) took place in the 150th anniversary of birth of the composer. It was the first competition held in the era of Glasnost and Perestroika. The press release featured previously forbidden names of major Soviet musicians who had contributed to the success of the competition: M. Rostropovich, K. Kondrashin, V. Ashkenazy, G. Kremer, B. Pergamenschikow, and others. A record number of performers in the "piano" specialty: 119 performers from 23 countries. Musicians from Israel, South Korea, and Taiwan appeared in the competition for the first time, as well as our emigre musicians who continued their education or careers abroad. The competition was heated with passion, and each day its golden fund was enriched with brilliant new interpretations from intriguing young musicians. Information about the inception of the Association of Laureates of the P.I. Tchaikovsky Competition emerged during the Ninth Competition, with Lev Vlasenko elected as its president and Van Cliburn named its honorary president.

The Tenth, anniversary competition, took place in 1994. Russian President Boris Yeltsin noted that this spectacle is especially dear to Russians: "It brings back bright and moving memories. The Tenth Competition is simultaneously the first. The first in the history of the new Russian state."

The competition was led by the outstanding Russian composer of the 20th century, Georgy Sviridov. At the solemn opening, he said: "...in the anniversary competition, the jury composition across all four specialties has been fully updated: now it only includes laureates of previous Tchaikovsky competitions. I see this as a symbol of the life and self-development of our competition, the entrenchment of its traditions and artistic criteria..."

The Eleventh (1998), Twelfth (2002), and Thirteenth (2007) Competitions still represented significant musical events in the country and the world. However, the fate of this legendary competition was complex during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

"One of the most prestigious music competitions in the world – the Tchaikovsky Competition – has concluded its proceedings," wrote the newspaper "Tomorrow". "Results have been tallied in four categories – piano, violin, cello, and solo singing. On the whole, no matter the liberal press' cries of its failure, confusing wishful thinking for reality, the competition was a success, largely due to its meticulous organization... And the primary result of the competition – a palpable testament to the enduring strength of our performing school on the global stage, which despite all negative aspects in our life, remains unshaken. For 21 days, music lovers could satiate their ears, root for 'their' performers, discuss their performances, and track the jury's reactions. The atmosphere in the halls during the musicians' performances, in the wings of the competition, was unlike any other, and neither the heat, nor stuffiness, nor fatigue could diminish its emotional intensity..."

In 2005, it was reported that Mstislav Rostropovich would assume the role of chairman of the Tchaikovsky Competition Organizing Committee. The 2007 competition proceeded without the great musician – he passed away in April 2007. Nonetheless, the organizers of the Thirteenth Tchaikovsky Competition made substantial efforts to ensure the competition would avoid any future complexities, and, perhaps, over the last 30 years, it has become the "most open": at the Thirteenth competition, daily briefings were held for journalists, which facilitated more active and detailed coverage in the press.

For the first time, a broadcast of the participants' performances was organized on the internet, in line with the technical capabilities of the time – the Tchaikovsky Competition was among the "pioneers" of such an experience worldwide...

In 2011, a new milestone began in the history of the competition – Valery Gergiev became the head of the Organizing Committee: "The Tchaikovsky Competition has a unique aura. It has always been the most significant musical event for us. When I was about 14, I couldn't even imagine that I would be a participant in this competition. But I still remember vividly how the winners performed – Grigory Sokolov, Vladimir Krainev, Yevgeny Nesterenko, Elena Obraztsova, Vladimir Atlantov, how the country's only television channel at the time constantly broadcast the main events of the competition and the winners' concert. I even remember how Yevgeny Nesterenko sang Konchak's aria from the opera 'Prince Igor'. This stays in the soul for a lifetime. And such a legend of the competition works on the country's reputation, and we all live in this country!"

The Fourteenth competition, held in 2011, spanned Moscow and St. Petersburg. A felicitous innovation appeared in the rules of the competition: the second round for instrumentalists was divided into two stages, the first featuring a solo program, and the second – a classical concerto. Thus, for the first time in history, the Tchaikovsky Competition was held not in three, but in four rounds. Apart from the performance of large-scale concertos in the third round, a new requirement emerged – to present a classical concerto with a chamber orchestra. At the Fourteenth competition, modern digital technologies began to be actively incorporated – thanks to online broadcasts, it became possible to follow all the twists and turns of the musical competition from any part of the world.

The Fifteenth competition (2015) was dedicated to the 175th anniversary of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's birth. For the first time, a new competitive stage was introduced – a pre-competition audition. Also, a new rule was included in the conditions: laureates of 32 major international competitions could participate in the Tchaikovsky Competition without preliminary selection.

