Evening star., 1948-05-30
Music Awards
Failing toReach
Worthy Talent
By Alice Eversmon

One way in which this country
has assisted young musicians to q
career has been the staging of con-
tests with monetary awards. The
publicity given each winner has led
to many important engagements
besides the one usually part of the
award. There has been some dis
cussion pro and con as regards the
value of contests since they create
tensions that often prevent con-
:estants from doing their best. On
the other hand, the stimulation to
greater endeavor is obvious, and
many young musicians have had
their eyes opened and their am
bition stirred by seeing and hear
ing what others have accomplished.
But the difficulty about the sys-
tenn is that the same musicians win
time after time This is hardly fair
to the less-experienced contestants.
A recent case in point is the win
ming of the Chamber Music Guilds
additions and 800 award by Abby
Begin of New York Mr., Begin has
won several other big prizes. Last
October he gave piano recital in
the Phillips Gallery and a few days
later a concert in Town Hall, New
York. Obviously he is more sea-
soned to public appearances than
any neophyte and could be counted
upon to approach the task with
less fear.
Great Advantage Gained.
The background of many young
musicians, as set forth in their
publicity, lists award after award.
This is most commendable and one
would be hard-hearted indeed not
to rejoice at their skill and luck.
But all these trials before judges
give them an experience which.
plus their initial good training, puts
them at the outset far ahead of a
musician entering contest for the
first time. The newcomer would
have to be superior in every way to
win against such competition.
1t would seem wise to limit the
number of awards a young artist
could receive In this way, chance
would be given to others and If no
one were deemed fitting, as in the
Rachmaninoff Fund contest last
year, the money could be held over
until a worthy musician appeared.
The ultimate idea of contests as
stimulating effort would remain
the same but the disheartening ef-
feet of competing against musicians
of experience would be done away
with. The many opportunities Of
fered the talented student today
far surpasses what was available
some years ago, but 1t is possible
that the good done will be nullifled
in the end If only a few can benefit.
An Eample of Real Help.
There are other needs besides
public appearances that all mu-
sicians experience. Some Of these
will be met in the plan announced
a short time ago by pupils OF Olga
Samaroff -Stokowski. In her men,
ory, a fund has been started to
build a home in New York fot mu-
sic students where the beloved
teachers generous sharing of money
and sympathy will be emulated. Be-
cause she helped so many in other
ways beside instilling musical
knowledge, often outfitting them
with concert dress, taking an inter-
est in their personal problems and
keeping them close to her in her
home or giving them the advantage
of European travel, these grateful
pupils will try to follow in her foot
steps by first providing home at
mosphere for those who come to
New York to study.
Whatever is being done to en-
courage the study Of music must
not be limited to q few but must
reach as many as possible. Not
much effort has been expended in
that way in this city. Now the
contests sponsored by the Chamber
Music Guild are open to any one in
this country. Although locally
sustained organization, the local
musicians who might benefit cam
not, at present, hope to win against
those who may be classified already
as DrofeSSionals The solution seems