David Lang explains his Piano Competition 2011

if you win, David Lang will fly you to NYC for a performance at (le) poisson rouge on May 6, 2012.... go to http://digital.schirmer.com/lang-contest for more info! PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO!

Official Rules (in brief)
by uploading your video to http://www.youtube.com with the tag:

David Lang Piano Competition 2011

you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the complete rules of this competition: http://www.redpoppymusic.com/rules

1. Between November 15, 2011 and December 31, 2011, download the score to wed from David Lang's memory pieces without charge from http://digital.schirmer.com/lang-contest

2. Learn the music and make a video of yourself playing it.

3. Post the video on YouTube.com by midnight (Eastern Standard Time) on December 31, 2011.

**IMPORTANT** you must tag the video with the following phrase: David Lang Piano Competition 2011

4. Once tagged by you after uploading, all videos will be posted here. Encourage your friends to make comments on their favorites!

5. A panel of judges, including Vicky Chow, Jeremy Denk, Lisa Moore, and Andrew Zolinsky will review all the videos and choose a winner. (All decisions by the panel are final and may not be challenged.)

6. The winner will be flown to New York for a performance of music by David Lang at the famed club Le Poisson Rouge, on Sunday, May 6, 2012. The winner will play wed and will also give the premiere of a new piece by Lang for piano 4-hands, to be premiered with pianist Andrew Zolinsky. The winner will receive free airfare, 2 nights hotel in New York, and a small honorarium.

7. The competition is not responsible for the arrangements of visas, work papers, entrance papers, or any immigration fees.

8. A complete list of rules is here: http://www.redpoppymusic.com/rules

• Category

  Music

[RedPoppyMusic]

Hi everyone: The rules for this piano competition have now been officially changed, and all the musicians of the world are now welcome, regardless of where they live. Good luck to you all!

[rtwendt]

As musicians from countries like Cuba or Iran are prohibited from taking part in this competition, I invite all musicians of conscience to boycott this competition. Red Poppy Music claims that they are legally required to exclude countries sanctioned by the US, a country hardly in a position to lecture anyone on moral behavior. Artists and record labels have a long history of civil disobedience, and since Red Poppy Music and David Lang have opted to play it safe, I urge you not to participate.

[RedPoppyMusic]

hi rob -

david lang here. thank you very much for your post. you are, of course, right.

the truth is I would love to be able to include in this competition every interested musician on the planet, regardless of where he or she might live. changing our nation's travel or visa laws, however, much as I would like to, and much as they need to change, may be something more than this little competition can accomplish.

[continued on next post]

[RedPoppyMusic]

that said, to some extent every nation makes its citizens complicit in a gigantic range of international humiliations done in their name, and it is necessary to point these out, when one can. thanks for reminding me.

the rules of this competition were made with the help of a lawyer, so that I would be able to avoid illegality and the appearances of conflicts of interest.

[continued on next post]

[RedPoppyMusic]

I am going to go back to the lawyer and see if we can figure out how to avoid hurting the musicians of the world as well.  I will let you know what we come up with.

humbly,

david lang

[monda220]

Have downloaded terms and conditions but can not find a program to view the score. any suggestions?

[RedPoppyMusic]

hi there! to view the score you need to go to digital.schirmer.com and follow their directions for registering with their system. it's quick and easy! good luck.

[skybart]

Just read about this competition-- fantastic idea! Question: how can I open a .pdc-file?

[Figaro Gogarty]

Mr. Lang, as music your piece is an extremely tenuous vehicle to be the object of such foofaraw. It lacks line, it lacks melody, it lacks harmony, it lacks rhythmic profile, it lacks mood, it lacks shape, it lacks form, it lacks style, it is bereft of expressive content. It is the apotheosis of New Age Noodling. An untutored and untalented child could do better. Boola-boola that Schirmer and so many suckers are going for it. I find it an utterly appalling commentary on our times and tastes.

[rtwendt]

I would like to thank David Lang and Red Poppy Music for modifying their rules to make this competition open to anyone regardless of nationality. Imagine what we in the US would have been robbed of if Ry Cooder had not brought the Buena Vista Social Club to Carnegie Hall. It is precisely when our government has gone out of its mind that we musicians and artists need to step up and remind everyone of the value of inclusivity and human solidarity. I wish all contestants the best of luck.