Help me choose my CM panel repertoire!

[virtuoso_735]

For the next year, I will be trying the CM panel exam, which is the highest program for the Certificate of Merit program (www.mtac.org). Californians should know about it, since it is only for Californians. Well, it's kind of like a competition, but not really.

They choose a certain number of pianists out of the panel applicants to play in a special recital, others at a higher level to attend a masterclass given by a prominent musician, and yet others to join the Young Artist Guild (YAG), which is being a semi-professional pianist for 5 years.

I don't think I will be going for YAG since the competition is very stiff there, but even at the Panel level it's very difficult I hear. Anyways, I have until February of '07 to prepare my pieces, and I'm not really sure what to play. Each applicant needs to play a baroque, classical, romantic, and 20th century piece, along with an etude from any period.

Here's what I have in mind:

-Baroque: Prelude and Fugue from WTC book I, but which one??? Any suggestions?
-Classical: Not sure...perhaps Tempest Movt.1? Or Movt.1 of Mozart A minor sonata k.310? Any suggestions?
-Romantic: Chopin Ballade 1, 2, or 3? Which one?
-20th century: Don't know really. Suggestions?
-Etude: A Chopin etude from op.10 or 25. Cello etude perhaps?

Thanks for your suggestions.

[henrah]

Which etude is the cello etude? Don't think I've ever heard that name before. Winter Wind is certain to impress, as well as the thirds etude; but are you technically up for either of them? If not, 10/9 is a wonderful etude, as well as 25/12.

I love Ballade No.3, but I haven't heard any of the others to comment on them.

Don't really know about the rest.
Henrah

[Motrax]

(I assume you mean Op. 25 No. 7 as the cello etude)

For 20th Century, I prefer Debussy or Ravel. Jeux D'eau works very well since it's 5 or 6 minutes long and shows a lot of different techniques ranging from rapid fingerwork to singing melodic lines and complicated voicing. Debussy's Toccata is good, or one of his etudes if you're up to it.

If you wouldn't mind longer pieces, Prokofiev Sonatas work well, and span a wide variety of styles and characters.

I like Chopin's 2nd Ballade and Mozart's A minor sonata (I happen to be working on both right now) - those are fine choices. From book  of the WTC, number 6 in d minor is my favorite.

[virtuoso_735]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, the "cello" etude is the op.25 no.7. Debussy and Ravel is not considered 20th century in this program, so I will have to play a composer like Prokofiev, Bartok, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, etc. I'm quite baffled about what to play for this requirement, since I am not very familiar with the 20th century repertoire.

I hear that Mozart is difficult to play well, and especially for competitions. Maybe Beethoven will be better?

Any more suggestions? Thanks.

[lagin]

I like Samuel Barber's third "Excursion," though it is murder to learn.  Almost the entire 5 pages are made up of different polyrhythms with the main one being 7 against 8.  It's very pretty and nice and short, but I don't know if it's "competition" material.  You could get a sample from Amazon for free if you like.

[chelsey]

I really love the 'cello etude (op 25 no 7). I used as part of a competition program in spring '05, and I won a place to compete with provincials. It's a strikingly beautiful piece, one that you can really do a lot with to demonstrate your musical sensitivity.

edit..
I also wanted to mention that I'm playing Chopin's 3rd ballade this month for juries, and let me tell you, it's the least threatening of the three, and I've found it to be quite comfortable to perform once it's in your hands, it was even relatively easy to memorize!

[virtuoso_735]

Thanks for you input, Chelsey.

Does anyone have any experience with the CM panel?

[pita bread]

If you're not going for YAG, then play whatever. Panel isn't a big deal. I never did it because I missed a year of CM while I was living out-of-state- I guess that made me inelligible for YAG, so I never bothered with CM again.

My friend who got into YAG played Beethoven Op. 81a, Liszt Tarentella and other similar leveled repertoire, not to mention that he plays his pieces to utterly detailed perfection. Another who auditioned for YAG this year played Beethoven Op. 101, Chopin Ballade #4, Stravinsky Petrushka.

I'm sure forum members will say that its better to play easier repertoire well than harder repertoire poorly, but quite frankly, a well played Chopin 25/6 will kill your 25/7.

[virtuoso_735]

My friend who got into YAG played Beethoven Op. 81a, Liszt Tarentella and other similar leveled repertoire, not to mention that he plays his pieces to utterly detailed perfection. Another who auditioned for YAG this year played Beethoven Op. 101, Chopin Ballade #4, Stravinsky Petrushka.

So is it worth it to try for YAG if you're not some superhuman pianist? Lol. I'm not very good ...if I don't make it it will be okay since I know I won't anyways.

"I'm sure forum members will say that its better to play easier repertoire well than harder repertoire poorly, but quite frankly, a well played Chopin 25/6 will kill your 25/7."

So the difficulty of the pieces count a lot more than one would expect?

[pita bread]

So the difficulty of the pieces count a lot more than one would expect?

We can fairly assume that someone who makes it to the YAG stage plays his pieces very well. How do you think a well played Liszt Liebestraum would stack up against a well played Rachmaninoff Sonata #2?

I'm not trying to discourage you; my advice would be to pick the most advanced pieces that you could pull off extremely well.

[virtuoso_735]

We can fairly assume that someone who makes it to the YAG stage plays his pieces very well. How do you think a well played Liszt Liebestraum would stack up against a well played Rachmaninoff Sonata #2?

I'm not trying to discourage you; my advice would be to pick the most advanced pieces that you could pull off extremely well.

Thanks for the advice. Is there really people who play Rachmaninoff sonatas at YAG?

[pita bread]

The Rachmaninoff Sonata was 2004 for MTAC solo competition. One of the pianists in YAG did Ondine.

What part of Cali are you from anyways? And who do you study with?

[virtuoso_735]

The Rachmaninoff Sonata was 2004 for MTAC solo competition. One of the pianists in YAG did Ondine.

What part of Cali are you from anyways? And who do you study with?

I'm from the Southern Alameda branch (it's in the SF Bay Area). I've been with the same teacher for 6 years now and I'm going to a new (hopefully better) teacher this week. I really am sure I won't get into YAG, but it's nice just to try for it and learn the repertoire and audition anyways.

[virtuoso_735]

Well I decided on most of my repertoire:

-Etude: Op.25 no.5 in E minor Chopin
-Baroque: A 4-voiced fugue + prelude from the WTC I by Bach.
-Sonata: 1st movement "Tempest" Op.31 no.2
-Romantic: Ballade no.1 in G minor op.23 Chopin
-20th century: 1st movement from Ginastera sonata or Rondo on Argentine Folk Tunes (anyone have any experience with these pieces?)