BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Competitions are a widely discussed part of musical life. Do we have the right to judge talent? Or are competitions necessary when building a career portfolio?
Australian guitarist Matt Withers feels competitions create opportunities – so much so that in 2014 he launched his own.
This year’s Matt Withers Australian Music Composition Competition calls for composers to create a solo classical guitar work inspired by Sue Needham’s artwork Forest. Thousands of dollars worth of prizes are on offer and composers of all ages are invited to enter.
Matt, who is himself a guitarist in leading chamber groups Guitar Trek and Brew Guitar Duo, was recently nominated for the 2016 Freedman Classical Fellowship. He tells us everything about the competition – from how it started, to the importance of participation.
You started the competition in 2014 – tell us how it all came about. Why did you feel the need to create this opportunity?
Compared to traditional orchestral instruments, the classical guitar is a relatively young instrument and I’ve been playing my part in expanding the repertoire for many years now, specifically through the generation of new Australian guitar music by both established and yet-to-be-established composers.
I saw the opportunity to create a national competition with the aim to add another avenue of support to composers, who were interested in writing for the guitar, to have their works performed and recorded in the nation’s capital.
The Matt Withers Australian Music Composition Competition evolved this year with some generous donations by some brilliant sponsors, and through expanding the entry criteria to be an open-aged competition to any composer.
What role do competitions play in the careers of emerging musicians?
In a world with very few ‘regular’ jobs for a musician, we must rely on forging our own paths through different methods to build our careers. Next to hearing our music, our biography is often the next port of call to find out more about the performer. Competitions definitely play a role in telling the audience who else has supported the musician over their career and highlights what accolades they’ve been awarded.
How do you think one should judge a competition? Is it subjective and therefore difficult to put an award on talent?
Judging a competition can be difficult, given that there are so many talented musicians in the world today. However, together with the knowledge and experience of Dr Robert Davidson (Head of Composition at the University of Queensland) as an adjudicator panel member, we will be able to judge the quality of the works based on the standard of entries and the entry criteria.
The audience from the inaugural competition in 2014 was very enthusiastic with its response to the music, and agreed the order of the winning works was precise.
Do you think competitions are a necessary step for young musicians?
Music is such an exciting endeavour for all musicians no matter what age, and competitions can be a wonderful opportunity simply for experience in getting their art out there. I believe it should be seen as an additional benefit if one wins. Setbacks and rejections can happen, but having the power to continue in the creative arts becomes strength in life.
So how do you create a competition from scratch?
Through my experience performing many genres of guitar music and entering competitions over the years, I discussed with some respected colleagues, elite musical peers and researched similar competitions. I formed my timeline, guidelines, and terms and conditions then advertised to the audience I thought would be most interested in entering. I am very pleased with the response the competition has seen as it has continued the exciting recognition of new Australian music and the classical guitar in general.
What advice would you give to others starting a competition in regards to setting it all up, liaising with sponsors, and other activities?
Whatever aspect of your musical career you are working on, networking is essential. Many of the sponsors are contacts and colleagues that I have worked with in the past and formed a relationship with. They have all been very generous with both monetary and in-kind donations as they are also very passionate about this endeavour, especially after seeing the success of the inaugural competition in 2014.
For example, locally, the Canberra Classical Guitar Society and Rick Falkiner’s Guitar Centre (who are sponsoring cash prizes) are long term supporters of the Australian guitar scene. The Artworks have been very generous in creating a replica of Sue Needam’s artwork, which will be part of the first prize along with $1,000 cash that I will donate. Sponsorship opportunities are available for the ongoing success of the Matt Withers Australian Music Composition Competition.
Why did you decide to use Needham’s artwork for the competition?
Sue Needham’s inspirational artwork Forest fits perfectly with this year’s theme – the premiere of the winning works will be held at the National Arboretum in Canberra, which is a botanical garden devoted to growing trees for conservation, scientific research and educational purposes. It seemed very fitting to link this stunning painting to the competition. Ms Needham’s artworks are held in private collections as far as England, France, the United States and, of course, across Australia. I’m very excited to see the works that arise from being inspired by Forest.
What was your first competition experience like?
Thinking back a few years now, my first musical competition experience was as a young teenager in an Adelaide Eisteddfod which had a National Open category in which I won the Jurlique award for the Best Young South Australian Guitarist. Part of the prize was the opportunity to give a performance which expanded my audience at a young age. Since then, I’ve been honoured to win many other competitions and scholarships which have lead to concerts and recordings around Australia and internationally, including in the beautiful city of Versailles, France.
Learn more about Matt Withers and this opportunity www.mattwithers.com.au/compositioncompetition. Entries close June 30.
Images supplied.
