Solo and Ensemble Concert-Advice Needed

[squinchy]

My school (junior high, which is 7-9th grade) is having a solo/ensemble concert June 14th, and my strings director "strongly encouraged" me to play. She and the choir director are having a little feud, so she's getting revenge on the choir director's horrendously long winter concert program by trying to get the string players to play as many pieces as possible..it's so funny, yet so immature.

She told me that I should do a viola solo, but I have absolutely nothing prepared and won't be able to prepare anything by the concert date. She then suggested that I do a piano solo, but "strongly encouraged" me to play something "recognizable," unlike the "obscure" sonatina I played last year..Strange, because my piano teacher told me that the Viennese Sonatinas were relatively well known..

Then came the examples of what she meant by "recognizable," which basically meant Rondo Alla Turca, Fur Elise, Moonlight Sonata (first movement), and the Sonata Facile. Note that she used to be a piano teacher (before becoming a cello teacher and then a strings director/conductor), and that her son is a pianist.

My questions:

1. Would it be stupid of me to play at this concert at all, or would it be even more stupid to miss this opportunity? I've played almost all the pieces she suggested (I haven't done K545 yet, but I've sightread it for fun once), but I didn't play any of them exceptionally well, and I seem to have a memorization impediment. Also, the school's piano is falling apart (the wood is chipping off), and it's really hard to play softly on it and have the audience hear.

2. If I should play at all, should I go with one of her suggestions, or play something else and run the risk of making the audience fall asleep? I'm in the process of memorizing a Bach passapied, and I think I could play that. However, it's short, probably not very famous (or "recognizable"), meaning that it doesn't fulfill any of her requirements. I suppose I could play an excerpt from the Coronation Concerto (K537), but it might sound funny without an orchestra and without any type of cadence. I don't think I should try to learn/memorize something new this close either.

I'm not that great of a pianist. In fact, I probably just barely skim over the 'piano-player' bar. I don't have technical or expressive brilliance-probably the only advantage I have over other kids my age is that I enjoy practicing, playing, and performing. Most others do it to appease their parents.

Please advise,
Squinchy

[JK]

You should play something that you feel you can play well and that you feel comfortable with, who cares if it's wel known?! If you don't particularly want to play the well known pieces that your teacher suggested then don't! Instead choses a piece that you like and have played before. Make sure that it isn't too long and that it is interesting enough for an audience who doesn't neccessarilly know a lot of classical music. You'll be surprised at how people will enjoy listening to a piece they don't know!

good luck!