Postcard from Montreal: Montreal International Music Competition

The phrase ‘the Olympics of the violin’ is often thrown around when major violin competitions are being talked about. And the similarities between the two types of event struck me at many stages of my experience of the Montreal International Music Competition, which took place from 22 April to 4 May. In both the semi-finals and the finals, the competitors’ flags stood proudly at the back of the stage. The judges were placed high above the audience in the semicircular balcony, and were separated to avoid deliberation. And everything was repeated in both English and (a Québecois-flavoured) French…