Melodic Moments: Inspiring Testimonials from Radda Rise Competitors and Parents
“Radda Rise International Competition got me really excited about singing again. Thanks to the comments being provided in video form, I could get their insightful advice on my vocal skills, and also "see" how they felt about my singing. Some videos actually demonstrated specific vocal techniques, which will be very helpful in improving my singing. Also, their feedback on interpretation and presentation of music pieces made me think about how I can improve my performance beyond just singing the notes on the page. This entire Radda competition experience was truly invaluable to move my mindset for singing to the next level. I greatly appreciate the reviewers, adjudicators, and the Radda team for providing me this wonderful opportunity.”
- Luna Baxter - 1st Prize of Category 2, 2023 Radda Rise International Vocal Competition
“The Radda Rise Competition is one of a kind. As a pianist, I have come across a few online competitions and I have entered students in some of them. I found the Radda Rise Competition to be the most complete experience of all. They provide reviewers that give the participants the opportunity to improve their performance and re-submit their videos within a few days; helping the young artists to grow musically. The jurors provide live feedback by video at the end of the competition, which gives a very personal touch. All of this is very encouraging for the students! Going beyond the competition stage, the director herself looks to promote the participants by finding performance opportunities in master classes and music festivals. My daughters participated in this past competition. They both had a wonderful experience, and after the competition was over, they were greatly motivated to continue working on new repertoire. I would highly recommend this competition to anyone!”
- Rosa Scott, University of Miami Frost Preparatory School of Music Piano Faculty
“Winning second prize in the 2022 Radda Rise International String Competition Cello and Bass Category gave me the opportunity to receive feedback from renowned international jurors. Personalised video and written feedback from Radda expert Reviewers and Jurors were an invaluably open and welcoming opportunity to develop my double bass playing.
Video feedback from Jurors was excellent, always encouraging me to continue fearlessly pursuing my skills and capacity as a young double bass player. Radda expert reviews were powerful testaments revealing that all observations were solely dedicated to supporting my musicianship. I greatly appreciate the time, expertise, and wise guidance imparted through working with Radda, including designing my website which is a transparent and authentic representation of my current context as a young double bass player at the very start of freelancing professionally. I have gained a website that is a platform truly unique to my trajectory. Radda’s borderless professional team has been powerfully impactful and accessible. Ultimately I look forward to Radda continuing to impact many young musicians' trajectories internationally.
Radda was truly insightful for my development as a young double bass player on the cusp of starting the Royal College of Music London in 2023 receiving a scholarship based on talent.”
- Aiyana Rennie - 2nd Prize of Category 3 (Cello and Bass Division), 2022 Radda Rise International String Competition
“Hello. My name is Timothy Yang and I'm from California, USA. Radda is a special competition in that it gave me expert in-depth feedback from my performance. The professional comments and suggestions really helped me understand more about stylistic elements and expressive details. It made me think about my music in ways I hadn't thought of before and helped me improve as a pianist. This competition was also unique because after receiving feedback, you can choose to re-submit your video before the judging round. And since submission is online, you can record your performance when you are ready to do your best.”
- Timothy Yang - 1st Prize of Category 2, 2022 Radda Rise International Piano Competition
“As a musician I was very impressed with the professionalism of the Radda Rise Competition. Unlike so many competitions, Radda seeks to nurture and develop each student’s musical abilities throughout the course of the competition. The feedback from both the preliminary reviewers and the final jury were insightful, constructive, and useful. In addition, the professional development contact helped us locate performance opportunities in our own area of the country! Bravo!”
- Dr. Marion Wilkinson Scott
“The video feedback both before and after judging was incredibly thorough, constructive, and encouraging. It helped me understand what I did, what I could improve in my performance, what I should continue doing, and what I should add to my training. It was very educational and nurturing, and I've learned so much in such a short time! The bio revision was also very helpful. I've never participated in a vocal competition that has given me such extensive feedback, and I'm so glad I participated. The entirety of my competition experience has been nothing short of wonderful and supportive, and I am very grateful for it! I hope the competition will continue and grow in the coming years.”
- Rika Nishikawa, 2nd Prize of Prize of Category 3, 2023 Radda Rise International Vocal Competition
“Entering the Radda Rise International Competition was a great experience. Review round was more like a mini masterclass rather than just a “comment” and with all the practice tips he has received, my son’s practice has become more efficient. As a parent, I was touched by Radda’s thoughtful way of approaching the young artists throughout the competition and I am thankful for that. In my 9yo son’s words: ‘It was like competing against yourself, you receive a masterclass on your pieces, and you just have to beat your first recording. After the review round I knew I was making progress, and that feeling was super cool.’"
- Mother of Yugo Maeda - 2nd Prize of Category 1, 2021 Radda Rise International Violin Competition
“Mr. Sousa’s feedback was really meaningful to me. He gave his perception of my playing and suggestions for further improvement not only in those pieces, but also in others that I might study. Advice on technique and performance were also part of the feedback, and they were truly valuable. After watching the video three times and taking notes throughout it, we have three pages of observations and many marks on the scores. The result was a much improved performance after a week of practice. Thank you so much.”
- Olívia Tebaldi, Competitor of the 2020 Radda Rise International Piano Competition
“The feedback she gave me was amazing- I thought I’d get a few notes but when I saw it was a 35 minute video, I was very pleasantly surprised. She picks out things you hadn’t thought of, and her critiques are very well thought out. Thank you, Mrs. Polgar!”
- Kyle Cornelison - Competitor of the 2020 Radda Rise International Piano Competition