That festival feeling: Postcard from Odense

A chilly arctic wind bit my cheeks as I arrived in the tranquil town of Odense, about 100 miles west of Copenhagen, for the latter part of the Carl Nielsen International Competition (which took place 31 March–10 April). The contest is a celebration of the disciplines of violin, flute and clarinet (the instruments for which Nielsen wrote concertos), and the first violin edition was held in 1980. Past winners of the category include Johan Dalene, Liya Petrova and Jiyoon Lee, and current competition president Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, who won in 1992.

One thing that strikes me as making this competition unique is the way it strives to create an inclusive environment for all competitors, demonstrating how those eliminated in earlier rounds could still benefit from continuing to be present, rather than going straight home. This was achieved through the inaugural edition of Espansiva! – a series of workshops and talks that encourage professional development and provide opportunities for players to meet industry experts (including creative coaches and representatives from orchestral management companies, record labels, agencies and PR and media services) and socialise with other competitors.

This networking took place at a microbrewery called Anarkist, near Odense’s city centre. It was here, amid wooden pallets and trendy house plants, that we were treated to a casual gig on my first night by Danish folk violinist Harald Haugaard and his band. As I held a glass of hazy New England IPA in my hand, it felt like a rare treat to be listening to live music and drinking beer on a trip abroad after the last two years of restrictions. This festival-like atmosphere and sense of conviviality extended to those eliminated competitors who chose to stay on after their performances, all of whom were under the age of 30, and many still students or having recently left a conservatoire.

The inclusive and supportive aims of the competition were illustrated by Szeps-Znaider: ‘Why should an extended platform or the ability to grow and develop from being part of the competition only apply to the top three competitors? Instead of the usual competition procedure, where you leave if you don’t proceed to the next round, we thought: let’s make it more tangible, and let’s offer real opportunities to interact and create meaningful relationships. It’s these interactions with other people – your peers, your colleagues, your counterparts at various music institutions – that will carry your career long term.’..