Dismantling of the star machine: : New media and the shifting balance of performance and production in piano competitions

• Autores: Michael Lang, Harmeet Sawhney
• Localización: Popular Communication, ISSN-e 1540-5710, Nº. 14, 2, 2016, págs. 73-85
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • The piano competition, once held under aristocratic patronage, evolved into a mechanized system as the industry clamored for objective evaluations to create bona fide piano stars. Critics and fans pushed back, complaining that the homogenizing system of production crushed individuality. The piano competition is evolving again, as the social media and interactive technologies have presented new latitudes to various actors. The subsequent reposturing by them has led to the emergence of a new type of competition, wherein the focus is not on the final product (the winning pianist) but on the selection process, which has become a highly publicized spectacle that is profitable for the organizers and rewarding to other actors including contestants who do not win. This shift dispels the tension between production and performance by turning the stage into the star of the show, effectively freeing pianists to express their musicality by appealing directly to the audience.