2018 Juried Exhibition of Student Art

The world knows us as the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. Since 1982, we have invited over 400 violinists to participate in our Competition and have been instrumental in expanding the successful careers of many of the Laureates as a result of their musicianship on the Indianapolis stage. What the world may not know about us, is that since 1986, there has also been a visual arts component to each subsequent Competition. Teachers and their students from around the state of Indiana have been invited to contribute to an exhibition dedicated to artwork surrounding the violin and the music it inspires.

'Untitled' by Alexis Adams, Grade 9 (2014)
Cowan High School, Muncie, IN
One of 30 Grand Award Winners

Each year, 30 Grand Award prizes are distributed - a total of $10,000 between those artists and their schools or sponsoring organizations. Those winning works of art are then displayed in a public exhibition during the Competition and for the following two years, and the images are reproduced into individual notecards which patrons can then purchase for personal use.

Our guest blogger this month is Rosalie Held, longtime supporter of the arts, IVCI Board member and arts advocate for the state of Indiana and its students. To explain more about the Juried Exhibition of Student Art (JESA), Rosalie, as its State Director, has kindly provided a brief history of this wonderful initiative, which runs parallel to each Quadrennial Competition.

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When the first Quadrennial of the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis was held in 1982, it was thought the addition of an educational visual art component would be a wonderful idea for the next Competition. Subject matter was to be two-dimensional representations of the violin and its music. What became known as the Juried Exhibition of Student Art (JESA) was open to students for the 1986 Competition in grades 1-12 in Marion County and those counties contiguous to it.

It was so successful, particularly since it was designed and implemented entirely within Indiana, the Indiana Arts Commission and the Fine Arts Consultants to the State Department of Education encouraged the expansion of the project to include the entire state for the next Competition in 1990. Since then, it remains the largest “home-grown” arts education project in the state of Indiana. Currently, teachers have registered over 26,000 students to participate for the 2018 Juried Exhibition of Student Art.

The IVCI provides study guides and visual representations of famous works of art featuring the violin. The JESA program is specifically aligned to meet the standards of the Indiana Academic Standards for Visual Arts.

Rosalie Held
JESA State Director

That's the history and statistical information regarding JESA. The truly exciting part is what it has produced:

·         Many past award winners have gone on to pursue careers in art.

·         Some have become art teachers as a direct result of their participation as students in JESA.

·         Many at-risk students have abandoned involvement in unlawful activities to spend time working on their entries for JESA.

·         Music and art teachers have collaborated to integrate information for their students.

·         Some past Grand Award winners now teach and have helped to produce the next generation of Grand Awards Winners.

On a personal note, it has been my privilege to serve as the State Director for JESA every Quadrennial since 1986. Observing Regional and Grand Award judging sessions, I have seen well over 5,000 artistic representations of the violin. I’ve met hundreds of creative, dedicated teachers and heard the stories of so many student participants.

While the JESA program has been the most satisfying project a lifetime passion for arts education has produced, the bottom line is this:

We must work to support and expand our state’s educational efforts in arts education.

A past national judge, the author of many texts on art education, said this in response to a high-level executive (who had been a college friend) when he was asked:  Just what is the value of art education – really? Why is it of value in today’s world?

Ernie Goldstein’s reply was animated and enthusiastic:

“Do you need problem solvers in business? Do you need creative thinkers? Do you need innovation? Do you need people who can look at a straight line and see what it can become if curved and changed? Do you need critical thinkers?”

Ernie’s friend answered in the affirmative.

“Well,” said Ernie, “We teach them for you.”

Rosalie Held

State Director

Juried Exhibition of Student Art

Six Months and Counting!

Happy Monday, IVCI Bloggers! We're now approximately six months away from the 10th Quadrennial Competition, and it's getting busy in downtown Indianapolis. We're back again with a few updates and reminders, plus a special guest blog contributor.

