What the Classical:NEXT Jury Seeks - Showcase

Photo by Eric van Nieuwland

Here are some quick hints and recommendations for your Live Showcase proposal. These are just some of the things that the jury will be looking for in a proposal:

1. NEXT Proposals
Does the artist/ensemble have an innovative, fresh or unusual approach? A truly NEXT showcase is one that focuses on artistic output that does not fit into the traditional competition scene. In other words, if traditional repertoire is performed, then it should be performed or presented with a NEXT (i.e. non-traditional) approach. If the proposal could be made to a traditional competition, it is probably not right for Classical:NEXT.

2. Intro video
An excellently made, short video is by far the best method for showing the jury what makes you special. Include a bit of information about who you are and what you do – this can be done with short ‘interview’ clips or by short texts strewn throughout the video. An ideal time length is between two and four minutes. Aesthetics count! Be sure to have your video made to appeal to the eye as well as the ear and the mind. Invest in this, it is worth it!

3. Photos
Excellently done, professional photos are worth their weight in gold as regards getting noticed. Again, invest in this, it is worth it. When commissioning photographs, put a priority on a photographer that delivers eye-catching, aesthetically pleasing, high-quality images which not only show your face, but also something about you as a person and your approach to your art. Alternatively, images which are simply eye-catching in themselves can do the job. Standard headshots are just that, standard. You want to stand out from the crowd!

4. Avoid TL;DR!
TL;DR = Too Long; Didn’t Read. Keep all written materials short, effective and convincing.
We suggest placing the best quotes about you first on the written page. Also, please keep that standard listing formula of “my age when I began on my instrument, who I studied with, stages on which I performed” to the bare minimum. Again, these listings are standard, whereas you want to be stand-out. Tell the jury your unique story instead.

5. The final programme will have a best-possible balance of geographical and gender representation as well as instrumentation and approach.

article posted by:Jim Hickson, Piranha Arts

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