Ima Hogg Music Competition

Ima Hogg Music Competition

By Laura Coburn

The top ten musicians selected from 137 world-class competitors have arrived in Houston to compete in the semi-final round of the Ima Hogg Competition. The contest will be held on Thursday, May 29^th in Stude Hall at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. The finalists will compete for a top prize of $25,000 and an appearance with The Houston Symphony Orchestra at the Chronicle Dollar Concert .  The silver medalist wins $10,000 and an appearance with the Houston Symphony at Miller Theater on June 29th.

All of the competitors are between age 13 and 30 and study music in the United States. They come from around the world and the instruments they play are just as diverse. Unlike most musical competitions, the Ima Hogg Competition does not compare apples to apples, but rather apples to oranges- or clarinets to pianos. The multi-instrument competition includes performances on standard orchestral instruments or piano.

The Ima Hogg Competition began in 1976. It was named after Miss Ima Hogg, a musician and co-founder of the Houston Symphony. The competition is a way to unite aspiring musicians through musical expression and performance.

2013 Competition Dates and Information
Semifinals: 
May 30, 2026 from 9 AM – 4 PM
The Shepherd School of Music’s Stude Hall
Each contestant will be given 30 minutes to perform two concertos with piano accompaniment. Four will move on to the Finals.
Free and open to the public
Finals Concert:
June 1, 2026 at 7:00 PM
The Shepherd School of Music’s Stude Hall
The four semifinalists will perform a full concerto with the Houston Symphony to determine the winner
Tickets: $25 

Learn more about how you can attend, volunteer and support the Ima Hogg Competition at the Houston Symphony Website:

http://www.houstonsymphony.org/Education-Community/Aspiring-Musicians/Competitions/Ima-Hogg-Competition

 

Meet Rimvydas Savickas, Clarinetist from Lithuania

 

When and why did you start playing the clarinet?

I was almost nine years old when my parents decided to place me in the children’s music school. There was this teacher who at the time was considered the best teachrr of all and he was teaching clarinet and saxaphone and so my  mother wanted me to study with him. So I had to choose between the saxaphone or clarinet, and I don’t know why, but because saxaphone is a more known instrument, I said I wanted to play clarinet.

Have you ever faced any challenges in your music career?

I think every musician faces certain stages where you play more and more difficult pieces and you can do more complicated programs in recitals. This question comes to your head, am I going to be able to do it- am I capable of performing this piece. But you practice, practice, practice, struggle practice, and then you don’t even notice that you are actually able to play it.

Who is your favorite composer? What is your favorite piece?

I have several favorites and I don’t think it would be fair to pick.  Some are Bethoven, Johannes Brahms and Mozart. My favorite pieces of music in clarinet repotoir are Mozart Clarinet Concerto, which I will play at the competition. I also enjoy Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet. These are very special to me.

What is your favorite piece to play yourself?

All of them are very exciting to play in different ways. It depends what kind of mood I am in at the moment.

Who is your inspiration for your music?

Nature. I ride my bike so I try to go to a park if I have time and sometimes I listen to recordings of performers that I like.

Do you compose your own music?

I don’t typically compose my own music, but there were a few times that I tried to create something for clarinet, but I played it for myself and that’s about it. I am happy with what I am doing now- performing.

How did you find out about the Ima Hogg Competition?

My professor at Cal State Fullerton told me about the concert since he was a participant in 1989.

Have you been to the US before?

My first time in the United States was when I came to California to study at Fullerton.

Where else in the world have you performed?

I have performed at the Roundtop Music Festival. I have performed as a member of the orchestra in Germany, Italy, Denmark and other European countries. We were touring as a member of the Youth orchestra and some countries I visited for competitions.

What kind of music do you listen to for fun?

I like very much Bobby McFerrin. It has jazz elements, pop music elements, but also soul. Mostly I listen to classical because I never get bored of it.

What do you do in your spare time?

I ride my bike a lot, I go to the gym to work out- just to make sure my body is in good shape-that helps for playing music. I like walking and meeting up friends.

Does anybody in your family also play an instrument?

The only person in my family that played an instrument was my grandfather could play percussion.

What is it like to be a musician in Lithuania?

The level of classical musicians is very high- people win competitions all over the world and they have no problems applying to prestigious schools. To have a job in Lithuania, it is not as easy because still music is not as much appreciated as in other countries, such as Germany where the classical music tradition is huge. For instance, here in Germany or in the United States, say you work in the Houston symphony, you do not have to worry about your financial situation because it is quite well paid. However, in my country, even though you play in the best orchestra, you will still think about finding another job or teaching.

Do they teach music in public schools in Lithuania?

They teach basic music classes in schools, but to become a musician, children must go to special children’s music schools.

Where did you earn your undergraduate degree and in what major?

I did my undergrad in the Lithuania Academy or Music and theater. I was an art and music performance.

What are your goals as you continue your music career?

One big goal is to keep playing music- and good music. And of course, as everyone, I want to find a stable job position and start living stable on my own and be able to practice and learn new pieces, play some chamber music. For clarinetists, the most stable job would be to find a job in an orchestra, or you can teach, and you can still play chamber and solo music.

 How often do you practice? How much do you practice for the pieces you will play at the Ima Hogg Competition?

You don’t play a piece, play once and put it down. The two places I am playing now, I have played before. Mozart Concerto I played five or six years ago, which was the fist time I started seriously learning the piece and I have played it many times since then. But you should keep practicing. As you grow as a musician, you see different things. That is why you should practice the same piece again, because you learn it in a new way, in a different way than you did before.

Do you try to precisely duplicate the music you play or do you try to personalize the music by changing parts of it?

Even if you play what is written in the music, it is impossible to do it the same. Even when you do it a second time, it will be different. The sound will be different than the original. With classical music you can add small changes that make it sound more happy or beautiful, but later works are usually played how composers wrote them. But that does not mean you will play it the exact same as someone else.

Why did you choose to play Mozart Concerto and Nielson?

There were other pieces I could play, but somehow I just felt these are the pieces that I would like to play now. I felt from all of the pieces that were offered for the competition, I simply wanted to play these.

Do you know any of the other competitors in the Ima Hogg Competition?

I have heard their names, but I do not know them personally. I believe they are very good!

What else will you do before you leave town?

I would like to see downtown to see how it looks and how the people are. I would also like to visit museums and to see the opera if I have time.

Do you have anything else to say about the upcoming competition?

This competition is different because people are not only competing with one type of instrument- it is all different instruments. You can see how well they are doing with their instrument, but since the instruments are so different judges are forced more to look at what they are doing with the actual music. Music is important, but most of the time how musicians are playing the clarinet becomes too important.

I feel very special to be able to be here. It’s not something you experience every day and it is very inspiring. I feel it is really exciting and that it is all about music!