To continue getting the latest updates, sign up to receive notifications of new blog posts (see "Subscribe to this blog" in the upper right-hand corner of this page), and sign up for our eNewsletter.

LAST CALL for Applications - 48 Hours Remaining

We are nearing the application deadline for the 2018 Competition! By this coming Wednesday, February 28 at 11:59 PM EST (Indianapolis time), we must have applications and all supporting documentation from participants.

If you haven't uploaded your files, you have two days left! Visit the Rules and Regulations page on our website. If you have any questions, contact us immediately at (317) 637-4574 or email us at ivci@violin.org.

Upcoming at the IVCI

Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio returns to Indy March 13

We're anxiously awaiting the return of the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, who will perform in Indianapolis on Tuesday, March 13 at the Indiana Landmarks Center. This is the Trio's 40th Anniversary Tour, and they're celebrating by performing Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Pas de Trois, which was written specifically for the KLR Trio in honor of their four decades of collaboration. They will also perform the C minor Trio by Mendelssohn, and Beethoven's magnificent "Archduke" Trio in B-flat. The recital is co-presented by the Ensemble Music Society, with Title Sponsor The National Bank of Indianapolis.

Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio

Tuesday, March 13 | 7:30 PM

Indiana Landmarks Center, Grand Hall 

1201 Central Avenue

Indianapolis, IN

Tickets: $30 for Adults | $5 for Students*
(*Use promo code KLR2018 when ordering online or by phone)

For tickets, visit violin.org or call (317) 637-4574

This Month's Guest Blogger: Terry Langdon

Violist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and IVCI Host Family Volunteer

As some of you know, the IVCI offices are located in the same building that houses the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in downtown Indianapolis. All of us here at the IVCI have wonderful working relationships with our downstairs neighbors, both staff and musicians. One of those musicians, violist Terry Langdon, is one of the kindest you will ever meet. She's been in the Orchestra for 39 years and has performed for every IVCI Competition since it began in 1982. Dedicated to education, she has even written a children's music book called "Little Cloud's Adventure," which teaches folk songs and map reading. As you'll see, Terry is deeply committed to her community, her orchestra, and - lucky for us - to the Indianapolis Competition, offering her home as a base for one lucky participant in 2014.

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Violist
Terry Langdon

I have been a fascinated participant in every IVCI Competition since its inception, having accompanied every finalist from the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s viola section. The playing level throughout the years has been lofty, and the stamina and commitment of the violinists to their art is beyond that of mere mortals. Our beloved Competition has launched many enduring international careers, and done so in the most thorough and discerning way possible under the direction of Tom Beczkiewicz and Glen Kwok.

For me, the most challenging works we have put together with the participants are the Bartók Second Violin Concerto and the Walton Violin Concerto.  The most frequently offered, I am hazarding, is the Tchaikovsky. Remembering who takes traditional cuts in that work and who does not poses a high mental hurdle!

My husband John and I very much enjoyed hosting the 2014 Silver Medalist Tessa Lark through all rounds of the Competition. Tessa brought a unique interpretive arsenal of classical, rock and bluegrass styles to the required solo work by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.  Her brilliant performance of that work in an early round not only gained her a special prize, but also assured a high ranking in subsequent deliberations.  The friendship we formed with Tessa and her parents has continued, and even post-Competition, Tessa sometimes stays with us when she is in town for performances. Tessa recently premiered Michael Thurber’s "Love Letter" violin concerto with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra, and it was a thrill to hear her practicing music few people had ever heard before.

Hosting a participant is a rich and rewarding experience I highly recommend.  Special attention to meals is necessary: the right food, which is whatever the violinist says he/she prefers, the right portions, and especially the right timing. We were also attentive to room temperatures, pillows, and even had our piano tuned slightly sharper to match the one at the Indiana History Center.

I am very proud of Indianapolis for instigating and sustaining this famous and prestigious event, and plan to offer my assistance whenever needed.

Happy listening!

