Chances of scholarship at IU for determined classical pianist/composer

[brendan765]

Hey I'm a junior in highschool, residential to Indiana. Would like to go to IU this summer for their piano academy. Also would like to attend college there after my senior year; 2014.  majoring in performance, masters hopefully.

Advice for me?

You think I will get in, explain...

I love playing piano and am mechanically very capable of difficult music. reach around octave 3rd to 4th, Working on technique right now...trying to lose the tension that apparently is in my hands says the Russian Piano Instructor i'm working with...My masters degree, music theory teacher/ametuer pianist says I have great technique though

I express music well, am doing alot better with knowing how a piece should sound


I have a large repertoire of peices I play descently 50-100 of Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Bach, Debussy, Mendelssohn, etc.   My russian teacher is all about technical shape up at this point...apparently im behind if I want to be a wealthy concert pianist.

I am good in music theory, know all the college stuff.

I am big into composing!!!!

Ive played my whole life.




I have about a 2.8 now, will be a 3.0 gpa or above when im done with highschool...will I be able to get a music scholarship?? I sight read alot better now, almost any piece that is not ridicoulous like liszt sonatas I can play and people could understand and say hey thats pretty good or whatever..let me know thanks!



I am determined to be concert pianist...I practice 6 hours a day rightnow. focusing alot on tech...and I love music and creating it, determined mindset, I will be a concert pianist.

[quantum]

My advice would be to diversify your musical skill set.  Right now you are working on technique with your teacher, that's good.  Keep on working at it.  

Even though your goal is to become a concert pianist it would serve you well to explore other aspects of music.  You say you like composing, write down some stuff and show it to others.  Get feedback on how to improve.  

Since you like composing, improvisation will serve you well.  There is somewhat a stigma of fear of improvisation in the classical world.  I would encourage you to learn to improvise, regardless of any discouragement you may receive from art music world.  IMO improvisation is an essential skill for any performer.  

Do ensemble work.  Trios, quartets, etc.  Working with singers is very beneficial to pianists.  

Learn another instrument as your secondary.  You will need this for college as it is often a requirement to join an ensemble.  

Listen to lots of music, even music that does not initially interest you.  Search out for music you are not knowledgeable of and always keep an open ear. 

Have a backup plan.  What if you come to the realization that being a concert pianist is not for you?  Don't spend all your energy on one single goal.  Be able to other things than play the piano.  

[brendan765]

I improvise all the time and am aquiring a large bank of patterns mainly subconcsiously and just play what I hear. I believe the style I play comes from what I listen to and also what I play most. Debussy, Liszt, Chopin, and Mozart (Rachmaninoff and then Beethoven-I credit to be the godfather of emotion in music, not neccesarily the best.) I dont try at all to imitate their playing, it subconciously comes to me just like memorization.  (scientists have studied and proved this to be true)

Yes I plan on buying alot of new composers music along with famous composers bios and any advice they have left behind this Christmas.

I'm solo and with orchestras, no its not neccesary when getting performance degree. I plan on minor in entrepeneurship/corp. inovation. I'll stick to piano, because playing 2 intstruments will make a person 1/2 the genious on the one they stoped practicing as much on.

[quantum]

I'm solo and with orchestras, no its not neccesary when getting performance degree. I plan on minor in entrepeneurship/corp. inovation. I'll stick to piano, because playing 2 intstruments will make a person 1/2 the genious on the one they stoped practicing as much on.

Being a soloist with an orchestra is very different then the experience you get with a small ensemble like a trio or quartet.  When you play a concerto you are the star, the centre of attention.  When you play in small ensemble no instrument is more important than the other.  You have to learn to work with all other musicians in that group to form a unified expression. 

From personal experience, musicians I have met who were experienced in at least two or more instruments were much more well versed at expressing themselves on their primary instrument than mono-instrumentalists.  There are just some things you cannot learn about music by only taking a single perspective.  I know piano-only pianists who find it very difficult to play certain things because they lack the understanding of a different perspective.  IMO, being a multi-instrumentalist will not diminish your ability on piano by taking time away from it, but will enhance your understanding of the piano because of the extra-instrumental experience you gain by learning music away from the piano. 

