College Audition

[mick8431]

I am preparing the following two pieces for college audition:
They only require two contrasting pieces.

Fantasie Impromtu-chopin
Italian concerto (3rd movement)-Bach
OR
Busoni-bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor???

I ask the professor who will audition twice about the Toccata and Fugue in D minor (Busoni) and he said he is are ok with it. I think it probably depends on who will listen to it… I am a bit scared and not very confident because these three pieces are not eligible for audition in most schools. I will schedule my audition in the mid april.. I don’t have time to begin a new piece now.. I waste lots of time on "transcription" Busoni Toccata and Fugue in D minor already.. but the audition professor said he is ok it with.. I think Toccata and Fugue in D- is more difficult than Italian concerto…. And I think if play well, it should make me more qualified for college admission? It is a “transcription” but the professor said it is OK? Is fantasie impromptu too popular or easy? Should I play the 1st movement of Italian concerto instead of the 3rd movement?

This is the only college in my state (US) I applied though.. I can't look around at other college because the audition dates are too soon and I can't make it..

[mcgillcomposer]

It doesn't matter which one you choose, as long as you play it well.  You could get into Julliard with a stunning performance of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata if you really wanted to.  It's HOW YOU PLAY IT that matters. 

Aside from this, I will tell you which piece I would choose, and why.  I would play either movement of the Italian concerto for the following reason: the fantasie-impromptu is a very 'fingery' improvisatroy sounding work.  The toccata is the exact same idea technically...go for variety with the It. Con.

- Andrew

P.S.  Good luck in your audition!

[mick8431]

It doesn't matter which one you choose, as long as you play it well.  You could get into Julliard with a stunning performance of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata if you really wanted to.  It's HOW YOU PLAY IT that matters. 

Aside from this, I will tell you which piece I would choose, and why.  I would play either movement of the Italian concerto for the following reason: the fantasie-impromptu is a very 'fingery' improvisatroy sounding work.  The toccata is the exact same idea technically...go for variety with the It. Con.

- Andrew

P.S.  Good luck in your audition!

Thanks for your advice Andrew. I probably choose italian concerto or prelude and fugue.
But I can't change Fantasie Impromtu... I already practice it for months.. and too late to find a chopin work and practice on it now..

[yooniefied]

It doesn't matter which one you choose, as long as you play it well.  You could get into Julliard with a stunning performance of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata if you really wanted to.  It's HOW YOU PLAY IT that matters.

This simply isn't true, considering Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (Piano Sonata No. 14) is excluded from the audition repetoire for Juilliard.

[jamie_liszt]

mcgillcomposer is totally correct, difficulty is not important in these situations, don't try to choose a hard piece like Fantasie impromtu and hope just because its hard you will do better, the harder the piece the harder they will listen, the harder they will mark etc. and if its a slow piece they will look for phrasing and how well you use soft pedal and sustain.

just keep in mind its how well you play not the piece.

[mcgillcomposer]

mcgillcomposer is totally correct, difficulty is not important in these situations, don't try to choose a hard piece like Fantasie impromtu and hope just because its hard you will do better, the harder the piece the harder they will listen, the harder they will mark etc. and if its a slow piece they will look for phrasing and how well you use soft pedal and sustain.

just keep in mind its how well you play not the piece.

Thanks Jamie...and sorry yooniefied...I didn't mean to refer to specific repertoire...I was just trying to illustrate a general point.  Interesting to know though about Julliard

[mike_lang]

.

[BoliverAllmon]

difficulty does matter. I played an easy shosty prelude for audition last year and played it magnificently. The judges went on and on about my playing, but the next guy came in and played corigliano's etude fantasy. needless to say, I didn't get the biggest scholarship. He did.

boliver