JURY TALK

WFIMC: Maestro, this June you were chair of the jury in Fort Worth. One of the most moving moments for many was when you announced Yunchan Lim as the winner, fighting your tears…as it was so overwhelming. Looking back at the Cliburn 2022, what comes to your mind first?

Marin Alsop : Oh, he is such a wonderful musician! I had conducted the Rachmaninov many times before, of course, but it was a really special experience. The whole competition was- very warm hearted people, a wonderful atmosphere for making music.

You were chair of the jury, and conductor in the Finals. You did not have to vote (unless if there was a draw). Does this rule make things easier?

Yes, it takes some pressure away… but then, there were no ties, or issues within the jury to settle. No hard discussions. I only had to tell them to stop talking, or to stop eating (laughs)… but it was a great jury. Everyone was honest, everyone voted with their hearts.

As a conductor, you have a different perspective than a listener, you get more involved, more invested in the work with the candidates. And sometimes I gave a few comments to the jury, tried to provide some insights from the conductor's point of view, but always without names. Mostly things were very obvious anyway, and it was clear who was best.