They have spent countless hours alone with their instrument; a piano, a euphonium, a cello. One of the pianists, 20-year-old Sebastian Egebakken Svenøy from Oslo, is Norway’s hope in the international competition for classical music: Eurovision Young Musicians. – It is very big to be here. Winning Virtuos was a lot of fun and a bit unexpected. And now that I’m here, all you have to do is enjoy yourself! – Insanely high level The 11 participants are among the best classical soloists in Europe between the ages of 12 and 21. The winner of EYM can get a kick start on his soloist career and become an international star. – There is an insanely high level of this year’s participants, says Arild Erikstad, who helped select Sebastian as a finalist. Alfaré: – Likes to be the outsider Some countries, such as Switzerland, show great interest in the competition and have their own documentary team that follows their participant, Valerian Alfaré. The 20-year-old is particularly happy to meet other like-minded people. – I’m finally out of my little practice room! It’s lovely to come up here to Bodø with the fresh air and the beautiful mountains, and not least to meet the other participants. VIENNA: This is what it looked like when the EYM final was in Vienna in 2011. In 2024 it will be in Bodø and will be broadcast on NRK1 on 17 August at 21. Photo: Eurovision Young Musicians – Yes, because it’s an important competition? – Yes, it is. But the other contestants are great people and we’ve been together in our free time since we got here … It’s taken some of the pressure off. Even though it’s a competition, I don’t feel like we’re fighting each other. – But wouldn’t it have been fairer if you competed against others on the same instrument, the euphonium? – No, I like being the outsider. Since I’m the only one with this instrument, it’s easier to stand out, says Alfaré. Valerian Alfaré (20) from Switzerland hopes to conquer Europe with his euphonium. 👉 Photo: Synnøve Sundby Fallmyr / news A documentary team follows the young Swiss on his journey to Norway and as an EYM finalist. Photo: Daniel Hong Hansen / news Switzerland won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, and here the artist Nemo and other ESC participants advertise for the next Eurovision contest; EYM. Completely different instruments: – Difficult to say who is the best The jury gets a bit of a task when they have to decide who is the best soloist when everyone competes with different instruments. – But even if everyone had played the piano, it is difficult to say who is the best. You just don’t have to worry too much about what the results will be, says Sebastian Svenøy. Swedish Swede Hugo Svedberg (16) on cello is happy to share the stage with several types of instruments: – That’s how the competition is now. It’s not that often you compete with other instruments, so I think it’s exciting. On Saturday evening, they will play in Stormen concert hall with Kork in front of a European TV audience. Photo: Synnøve Sundby Fallmyr / news As Haaland vs. Warholm? But how on earth can the jury decide? It must then be like comparing a young Erling Braut Haaland (football) against Karsten Warholm (hurdling)? – No, it won’t be like that. Arild Erikstad is a former presenter of news’s Hovedscenen, among others, and has himself sat on similar juries. – In that case, it would have to be about who has the most radiance. NOT QUITE LIKE THAT: Comparing classical instruments with sports doesn’t work, according to Erikstad. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell/Sarah Meyssonnier (Reuters) Because now you’re going to perform with an instrument on stage, it’s not just about tactics; what you play, whether you hit the notes at the right time… It’s about the way you perform: whether you hit the audience with your artistic expression, your empathy, your energy. – Music is simply something different from sport. Now we have just had the Olympics, and it is easier to measure; height and length, and so on. It’s not quite like that in music. Speaking of performance (spoiler alert!); see the piece Svanøy will play on Saturday: Sebastian Egebakken Svenøy, piano Camille Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 5, 3rd movement approx. 6 – But wouldn’t it be better if everyone played the same instrument? – It would probably have been easier for the jury, but more boring for the audience, I think. Erikstad promises a bit of MGP atmosphere throughout. – This is going to be big. Arild Erikstad launched the idea of adding EYM to Bodø in 2024. – At first some were skeptical, it is on the fringes in the European context… But now there is talk in the classical environment that the competition should be right here in Bodø. Photo: Synnøve Sundby Fallmyr / news They may have to compete against each other … But after many practice hours alone with the instrument … it’s nice to meet like-minded people. Photo: Celina Øier/news These are the participants in EYM 2024 Celina Suzan Nuriye Øier / news Sebastian Egebakken Svenøy (20) From Norway Plays the piano Will perform Camille Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 5, 3rd movement. August Lebrun: Oboe Concerto No. 1 in D minor, 1st movementFabian Egger (17)From GermanyPlays fluteWill perform Jakob Gade / Toke Lund Christiansen: Tango Fantasia for flute and orchestraBogdan Dugalić (20)From SerbiaPlays pianoWill perform Sergei Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of PaganiniMahault Ska (13)From BelgiumPlays the pianoWill perform Felix Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto in G minor, 1st movementOnly girl in the competitionValerian Alfaré (20)From SwitzerlandPlays the euphoniumWill perform Paul Mealor: Excerpt from Euphonium ConcertAdam Znamirovský (14)From the Czech RepublicPlays the pianoWill perform Camille Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2, 3rd movement Hugo Svedberg (16)From SwedenPlays the celloShall perform Joseph Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 1 in D major, 1st movement Daniel Hong Hansen / news Leonhard Baumgartner (17)From AustriaPlays the violinWill perform Henri Vieuxtemps: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A minor, 1st movement The EYM jury explains: Photo: Christian Ziegler Remme / news Tabita Berglund is a Norwegian conductor and heads the EYM 2024 jury. She explains how the selection takes place: – The participants are evaluated based on technique, sound quality, musicality and communication. each participant is given a score by each jury member and then we see who has got the most points in total. – Wouldn’t it be easier if everyone had the same instrument? – It would probably have made the job easier, but one of the great things about this competition is that we get to hear some of the greatest talents in classical music on the same evening, regardless of instrument. – Is it a bit like comparing different athletes? – Yes, in a way it will be a bit like that. Norwegian viewers can think of it as the Sports Gala, but the performances we honor take place here and now on stage. This is Eurovision Young Musicians (EYM) Photo: AFP Considered one of the world’s most important music competitions. For classical instrumentalists between the ages of 12 and 21. Organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) since 1983. Has been organized once before in Norway, in Bergen in 2000. Previous Norwegian participants, including a Leif Ove Andsnes, Vilde Frang, Tine Thing Helseth and Elbjørg Hemsing. The Norwegian violist Eivind Holtsmark Ringstad won the competition in 2012. Held in Bodø in the Stormen concert hall on 17 August 2024 with presenters Silje Nordnes and Mona Berntsen. The competition is broadcast on TV in Norway and in ten other European countries. These countries are included: Armenia, Belgium, France, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany and Austria August 2024 Published 16.08.2024, at 18.23
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– Finally out of my dark rehearsal cave – news Culture and entertainment
