Idolator

The Guardian's Susan Tomes is horrified that the BBC's Young Musician Of The Year program treats classical wunderkinds like they're on Pop Idol. "The stupid interviews, the trivial questioning of the players and their families, the way the players had been asked to 'reprise' a movement of their concertos from the previous night - which saw the pianist having to start halfway through Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini. An interviewer larking about with the judges, trying to trip them into saying who they thought was best when we hadn't heard them all yet. The judges larking back, eager to show they were not stuffed shirts." Classical musicians shouldn't have to charm the rabble like some unpracticed harlot singing "Vision Of Love!" Classical music is difficult! It takes maturity! Kneel! More »