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Performing Civility

International Competitions in Classical Music

Lisa McCormick author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:1st Jun '17

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Performing Civility cover

Lisa McCormick considers the history of classical music competitions and their role in society today by examining highlights and controversies.

Lisa McCormick considers the history of classical music competitions and their role in society by examining their highlights and ongoing controversies. She explains why, despite a widespread belief that performances cannot be ranked, aspiring musicians still enter them, professionals still judge them, and audiences still invest emotionally in the results.Although competitions in classical music have a long history, the number of contests has risen dramatically since the Second World War, all of them aiming to launch young artists' careers. This is not the symptom of marketization that it might appear to be. Despite the establishment of an international governing body, competitions are plagued by rumors of corruption, and even the most mathematically sophisticated voting system cannot quell accusations that the best talent is overlooked. Why do musicians take part? Why do audiences care so much about who wins? Performing Civility is the first book to address these questions. In this groundbreaking study, Lisa McCormick draws from firsthand observations of contests in Europe and the US, and in-depth interviews with competitors, jurors and directors, as well as blog data from competition observers to argue that competitions have endured because they are not only about music, they are also about civility.

'Offering a peek into the fascinating world of international classical music competitions, Lisa McCormick's Performing Civility highlights the sociological tension between combat and civility. A rich, masterful study of performing, judging, and listening. Bravo!' Eviatar Zerubavel, Rutgers University, New Jersey
'Music competitions, as Lisa McCormick shows us in this very clever book, place music and civility in contradiction. This contradiction gets played out as judges, musicians and audiences are converted into publics engaged in debate over what should count as talent, beauty, and perfection. Performing Civility will be of interest to cultural sociologists, political scientists, musicians, and anyone who aspires to be a member of civil society, musically conceived.' Tia DeNora, Exeter University
'The author moves thoroughly through different kinds of data (newspaper articles; official competition documents; blogs; interviews with competitors, audience members, and jurors); in that sense the book is a real labor of love, highly detailed and a great entry point for those interested in the study of music competitions, the sociology of music, and the 'strong program' in cultural sociology.' Claudio E. Benzecry, American Journal of Sociology

ISBN: 9781107498297

Dimensions: 230mm x 153mm x 15mm

Weight: 450g

301 pages