In anticipation of the Fifteenth competition, on the initiative of the co-chair of the organizing committee, O. Y. Golodets, competitions in children's drawing and composition were held for the first time among students of general education schools and schools of arts, as well as competitions among students of music schools in the same specialties as the main professional competition. More than five thousand educational institutions in the country participated in the children's competitions. The reward for the winners – 150 children from different corners of Russia – was an invitation to Moscow, to the Fifteenth Tchaikovsky Competition, with attendance to the third round and the laureates' Gala concert.

Thanks to Medici.tv – the global leader in the field of internet broadcasts of events related to classical music – the quality of broadcasts at the competition improved dramatically, and the created website was impeccably convenient and informative.

The Sixteenth Tchaikovsky Competition (2019) made history with the introduction of two new specialties – "woodwinds" and "brass instruments". At first, this news caused confusion, as Tchaikovsky did not write original compositions for these instruments. What about the repertoire?.. Indeed, it is true, but wind instruments were not alien to Tchaikovsky. The future composer heard almost all woodwind and brass instruments from his early childhood. The Votkinsk Factory had a small ensemble of musicians, which included almost all woodwind and brass instruments. Ilya Petrovich, Tchaikovsky's father, who was the head of the factory, played the flute himself.

During his studies at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, Tchaikovsky also took flute lessons. Among his student works, completed in Anton Rubinstein's class at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, are compositions for various ensembles of wind instruments. Of course, we must not forget about the famous solos in symphonic compositions, operas, ballets: how much music Tchaikovsky gave to the flute, oboe, French horn, trumpet. Francesca's story is told by the voice of a clarinet in the fantasy "Francesca da Rimini", and the timbre of a bassoon begins the composer's last, Sixth ("Pathetique") Symphony, and so on. However, few know that Tchaikovsky intended to write a composition for flute with orchestra. The idea relates to the name of the outstanding French flautist Claude-Paul Taffanel - the most prominent virtuoso musician of the second half of the 19th century, the founder of the modern French school of flute playing. Tchaikovsky started on the promised work shortly before his death, in 1893, and left two musical sketches, accompanied by the title: "Concertstück for flute". The composer did not have time to realize this concept...

In addition to the emergence of two new specialties, one of the innovations of the Sixteenth Tchaikovsky Competition was the organization of "fan zones" in many cities in Russia and even abroad. The term, "borrowed" from the World Cup held in Russia, transmits a brilliant and promising idea: music lovers from different Russian cities can watch the development of the competition events in Moscow and St. Petersburg in specially equipped rooms - concert halls and philharmonic halls...

Over its 65-year history, the legendary music competition has established its traditions. One of them – the visit to Tchaikovsky's House in Klin by participants and guests of the competition – originated from the First competition, after which the first laureates were brought here: Van Cliburn and Valery Klimov. They were accompanied by Tchaikovsky's younger nephew, Yuri Lvovich Davydov. Both musicians played in the composer's office-living room. It was in 1958 that the competition's guest, conductor Leopold Stokowski, made a pilgrimage to Tchaikovsky and planted an oak tree in the park of the museum "from musicians all over the world". Over time, the traditional tree planting by participants, jury members, and competition guests became a tradition.

In 1962, the honorary guest of the Second competition, Queen Elizabeth of Belgium, visited Klin. That was also when the first reception for jury members and participants took place, which subsequently became a tradition. During the reception, the winner of the competition – British pianist John Ogdon – played on Tchaikovsky's piano. In 1994, during the Tenth competition's reception, all the visiting jury members of the pianists, which consisted of (as already mentioned) past laureates of the Tchaikovsky Competition, led by chairman Lev Vlasenko, played on the composer's piano.

Among the estimated 200 music contests that resonate in the modern landscape, only the Tchaikovsky International Competition, sprouting from a nation renowned for its "majestic performance traditions," has achieved a national scale and artistic moral stature that is truly unique. Over the course of 65 years, the contest has evolved and grown. Yet, the name of Pyotr Tchaikovsky and the worldwide spotlight this event captures have remained a steadfast cornerstone.

The esteemed French pianist Marguerite Long, who was extended an invitation to the jury panel of the inaugural competition, wrote about her experience: "The call to serve on the jury for the Tchaikovsky International Piano and Violin Competition stirred up quite a whirl of emotions within me. This wasn’t solely because the competition carries the name of one of the most renowned composers, a maestro whose enchanting music is loved and heard across the globe, but also because this Moscow-based springtime event signified a meeting point for gifted young talents from numerous countries, encapsulating the world’s musical spring."

*This account does not aspire to offer a comprehensive tour through the competition chronicles. Instead, it narrates the fundamental milestones in the growth of this paramount cultural occurrence. The account draws from resources provided by the Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum and Reserve in Klin, T. N. Grum-Grzhimailo’s book "Tchaikovsky Competition. History. Faces. Events" (Moscow: Grant, 1998), and the online Classicalmusicnews classical music portal.

Изображения предоставлены Государственным музеем-заповедником П. И. Чайковского.