Van Cliburn Amateur Piano Competition

[Shagdac]

Has anyone had any experience with trying to enter or playing in the Van Cliburn Amateur Competition? Also, any suggestions for pieces for an audition tape where they advise you NOT to play songs just because they sound "hard, fast and loud", but rather from the heart. A song that you truly love. After extensive research however, many songs played were the "hard, fast and loud" (showstopper) type of pieces.  Often played and repeated by more than several in the same competition.
Any suggestions to pieces that are awesome, but not necessarily well-known, often heard or over played.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.