Competition's reputation is worldwide

Patron Michael Hill. Photo / Michael Thomas

The first of the big decisions is made in Queenstown tomorrow night when six of the 18 international competitors in this year's Michael Hill International Violin Competition learn they will be taking part in Auckland's Chamber Music semifinals on Monday and Tuesday.

Seven judges, including Frenchman Philippe Graffin, American Pamela Frank and Israeli Shmuel Ashkenasi, will make their choices after the usual three days of Fugues, Chaconnes and Sonatas with each competitor having to tackle Gareth Farr's specially commissioned solo, Wakatipu.

Anne Rodda, the MHIVC director since its foundation in 2001, is dealing with a competitor's visa problems when we meet and everything is solved without a flicker of fluster.

"I must have had a good experience in my early 20s," says Rodda. "I'm particularly passionate about this particular age group and providing opportunities for emerging artists."

It has been five years since the competition was awarded international status and Rodda is thrilled to be "at the level of the biggies".

At a recent Conference of the International Federation of Music Competitions in Geneva, she experienced "the respect they give our competition and how delighted they are that something so extraordinary should come out of the bottom of the Pacific Ocean".

But, without the vision and support of Michael Hill, a violinist himself, there would be nothing.

"Michael's personal love of the instrument comes through so strongly," Rodda explains. "The competitors see in him someone who has had an extraordinary career, a proper patron who doesn't do it all for name recognition or kudos but because he simply adores the violin."

One important innovation this year is that, come Friday, podcasts of all the Queenstown rounds will be up on the competition's website.

"We're really at the cutting edge of technology," Rodda comments. "I really hope it captures the imagination of people who wouldn't necessarily step inside a concert hall or who aren't in Queenstown or Auckland. They will also be able to vote, by texting, for our new Audience Prize."

When I catch up with Dene Olding, the MHIVC's artistic advisor, he has just come off stage, leading the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in a Gershwin concert.

The Australian violinist is well-known to Auckland audiences, having played concertos with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and having visited us with his own Goldner Quartet.

Olding, too, has been associated with the biennial event since its inception, an event he says "will put the violin focus of the world on Queenstown and Auckland for one week."

While he worries there could be a surfeit of such competitions on the world arena, the MHIVC still has its own individual stamp.

"Our challenge was to make it stand out from the others," Olding says.

"The beautiful location in Queenstown is one distinguishing feature and the chamber music element is another; not many other competitions test their musicians in ensemble."

And this is what Aucklanders can taste next Monday and Tuesday when cellist Ashley Brown and pianist Michael Houstoun join the chosen half-dozen violinists to play Trios by Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak and Ravel. After this, three finalists will be selected for Thursday's Final Round.

Olding is impressed by advances made over the past eight years.

"You always have the top six or so, but the overall standard has improved as the competition's reputation has spread round the world."

He points out how 2005 winner Feng Ning went on in 2006 to win the prestigious Paganini Competition and now Brisbane violinist Ray Chen, who didn't make it to the MHIVC finals in 2007, has just carried off top prize in Belgium's Queen Elisabeth Music Competition.

Over the next month, too, Auckland can enjoy concerto turns by two MHIVC winners when Bella Hristova plays Bruch on June 18 and Natalia Lomeiko tackles Tchaikovsky on July 3, both with the APO.

Nevertheless there are still new territories to conquer, according to Olding.

"One of the advantages of having this competition in New Zealand is that it's a relatively small country and it can be a high-profile event.

"It would be nice if the contestants could be recognised when they walk down the street, so the average person could take an interest in this Olympic-style event."

And, with podcast Queenstown performances now available at www.michaelhillinternationalviolincompetition.com, this might happen.

Performance

What: Michael Hill International Violin Competition semi-finals
Where and when: Auckland Town Hall Chamber, Monday & Tuesday, 7.30pm
Final round: Auckland Town Hall, Thursday, 7.30pm