Wise path to follow?

[axewarrior20]

Hey there!
I am a music therapy major at the University of Alabama.
I took piano from about 4th to 8th grade and hated it, but fell back into love with the piano endinhg up in wanting to pursue it as a major. My senior year of high school I began taking lessons again from a new teacher to prepare me for auditions into UA's school of music.

It is now the end of my sophomore fall semester. I am now reaching a point where winter break is close and I would like to branch out more in my repertoire. This semester I am currently practicing and will play in my jury tomorrow:
Chopin's Waltz in A Minor Op. 34 No. 2
Beaumont's Tarantella
Mozart's Sonata in Eb Major K282

I am thinking about revisiting Tcherepnin's Bagatelles Op. 5. I played No. 10 as one of the pieces for my audition to the school and am tempted to learn the entire set.

Would this be a wise choice to pursue smaller, almost easier works in my spare time or would it be a waste of time in that I should only focus on progress with the works my professor assigns me?

[nanabush]

Working on stuff at the level/easier than the stuff you are currently doing is still really good practice.  You'll be really solid in your playing at that level.  Loads of times people start stuff that is too difficult, get about 1/3 of the way through and give up.  Learning stuff that you are sure you can play is a good idea, and you will probably expand your rep quicker this way 

[john11inc]

Pursuing a music major at University of Alabama in any form is not a wise path to follow (I assume you're attending at the Tuscaloosa campus?  Only one that has much of a music program at all).  If you're stuck in Alabama, I suggest relocating to the University of Montevallo.  The piano perf faculty there is much better.

But to answer your question seriously, you should probably just concentrate on what you need to play well, instead of trying to spread yourself thin.

[furtwaengler]

I don't know how he is as a teacher, big John (long John?), but I love Yakov Kasman who I believe is still at Alabama...an excellent artist and a very nice man.

And Axewarrior20, may I admit that I adore that Mozart Sonata you're playing? It's a favorite!

[john11inc]

I don't know how he is as a teacher, big John (long John?), but I love Yakov Kasman who I believe is still at Alabama...an excellent artist and a very nice man.

Well, you'd be the expert when it comes to the Alabama music scene, having lived here in Birmingham much longer than I have (meaning more than 15 years).

[axewarrior20]

Pursuing a music major at University of Alabama in any form is not a wise path to follow (I assume you're attending at the Tuscaloosa campus?  Only one that has much of a music program at all).  If you're stuck in Alabama, I suggest relocating to the University of Montevallo.  The piano perf faculty there is much better.

I study under Dr. Engrebretson who is an amazing teacher. Additional if you did not read my original post I am a music therapy major. The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa is the only college in the state of Alabama to offer this major. I am well aware of Montevallo's awesome music program because I live close to there, but honestly have no interest in pursing being a performance of education major

I've decided for now to work on pieces for the upcoming semester. My jury went amazingly well!
Dr. Engrebretson has already assigned me for next semester:
2nd movement in Mozart's Sonata in Eb Major K282
Gliere's Prelude Op 43. No. 1
Bach's Invention No. 8 in F Major
Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances (Didn't specify which movement)

[axewarrior20]

If you'd care for an update I have already begun working on all my pieces for this upcoming semester along with slowly learning hymnals to play for church services. I chose to start on the 1st movement of the Bartok Romanian Folk Dancing since it is the beginning and I'm sure I can have the 2nd movement down as I begin to become more familiar with these tunes.

[prongated]

Pursuing a music major at University of Alabama in any form is not a wise path to follow (I assume you're attending at the Tuscaloosa campus?  Only one that has much of a music program at all).  If you're stuck in Alabama, I suggest relocating to the University of Montevallo.  The piano perf faculty there is much better.

Oh? Maybe that is the case reputation-wise, but I recommend quite highly the new head of keyboard at UA - Sarkis Baltaian. He's an extremely nice guy (very big man, very bear-huggable...if you like ^^) and a wonderful music educator with very good taste in music. He's an old student of John Perry at USC and, if I understand/remember correctly, was his assistant there for some time before taking up the post at UA in 2009 (I think...)

He was in Sydney in January 2006 I think it was, and I had some great lessons off him. He also gave a recital which I couldn't attend, but I heard it was really very good - a program including Schumann Toccata and maybe the Fantasy, Chopin op. 44 Polonaise...that's all I can remember ><

[axewarrior20]

Oh? Maybe that is the case reputation-wise, but I recommend quite highly the new head of keyboard at UA - Sarkis Baltaian. He's an extremely nice guy (very big man, very bear-huggable...if you like ^^) and a wonderful music educator with very good taste in music. He's an old student of John Perry at USC

Are you talking about professors at UA? The only piano professors I know are Dr. Amanda Penick, Dr. Noel Engrebretson (i study under him and he was also a student of John Perry), Dr. Tanya Gille, and Dr. Pamela Gordon

[prongated]

...uh oh, sorry I'm not at all familiar with the States, so I assumed there's only one UA...Sarkis teaches in the Huntsville campus...

[axewarrior20]

Ah, it's cool
I was just utterly confused. Was thinking woah woah woah where is my mind, lol, but its all bien