Audition Piece

[ejrs]

Hello everyone,

I don't post here often but I do lots of reading and browsing the forums. I've played a few semesters as a piano student at a local college where I live and done two years as a voice student, but because of some personal issues I had to take a year off and I'm trying to get back into the swing of things with my focus on piano. I'm looking to learn a few pieces over the summer and into the fall to prepare myself for an audition at a university, but I'm not exactly sure which ones would be appropriate? I've played Bach's Prelude and Fugue in D major from the WTC book 1, the first two movements of Mozart's piano sonata in C major k.309, a Brahms intermezzo (op 76. A minor) and Debussy's Jardins sous la pluie. What are some suggestions for repertoire to study over the summer and into the fall to try and perform at an audition? I was hoping to maybe learn another Mozart sonata or possibly Beethoven, and I'm open to any Baroque and Romantic/ Impressionistic suggestions. Thanks for your help!

[j_menz]

You could finish K309. 

Does the uni have any requirements? You should check that out first.

What's the course?

[ejrs]

As far as audition requirements go, they are generally as follows:

"Pianists should prepare three memorized pieces. One from the Baroque era, one from the Romantic era or 20th century and a movement of a Classical sonata (Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven)."

I suppose I could rework K309, but I'd love to play something else, I love music from the baroque to 20th century, and would have no qualms with learning a new piece. As far as the course goes, I'd probably just audition as a freshman in regards to applied piano lessons goes. I only did one semester of "pre-college" piano and one semester as a freshman at the community college although I played the pieces I listed above. In terms of other music though I've taken two years of theory, ear training, and three semesters of music history so I'm not really worrying about those.

[j_menz]

Well..  the question is pretty impossibly broad.  There's a lot of great music in the (rather long) period you describe (baroque to impressionist), and that's true even if you don't stray from the old warhorse repertoire.

How's your sightreading?

For the audition, I wouldn't stray far from what you've got - just make it the best you can.

But I'd also spend a fair amount of time reading through as much other stuff as you can manage. It'll be fun (promise), improve your understanding of the composers no end (nothing like actually playing their stuff), give you a heap of pieces and composers you want to explore further, and actually improve your performance of the pieces you are doing.

[ejrs]

Luckily, the one thing I like to rather think I'm great at is reading. I have a book of jazz arrangements I like to read out of and sing, and have accompanied a number of other vocal students with German and French lieder, and some arias as well. I guess the reason I asked such a broad question though was because I feel like there is so many great pieces of music out there, that it is hard for me to narrow it down to the three pieces required. Currently I've dabbled into Brahms' Rhapsody in G minor op 79, and Debussy's Arabesque no 1 in E major (just the first page or two). I was also looking into Mozart's Piano Sonata K333 in B-flat Major as well, but when it comes to Baroque I haven't had much listening experience. I don't know how others feel, but I absolutely LOVE sight-reading. I just feel like there's SO many pieces to choose from, and I'd love to get some suggestions from other people who love the broad range of music we have to choose from. I'm not currently in school, and really I have as much time as I need to get some good pieces under my belt, (though I realize reworking pieces I have played would be much easier) I just would love to get some other pieces under my fingers (at a college level) as I absolutely love all the music the "classical" genre has to offer.

To be completely honest I just don't like making these kinds of decisions on my own and like to hear from other people about the kind of music they love and think would be appropriate

[j_menz]

For sight-reading and the baroque, Rameau, Telemann, some Scarlatti, Bach's little preludes and two part inventions, Couperin, Frescobaldi and Buxtehude are a good start. If you're feeling more adventurous, Pachelbel's Fugues on the Magnificat are quite something, and there's the rest of the 48, as well as the French and English suites.

[pytheamateur]

Rachmaninoff Prelude Op23 No5 in G Minor.

This is a bit of a hackneyed piece, but apparently one Piano Street member who got accepted into a UK conservatoire a couple of years ago having only played the piano for 2 years used this as one of his audition pieces.  So as long as you like it, you can shine with it; don't believe people who say you should avoid playing famous pieces at auditions/exams.  I don't have much regard for those who tactically choose lesser-known and 2nd rate pieces for the sake of passing exams.