Do you want to be known as a genius, or do you want to be known as a good pianist?  Think about it. 

[ajspiano]

I'll stick to piano, because playing 2 intstruments will make a person 1/2 the genious on the one they stoped practicing as much on.

This is not even close to reality.

And since many piano works are built upon the idea of "piano as the whole orchestra" in terms of part writing, and the piano as capable of imitating orchestral textures/timbres - having fundamental knowledge of a range of (if not all) instruments at least as far as their capabilities -even if your not able to perform to a high standard - is pretty relevant.

..especially as a composer.

..plus if you're going to be a "genius" ..pretty sure you know mozart played piano AND violin for a start.

[brendan765]

I said I'll stick to the piano, I meant that.

as far as trio or quartet, that could be possible, I like to be the center of the production, much rather write for an orchestra and piano solo, but thankyou.

Yes Mozart did start on Violin, which could clue you that he wasn't the virtuoso Beethoven or Liszt was.

He was a musical genious who would make a listener feel smart because of his resolving melodys. But he sometimes won and suprised the listener..besides that he was a great musician as well.

[ajspiano]

Yes Mozart did start on Violin, which could clue you that he wasn't the virtuoso Beethoven or Liszt was.

Beethoven was known to play the violin and viola.
Liszt also played the violin

Sorry, you'll have to rethink..  infact I wouldn't presume for a second that there is a single great composer who couldn't play another instrument at least a little.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Did you start preparing your audition repertoire yet?

[quantum]

Liszt also played the organ.  Beethoven did viola gigs.  The reasoning behind your argument does not sit well.  

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you are still very young and ambitious.  You've still got a lot of time to explore other instruments and do an about turn on your thinking.  On the other hand, you could just wait for first year uni when you get the shock of reality on what is required to pass your courses.  At the very least start singing.  You will be required to sing in college.  

Masters degree you are thinking?  Wait till you hear about language exams  

[brendan765]

Yes I have tons of repertoire, its the technique im working on with my teacher rightnow...correct motions apparently I wasnt taught right by my grandmother who I thought was very good, but she couldn't teach me anymore since I was learning harder works, and my teacher now is slowing me down a little bit to work on tech...which I dont like at all...Technique I want better and will do anything to fix it, but I dont believe he is the right teacher to teach it to me, or it would have already worked..I know my stuff..I am for the taubman technique and all similar techniques. But I feel like it should of started working already, I dont get it..not a good explanation teacher.

[ajspiano]

Technique I want better and will do anything to fix it, but I dont believe he is the right teacher to teach it to me, or it would have already worked..I know my stuff..I am for the taubman technique and all similar techniques.

 

You can't know your stuff in regard to technique unless you have got the technique..  up until then you just have a rough idea that may actually be nothing like what is actually intended by the instructor, taubman or otherwise.

Also, if you had your grandmother as a teacher.. then a new teacher who is not taubman then I presume your knowledge of taubman is videos only? which means you very likely don't know enough about taubman to treat it as gospel..  and there are plenty of non taubman references that are excellent.. you should read those too before you pigeon hole yourself into one method.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Yes I have tons of repertoire,

Was that a response to me?

If so, then what specifically are you playing for auditions?

[brendan765]

I am not sure yet my teacher can't seem to explain technique to me so I am going to search and find a teacher who can better explain it, It's no problem for me to read music and express it, it is play it with good technique (tense hands must be stress free)

[ajspiano]

I am not sure yet my teacher can't seem to explain technique to me so I am going to search and find a teacher who can better explain it, It's no problem for me to read music and express it, it is play it with good technique (tense hands must be stress free)

Your teacher may or may not be good at explain - perhaps consider that its notoriously difficult to communicate accurately and I would personally argue that its simply not possible to have it explained and then it suddenly work perfectly.

Technique it something where an explanation points you in a general direction and then you personally have to experiment and develop something around that which works well. Additionally, it helps to first have a sound in mind.. in that while there are fundamental principles of movement that are "good technique" they facilitate sounds and are ultimately conceived as a sound not a movement. Certain focused movement practice is can free you up but then you have to think "sound" and move..  not think "move" and get a sound..  there are also practice tricks that directly facilitate rapid technique acquisition.

What is the teacher having you do anyway?