Violinist steps from ship to shore prestigious music contest

Violinist Ioana Cristina Goicea says playing on a cruise ship was one of the best gigs she's done.

Every young classical musician dreams of playing in the world's great recital halls: Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, the Philharmonie in Berlin, the Vienna Musikverein.

MS Europa 2 has likely never made such a list, despite being an ultra-modern space adorned with artworks by the likes of David Hockney and Damien Hirst. One of the reasons MS Europa 2 doesn't appear on lists of the world's major concert venues is because it's a boat.

That didn't deter violinist Ioana Cristina Goicea. The Romanian has recently been a musician on the cruise ship, a role she took during Christmas, stepping in as a last-minute replacement and playing regularly in the ship's bespoke theatre to well-heeled travellers.

According to Goicea, who jumps ship in New Zealand next month for the Michael Hill International Violin Competition, it's one of the best gigs she's had.

"I enjoyed it very much," she says. "It was a vacation for me where I also practised and played concerts, and discovered amazing places."

The down side of ship life?

"Everything is moving when you play."

Goicea's stop here won't be her first visit to New Zealand. MS Europa 2 visited while she was on board, and she competed in the Michael Hill in 2013 as a 20-year-old, placing fifth overall. That was a fine result but she says she is a better musician now.

"I've gained a lot of experience [since 2013]: repertoire, solo concerts, recitals and chamber music, as well as quite a few competitions."

Competitions aren't everyone's idea of fun. Held every second year, the Michael Hill International Violin Competition brings 16 violinists from all over the world to Queenstown for quarter-finals before six are selected to travel to the final rounds in Auckland. Many more apply to take part; the 16 for 2017 were chosen from 140 applicants representing 32 nationalities.

Participants don't get much time to rehearse with accompanists or an orchestra, making it hard to form musical relationships but Goicea isn't fazed.

"There are many situations when you won't get time to rehearse before concerts, and you play with musicians you've never met," she says. "These are the most exciting artistic moments and the big challenges, to be able to adjust in the moment."

Competitors have some of our best musicians on hand to help them make those momentary adjustments, like NZTrio pianist Sarah Watkins, who will act as accompanist for the quarter-finals in Queenstown. She's been involved in every Michael Hill.

"It's so thrilling. [The competitors] are full of passion and interesting ideas and enthusiasm."

Watkins is aware of the importance of making a musical connection despite the limited rehearsal time.

"I have a really short time to get to know somebody and to walk out on stage with them and give what we hope is the best performance of their life."

Should Goicea give such a performance and make the final, a full concerto with Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra awaits. A concerto is the ultimate test for any musician, pitting solo instrument against orchestra, and requiring from competitors a virtuoso technique, musicality and utter concentration for half an hour or more.

APO concertmaster Andrew Beer, who was also on the selection panel that chose the quarter-finalists, will be there to help in any way he can.

"The orchestra's role in a competition is to support the soloist as well as possible," he says. "This can mean making sure never to overpower them, to blend effectively, to be alert and ready for spontaneous changes in tempo and character, and even to inspire them through passionate playing during the passages when the soloist is resting and preparing for their next entrance."

As an international prize winner himself, it's no surprise Beer is in favour of competitions, saying that all participants benefit from the intensity and the variety of music they must prepare in a short space of time. He believes the Michael Hill offers more than most contests.

"One of the things I love about the Michael Hill competition is that it focuses not just on performance but also looks to help violinists develop in other capacities, through things like school outreach visits and professional training sessions. With so many talented violinists out there, the skill set required to have a successful career has never been broader."

That's the hidden truth about life as a classical musician. Being spectacularly gifted isn't enough to guarantee a career, let alone stardom. Competitions, however, give young musicians a head start - the previous Michael Hill winners all enjoy solid careers, even if few make a living primarily as soloists.

That's where Goicea hopes to make her mark.

"I want to develop a solo career," she says, "together with a lot of chamber music, and teaching as well."

If she wins the Michael Hill this year, she'll be well on her way to fulfilling her ambitions, and maybe - just maybe - playing the great recital halls. And perhaps the occasional cruise liner.

What: Michael Hill International Violin Competition
Where & when: Quarter-finals in Queenstown, June 2 - 6; finals Auckland Town Hall, June 7 -10