Welcome to the 2018 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis!

The 2018 Gold Medal Prize
(Photo by Denis R. Kelly, Jr.)

Four Decades of Discovery

Greetings to all around the world, and welcome to the official blog of the 10th Quadrennial International Violin Competition of Indianapolis! We are gearing up for this landmark Competition, ready to find the next and greatest young talent from across the globe. This Competition, founded in 1982 under the artistic guidance of the late Josef Gingold (of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music), is into its fourth decade of discovery and we are here to keep you updated on its developments.

On the Ground

It's a new year, temperatures have been erratic in Indianapolis, and we have a freshly refurbished office and renewed enthusiasm as we get underway with the details required to make this Competition run smoothly. In addition to a dedicated army of volunteers, steered by some of central Indiana's finest and most supportive arts patrons, our staff - led by Executive Director Glen Kwok - works around the clock prior to and during the Competition to ensure each participant can concentrate solely on the music.

Violinists Take Note: Deadline Approaching

We have already received many applications, and the window of opportunity is still open for a few more weeks. For those of you planning to apply, keep in mind the application and all required materials must be received by 11:59 PM EST (Indianapolis time), Wednesday, February 28, 2018. At midnight, the site will be taken down. Once you submit your documentation, we will be in contact with you to help you complete your materials prior to the deadline. 

Quick facts from 2014

The 2014 Opening Ceremonies (Photo by Denis Ryan Kelly, Jr.)

In 2014, we received over 170 applications and invited 40 participants to travel to Indianapolis. Of those invited, 37 participated in the Competition representing 14 countries, many of whom were already winners of distinguished competitions around the world such as the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, the Menuhin Competition in Geneva, the Oistrakh Competition in Moscow and the Michael Hill Competition in Auckland, among many others. Each participant vies for the opportunity to win $250,000 in cash and prizes, which includes international concert engagements, a Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium recital debut, career management and the use of the 1683 "ex-Gingold" Stradivari violin for four years following the Competition. The 2014 Medalists were Jinjoo Cho (Gold), Tessa Lark (Silver) and Ji-Young Lim (Bronze).

Upcoming at the IVCI

As part of the IVCI's Laureate Series here in downtown Indianapolis, we are presenting the East Coast Chamber Orchestra (who will repeat their involvement in this year's Classical Finals round performing Haydn, Mozart and Kreisler with the six finalists) along with 2002 Laureate Susie Park as she performs Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen (with special string arrangement by Nurhan Arman). Other works on the program are Bermel's Murmurations, Shostakovich's Chamber Symphony Op. 110a and Bartók's Divertimento. If you're in town, we would love to have you join us! Performance is Sunday, February 11 at 2:30pm, at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center. You can purchase tickets on our website.

Stay in Touch

Thanks for reading! We'll be posting about twice a month from now until August (at which point you'll receive almost daily updates). To get an automatic alert to new posts, be sure to subscribe by entering your email address (see the window on the top right side of your screen). As we approach the Competition, we'll provide exclusive interviews with some of the participants including behind-the-scenes tours and occasional guest bloggers by members of the Indianapolis community who provide unique glimpses into how this Competition is run. Most importantly, you'll get immediate notification of participant announcements and results of all stages of the Competition. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for immediate updates; to receive biweekly updates, sign up for our eNewsletter "Inside IVCI."

Recently, I asked a former Laureate what he remembers most from his participation in the Competition. He told me what was most striking wasn't necessarily the stress of the process, but the warmth he felt from the community - from the Olympic grandeur of the Opening Ceremonies (see image above) to the the host families, staff members, and generally just people he met walking down the street. No stranger to international competitions, he said it was an experience he'd never felt anywhere else. 

This is a common sentiment among participants and Laureates alike, as Indianapolis prides itself in a vastly growing and diversified city. We hope you will come join us for the Competition.  And we promise warm weather in September 2018!

Happy listening!