‘Wrong notes’ are a Winner!

I was interested to read the criticism of Leeds Piano Competition winner Anna Tcybuleva by Pianist magazine editor Erica Worth.

BBC News reports that on the Slipped Disc blog, the editor says of the Russian pianist’s performance (of Brahms Concerto No 2 in B Flat Major): “… there were some memory lapses and wrong notes too.”

I couldn’t say whether or not this criticism is accurate, as I haven’t heard the performance and – in any case – I imagine the 25-year-old pianist would be talented enough to ‘cover up’ her mistakes so the untrained ear wouldn’t spot them.

However, I would like to think that there really were some ‘wrong notes’ played. If the winner of an international piano competition can get away with the odd mistake then why not the rest of us … and – as I tell all my pupils – the main thing when you’re performing (or playing in an exam) is to just carry on. If you make a good overall impression, no-one really cares about the slight ‘slips’.