Steinhardt Audition Repertoire - Which Pieces Should I Choose?

[shelton123]

I am new here, so I apologize if this is the incorrect part of the forum to post this in. NYU is a school that I REALLY want to go to. I've been playing piano for 12 years (though i've been told I am WAY behind for my years) and the two most recent pieces I've performed are Chopin's Nocturne in C# Minor (Opus Posthumous) and Copland's Cat and Mouse. I got both memorized in 2 months without feeling rushed or anything and performed them very well, so I feel that I can be pushed further. This is the audition repertoire for undergrads at Steinhardt:

    One work by J.S. Bach including a fugue
    Two movements of a sonata by Mozart, Haydn, or Beethoven
    One Romantic composition
    One 20th-century or 21st-century composition

So, which pieces that fit the categories do you think I could master in a year? Am I not even advanced enough to even consider auditioning? I can take honesty. I appreciate all of your help as well.

[kalirren]

Take what advice I have to offer with a grain of salt.  I have never auditioned for university, but am preparing an equivalent repertoire.  But I see this topic here begging to be answered and I think my answer would be better than none.  I think if you have played at least a few of the virtuosic Chopin etudes, you're okay to shoot for undergrad.  A top conservatory might expect familiarity with all or most the Chopin etudes for an entering student.

The Bach: Any Prelude & Fugue from the WTC is generally acceptable.  Book I is generally harder and more preferred, but don't overlook the gems in Book II.  My advice would be to pick one with a prelude you like, because you'll end up liking the fugue better too.  You might also consider the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue.

Two movements of a sonata by M, H, or B: You might get some brownie points for being familiar with the literature if you pick a two-movement sonata!  I like Beethoven's F major No. 22; it two movements have good contrast, and are both musically impressive without being too technically challenging, so it's a good choice anyway.  (It's the one between the Waldstein and the Appassionata.)

One Romantic composition: Brahms 6 Klavierstucke Op. 118 are a suite of pieces I can highly recommend.  Again, they're musically challenging, but not overly technically so.  You start to see my bent.

One post-1900 composition: I am weakest here.  I would suggest the entire Suite Bergamasque?  Or if you're ambitious, les Valses nobles et sentimentales?  There's a whole bunch of Gershwin/Copland/Ives you might consider too, but I don't know that part of the literature so I can't offer advice in that direction.

[haydnseeker]

One post-1900 composition: I am weakest here.  I would suggest the entire Suite Bergamasque?  Or if you're ambitious, les Valses nobles et sentimentales?  There's a whole bunch of Gershwin/Copland/Ives you might consider too, but I don't know that part of the literature so I can't offer advice in that direction.

Suite bergamasque was composed c.1890, though not published until 1905 (in a revised form).  The delay in publication was due to contractual issues.

[drkilroy]

When it comes to 20th century - Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales are a good choice. They are not very hard, compared to some of Ravel's works. Some Debussy's pieces might be appropriate, too - just pick the impressionist ones, not the romantic. My choices would be some of the preludes or Pour le piano suite.
Gershwin's Three Preludes would be a good set too, but they could be considered too "jazzy".

Best regards, Dr