In Craig Martin’s, “A Critical Introduction to the Study of Religion,” he discusses theoretical concepts such as legitimation, authority, and authenticity claims as tools of social theory. According to Martin, these concepts can be used to closely study cultural movements and “religious artifacts.” In this blog post, we will apply these concepts to the prestigious Menuhin Competition.
The Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists is the world’s leading violin competition for young violinists across the globe. This competition was founded in 1983 by Yehudi Menuhin, who is considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. The prestige surrounding the Menuhin Competition brings success and international acclaim to all participants regardless of final rankings. Winners are almost always guaranteed a prosperous career as concert violinists. All in all, this competition is a pivotal step for all aspiring violinists.
The theoretical concepts found in “A Critical Introduction” can be used to analyze many factors of this competition.
As mentioned before, winners and participants of this famed competition are met with all sorts of praise and glory within the world of classical music. These musicians are essentially gaining “authority” in this competitive field. The very idea of competition, in and of itself, is to grant some form of “authority” to the competitors. The winners, and even the participants, are considered some of the greatest in their field and are granted amazing opportunities in the performance field. The reputation surrounding this event is what brings “authority” to the young violinists. While applying the concept of “authority” to In His Steps, Martin states, “It is clear why Sheldon might have used the figure of Jesus: Jesus carried a broad authority in Sheldon’s social context, an authority that Sheldon by himself could not possibly have held. If Sheldon could successfully project his values onto Jesus, he might more easily legitimate his favored social agenda” (177). The way in which Sheldon used Jesus in his book to legitimize his beliefs is similar to how violinists use this competition to solidify their careers as a soloist. When the world’s leading orchestras hold auditions, they often look for musicians with an elite background in musical training and participation in solo competitions. The awards received from these competitions are proof of the musician’s skill level and superb technical abilities. Because of numerous accolades, these musicians stand out from the rest of the applicant pool. The Menuhin Competition grants “authority” to its participants and legitimizes their status as world-class violinists.
How might a violin competition legitimize one’s status as a musician? In A Critical Introduction to the Study of Religion, Craig Martin states, “through the normalization of the dominant habitus, privileges will be extended to individuals who share the dominant habitus, and discrimination will result for those with an alternate habitus…” (171). When applying this idea to the Menuhin Violin Competition, the “dominant habitus” refers to the acclaim for winning a competition while the “alternate habitus” refers to those who have not even attempted to compete. While training to become a classical solo artist, it is a must to take part in music competitions. This factor is so normalized to the point where musicians are oftentimes required to have experience competing in order to get accepted into most conservatories. The auditionees are evaluated on their technical abilities, musicianship, and participation in competitions. Being awarded first prize in a competition is not an easy feat and it only further legitimizes the auditionee’s skill level. The judges are looking for musicians who have the potential to be successful in such a competitive field. Since the classical music scene is extremely cutthroat, musicians who have not yet competed may not be taken as seriously. Many violinists compete in order to prove their worth as a soloist. Further, Craig Martin writes, “those with an alternative habitus are not only seen as bad, vulgar, or stupid [ … ] but also evil, debauched, shameful, coarse, brutal, Scottish, and vile” (171). If an auditionee has not placed in a competition, the judges may form a preconceived idea about their playing. The violinist may not be held to the same standard as other auditionees. All in all, the Menuhin Violin Competition can be used to legitimize a violinist’s place in the classical world.
The last theoretical concept introduced by Martin is a cultural event/phenomenon making authenticity claims. The Menuhin Violin Competition, and other competitions, make authenticity claims by legitimizing the prize winners and therefore making their playing and skill level “authentic.” This is especially important when musicians are searching for job opportunities. If one seeks a job teaching at a university or conservatory, they must have experience in solo performances and competitions. Being a prize winner in a competition is a sure way to make one’s resume stand out while applying for teaching positions. This proves that the applicant’s playing abilities are “authentic” and they’ll be able to pass down that skill to their future students. When schools are looking for new additions to their faculty, they only want the best of the best. Other candidates may make authenticity claims in a different way but experience competing is often the most desired trait in a musician. While discussing In His Steps by Charles Sheldon, Craig Martin writes, “this novel worked to reflect and reinforce the domination of wealthy classes over and against the working class” (178). When applying this idea to the Menuhin Violin Competition, the wealthy class refers to those with awards from competitions. They have a serious advantage over the “working class” while in the job market. Musicians who have participated in competitions possess the authenticity needed in order to succeed in the classical music field.
Like Craig Martin applied a number of theoretical concepts to In His Steps, we can do the same with The Mehunin Violin Competition. When analyzing this competition, we can find elements of authority, legitimization, and authenticity in the actual framework. These concepts can be applied to any cultural event or phenomenon.
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