Photo: Supplied
Ahead of tonight's final of the National Concerto Competition, New Zealand-raised, Sydney-based clarinettist Mark Walton spoke to RNZ Concert's Bryan Crump about his appearance in the event's 1974 final.
He finished fourth out of four, but was the only one of that quartet to go on and become a full-time professional musician.
Walton says his own story is a reminder that competitions don't necessarily define a musician's career, but are just as much a celebration of the musical skill of each contestant.
He says all three of this year's finalists - pianists Henry Meng, Shan Liu and Otis Prescott-Mason - are remarkable musicians, performing three amazing concertos by Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev.
Walton couldn't make it across the Tasman for this year's final, but he says if you read this in time, get off down to the Christchurch Town Hall on Saturday night.
It'll be a great concert.
