Piano Auditions

[churchpianist15]

 I'm a junior in high school and will hopefully be auditioning at schools in my late senior year. I will hopefully earn a Bachelor of Music in Church Music, piano primary, voice secondary. I need help choosing repertoire that would impress the colleges I'm applying to. They are definitely not schools like Oberlin or Julliard, but colleges such as Oklahoma Baptist University, Hardin Simmons, and Baylor. Baylor wants a prelude and fugue, a classical work by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven, and a 19th or 20th century piece. The other colleges just want "two contrasting pieces." I've only been taking "officially" one year, so my level is pretty low (I've worked on Bach Inventions, Goliwogg's Cakewalk by Debussy, Clair de Lune, the Cuckoo, The Top by Nielsen, Postludium.) I'm currently working on Haydn's Sonata in D minor and am starting a prelude and fugue come January, and starting to work on some more Debussy. What contrasting works would you suggest that match my level? I know you can't really accurately judge or suggest without hearing me play, but any help would be welcome. 

[jmanpno]

Perhaps you might consider looking at some of the Mendelssohn Song without Words?  You can learn a great deal from them without experiencing undo hardships.  My suggestion would be to branch out into somewhat less "standard" rep.  It's fun to play Clair de Lune, The Cuckoo, etc. but you face a much more immediate sense of comparison with others when you play those pieces, and while some of them may seem "easy" enough to make effective they require mature musicianship.  Has your teacher prepared students for college auditions before?  You want to make sure you have the best possible start. 

As far as 20th Century Pieces are concerned, you may look into some preludes by Kabalevsky's or Dances by Ginestera.  I suspect you will find them enjoyable and challenging.  They tend to be highly idiomatic works that will be fun and instructive. 

Let me know if I can be of more help.

[fftransform]

My most recent instructor, who has a Ph. D. from Juilliard and studied with Sandor, is a church pianist.  Any job with "pianist" in the title is extremely hard to come by.  The best advice anybody could possibly give you is to rethink your intended major, given your skill level, compared to your age.

Sorry, but somebody has to say it.

[scott13]

My most recent instructor, who has a Ph. D. from Juilliard and studied with Sandor, is a church pianist.  Any job with "pianist" in the title is extremely hard to come by.  The best advice anybody could possibly give you is to rethink your intended major, given your skill level, compared to your age.

Sorry, but somebody has to say it.

Once again, you have severely misinformed opinions. I myself was admitted to a conservatory to study piano performance after only 18 months playing the instrument. What you should have said was something remotely helpful, or if you do not have anything helpful to say, how about not posting in the first place?

To the OP, do not become discouraged, as I am proof one can reach a high standard in a short amount of time. If you are applying for multiple universities, consider using the same pieces for all.

I would stick with your Haydn sonata, and P & F (which one are you looking at?), Debussy would add a great contrast to Bach and Haydn so you would be fine. But I would advise against playing anything too popular, such as Clair de Lune. Perhaps look to one of the preludes, or something from one of the two books of images? Or perhaps the suite pour le piano (the Sarabande from this is simply beautiful)

What is most important it to make the pieces your own. Spend time developing your own interpretations and let your musicality shine. This is far more important in auditions, than mere technical brilliance. If you are accepted, then they work with you on things like technique. What most panels want to see is a musical person in front of them, who has a true passion and desire to study piano.

[fftransform]

I myself was admitted to a conservatory to study piano performance after only 18 months playing the instrument. I am proof one can reach a high standard.

What conservatory?  What competitions have you won or placed in?  Any concert reviews?

[churchpianist15]

 :)scott13, that was a very helpful post; thank you for your gentle encouragement!
   To clear up some confusion, I do NOT aspire to be a concert pianist, as I would absolutely hate that lifestyle; my gifts are music and working with people. I simply want to become a competent church music director and piano teacher, and want to receive the benefit of a music program that can enhance my skills. I currently direct a small church music ministry, teach piano, and accompany a choir part time while going to junior college as a high school student. A prof from SMU who got her doctorate at Eastman watched me accompany my choir and invited me to come for an audition at SMU! Yeah!!
     As far as auditions go, I think will keep the sonata, and find a suitable piece by Debussy (I was thinking Second Arabesque?). I will probably work on two preludes and fugues with my teacher and pick the one I feel most comfortable with. I'm thinking we'll either do C Major or d minor.
Are there any etudes that any of you could suggest that would not eat my lunch but make me grow in my present skills? I play a loooooot of scales but have a hard time getting them any faster than a quarter beat equals 100 playing sixteenths. Any suggestions?
   

[cjp_piano]

My most recent instructor, who has a Ph. D. from Juilliard and studied with Sandor, is a church pianist.  Any job with "pianist" in the title is extremely hard to come by.  The best advice anybody could possibly give you is to rethink your intended major, given your skill level, compared to your age.

Sorry, but somebody has to say it.

Any job with "pianist" in the title is extremely hard to come by??!? Um no it's not. What about the little country church that needs a "pianist?" You are crazy.

I also had only taken lessons a few years in elementary school, a little in middle school, and then my junior and senior year in high school. I won a scholarship competition to attend a small Christian college, then went on to get my Master's in Piano Performance from a University. Now I'm a church "pianist" and a full time self employed piano teacher.

Churchpianist15: do you have a piano teacher currently?

[churchpianist15]

 I do currently have an piano teacher who is celebrating her 50th year of teaching and is graciously waving the fee for her services.    I've been taking theory exams, performing for judges, and participating in ensembles. I'm looking to audition for TCU, SMU, and Baylor; they are not super competitive programs like Oberlin or Eastman but they are close to home, have a great reputation in Texas, and are right for my needs.
   I'm still looking for a suitable Romantic or Impressionistic piece (maybe Debussy) that is about grade 8. Any suggestions that would wow the judges? I need something slower and moving that can show off the feeling. The fugue and sonata are fast pieces that show off technique. Also, I have been studying the major and minor scales (parallel and contrary) and arpeggios. None of the programs specify if they want contrary scales or at what tempo. Does anybody know the "standard" scale patterns that judges want to see?
Thanks!

[lorditachijr]

I'd like to point out this recent NYT article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/opinion/sunday/sorry-strivers-talent-matters.html

I feel obligated to agree with the information provided in this article. I don't think conservatories are looking for kids who can play Hammerklavier at 18. I think they're looking for talent that can be utilized to mold a student into a competent professional capable of great things.

A violin teacher I had at a camp one summer told me about one of the best violinists she knew. He didn't start playing until about a year prior to college, and he was going into graduate school playing the Bruch Concerto (probably comparable to the first movement of Beethoven's Pathetique). Even though he was so far behind many of his colleagues at first, he still went on to get his DMA and get a job teaching at a major university.

To churchpianist15:

Do you like Debussy's Reverie? It's a very beautiful piece, and it's Grade 8 according to Piano Street (although I'm not sure if it's the same scale). The Reverie is also a great introduction into Impressionistic works. You might look into his Arabesques too. As far as scales, I think four octave parallel motion are the standard. I may be wrong, but I don't think colleges require the different scales (double-notes, contrary motion, interval scales) that a lot of exams do.

Good luck,
John

[keypeg]

What conservatory?  What competitions have you won or placed in?  Any concert reviews?

What do winning competitions and concert reviews have to do with getting into a good school to study music and go on to be a church musician?  I know several people personally who did not go that route.