Day Before Competition

There were approximately twenty over people (apparently, the rest couldn't make it in time due to their flight delays, but out of kind understanding, the organisers shifted them to the 2nd day) in the briefing room at the hotel. I observed the overseas competitors in the room and realised most were seasoned competitors and despite being from diverse regions in the world, most could strike up a sincere conversation with their fellow competitors. I guess that's due to the fact that most of them, if not all, are feeling the same way (excitement and anxiety?).

I got to know quite a few of them from the previous international competitions and was pleasantly surprised that they were there as well. (No, I didn't join any of them, was at the previous competitions only as the audience) Somehow, in those talks with these musicians, I do realise that they were really sincere in their conversations. I guess that's the special thing about art competitions. We weren't intimidated by one another probably due to the fact that each of us possesses an individual style which we call our own. There was tension, not out of competitiveness between us, but due to the uncertainty of how our performance on the competition hall that day will turn out. "Competition are for horses, not for artists," said Béla Bartók. I certainly agree, but apparently, the people I had met this evening certainly weren't anywhere near horses. Well, I wouldn't be surprised to meet those nasty, nauseating and neurotic people like what we see so often on reality TV, but that actually wasn't the case. Thank God...

I struck up conversations with a few of them and they talked of the competitions which they've joined. Somehow, I felt that part of me that really wants to join the ranks of these seasoned competitors. Rushing to reach the venue in time, catching last minute flights, meeting friends and fellow competitors from all over the world, staying in different hotel rooms every other week, lugging the luggage and guitar all over the place and of course the preparations for the performing repertoire. Certainly isn't an easy life, I would say, but terribly tempting....

What would I do on the evening of a competition overseas? I would probably take a short walk in the surrounding area of the hotel after dinner, admiring the evening scene of the country. After which, I will go back to my hotel room, read a few chapters from a book from my luggage, run through my competition pieces at least three times. Lastly, I will jump and scream a few times on the hotel bed, maybe that's what all the competitors are doing this evening in their hotel room...