indystar.com
City violin event to get more play
By Whitney Smith
[email protected]
January 29, 2005
A documentary chronicling the most recent International Violin Competition
of Indianapolis will be broadcast by dozens of public television stations
across the country this spring.
“Pure Gold — the 2002 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis” has
been picked up by 51 markets, including San Francisco, Denver and Atlanta.
It will be telecast starting in April.
The 56-minute documentary traces the 17-day contest from the opening
ceremonies through the finalists’ performances with the Indianapolis
Symphony Orchestra at Hilbert Circle Theatre. “Pure Gold” aired on WFYI
(Channel 20) in October and is expected to be repeated in the spring.
“We want to get our story about the competition out to the rest of the
country,” said Glen Kwok, the violin competition’s executive director, who
co-produced the documentary with former competition Director Thomas
Beczkiewicz. “The national broadcast will provide tremendous exposure, not
only for the competition, but Indianapolis in general.”
The quadrennial contest attracts violinists ages 16 to 29 from around the
globe. Josef Gingold, the late Indiana University School of Music professor,
helped start the contest.
The first Indianapolis competition took place in 1982. For the sixth edition
in September 2002, 43 competitors vied for about $200,000 in cash prizes and
career assistance.
Barnabas Kelemen, a 24-year-old Hungarian violinist, won the $30,000 top
prize, a gold medal, concert dates and the four-year use of Gingold’s
Stradivarius violin.
Sergey Khachatryan, 17, Armenia, won the silver medal and $15,000. Soovin
Kim, a 26-year-old American, won the bronze medal and $10,000. Kim narrates
“Pure Gold.”
Kwok said documentaries also were made about the 1986 and 1994 competitions.
A DVD recording of “Pure Gold” is available for $18 from the competition
office by calling (317) 637-4574.
Call Star reporter Whitney Smith at (317) 444-6226.