VideoOrchestral conducting 101, as contestants vie for Hong Kong competition laurels
With Hong Kong hosting its first international conducting competition for young talent, we hear from one of the judges and a contestant about the skills and qualities needed to direct an orchestra
There is an old joke in the classical music world that goes: those who cannot play, conduct. In reality, being an orchestral conductor is no laughing matter.
This week, the virtuosity and musicality of 16 emerging conductors has been on show – and put to the test – in the 1st Hong Kong International Conducting Competition, presented by the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.
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The three finalists – Antoine Glatard from France, Gabor Kali from Hungary, and the youngest candidate of all, 25-year-old Dawid Runtz from Poland – will conduct a set piece as well as a new work, November Leonids, by Hong Kong composer Chan Hing-yan, in the final round on Sunday.
International competitions such as this give emerging conductors a chance to gain exposure – but the challenge is huge for the candidates this week, who had no more than 14 minutes to prove themselves in the competition’s first round.