3.6. The finals have started

So here we are again! The jury announced the finalists fairly quickly on Friday evening, but it took ages to draw up the finals schedules. The finals no longer proceed in alphabetical order, so everything had to be reorganised. The order is now determined according to the works to be performed, so as to produce meaningful recitals. We also had to make the schedules for the chamber music and orchestral rehearsals. The finalists were brought to the competition office, where we went through all the practical details and sent them off with a sheaf of schedule papers. During the finals there’s a lot to remember – rehearsals, final rehearsals, concerts, interviews, what’s on where and when. It was nearly midnight by the time the office folk were able to lock up for the night.

Yesterday was a real rarity during the competition – a day off! The contestants practised their chamber music works with the Finnish musicians. The chamber music finals are on right now and there is a gratifyingly large audience. Members of the audience also seem to be finding their way to the competition office more easily than before, so we are getting a lot of questions from them as well – usually about tickets. But the competition office does not sell tickets. These are available at the door and from Lippupalvelu.

This is the office’s last day at the Sibelius Academy, because tomorrow we move to Finlandia Hall. The time suddenly seems to have gone terribly fast. Four days from now we’ll know the winner!