For those navigating the competitive world of classical music, this week’s interview on TheClassicalStation.org with pianist Garrick Ohlsson provides a strategic perspective on international competitions. Ohlsson explains his deliberate decision to target the “very biggest competitions” like the International Chopin Piano Competition, aiming to “up the level of [his] career” at age 22. His experience underscores the strategic thinking and immense pressure required to make “noise in the world” as a young artist in a fiercely competitive field.