High School Talent Show

[lava852]

So I have a talent show coming up at my school in 3 days. I chose to play Etude Op.10 No.3  about 5 months ago and now I can play it quite well and up to speed. However my friend is playing The first 2 pages of La Campanella and then Etude Op.10 No.5 (Black keys) in a mash up style performance and I'm not sure whether I can "beat" him regardless of how well I play my piece. Thoughts?

[liszt1022]

Unless you're at an exceptional high school, the students won't know any Chopin or Liszt etudes. You could probably "beat" La Campanella with Let it Go, but who really cares? Just do your 10/3 the best you can.

[faulty_damper]

A mash-up?  That just sounds like a bad idea, a Liszt medley.  Also, now we know why you play the piano, to outperform others, not for the music, itself.

[pianoman53]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cabbynum]

Sometimes you gotta play to your audience. At my Highschool there was a dance group at the talent show that did the "evolution of dance" like that popular YouTube video a couple years ago. I knew about that so I made the evolution of music. I started with Bach and just went chronologically through to Ives. They seemed to enjoy it!

Also, if your goal is to out perform them. The Chopin etude will win over more audience members than la campanella. It's a sweeter more approachable more "beautiful" piece. They will be clapping and cheering at the beauty and art from it not the flamboyant finger flying in la campanella or black keys.

[lava852]

I'm thinking about playing Liebestraume No.3 if i make finals..

[cabbynum]

I'm thinking about playing Liebestraume No.3 if i make finals..

Do un Sospiro if you can learn it quickly

[pianoplunker]

So I have a talent show coming up at my school in 3 days. I chose to play Etude Op.10 No.3  about 5 months ago and now I can play it quite well and up to speed. However my friend is playing The first 2 pages of La Campanella and then Etude Op.10 No.5 (Black keys) in a mash up style performance and I'm not sure whether I can "beat" him regardless of how well I play my piece. Thoughts?

If beating him is the goal, perhaps a little gentle distraction could help. You could just break his hands before the day, but that would be so 1920s. Maybe a cell phone ring right before he plays will do the trick, or a firecracker placed near the stage. All these things only if you are just there to beat him. Sorry about the cheating advice but everybody knows that anyone who can play  La Campenella is going to win. ( One of the things I learned here on PianoStreet )

[lava852]

He's only playing the first 2 pages haha. I can actually play those pages better than him

[cabbynum]

He's only playing the first 2 pages haha. I can actually play those pages better than him

Then do the first 3 pages then transpose to something else. Play his game.

[lava852]

na mate, that's a big dog

[theholygideons]

na mate, that's a big dog

I know something the audience would like.
Play chopsticks with your dick, bro.

[lava852]

I will if you teach me

[pianoman53]

Sorry for our behavior.

Talent shows are quite difficult to prepare for. You can learn the op 101, and play it better than Richter. Then there is a guy who can rap the whole "I like big butts and I can not lie" or make farts with their armpits, or do a bad break dance, and beat you.

Then, a guy who mixes the first 2 pages of La Campanella with Black key... It's stupid... but in talent shows, it can win....

So sorry, most people here are probably not big fans of talent shows...

[pytheamateur]

Playing only the 1st two pages of La Campanella is not enough to "wow" a respectable audience.

Bear in mind they are many pianists out there who can play La Campanella to a very good standard, but despite this they still cannot have a successful career as a concert pianist.  So for anyone who knows La Campanella, when he hears a pianist playing only the 1st 2 pages of it, the impression he gets must be that this pianist is not good enough to play the whole piece.  

That aside, the end of La Campanella contains a lot more "wow factor" that the 1st 2 pages.

If you think that the audience might be "wowed" by what your friend proposes to play, then you should seriously question the wisdom of entering that "talent show" in the first place.

 

[cabbynum]

Playing only the 1st two pages of La Campanella is not enough to "wow" a respectable audience.

Bear in mind they are many pianists out there who can play La Campanella to a very good standard, but despite this they still cannot have a successful career as a concert pianist.  So for anyone who knows La Campanella, when he hears a pianist playing only the 1st 2 pages of it, the impression he gets must by that this pianist is not good enough to play the whole piece. 

That aside, the end of La Campanella contains a lot more "wow factor" that the 1st 2 pages.

If you think that the audience might be "wowed" by what your friend proposes to play, then you should seriously question the wisdom of entering that "talent show" in the first place.

 

You guys are acting like it's a serious piano competition. It's a freaking Highschool talent show.

[pytheamateur]

Yes, it's only a High School Talent Show, but this event seems to mean a lot to the OP.

I started off with the assumption that it is something worth participating in.  Otherwise, why not advise him to play some tunes from a well-known recent movie instead?

[schwartzer]

Play the third movement of Beethoven's 14th Sonata. Those who cannot play the piano immediately think it's the most impossible thing they've ever heard. If you can play La Campanella, Moonlight's Third wouldn't be much of a deal.

Or you can probably win by playing the Frozen soundtrack.

[faulty_damper]

I'd do the Sir Mix-A-Lot rap, Baby Got Back, aka: "I like big butts."  I can rap it from memory.

I like big butts and I cannot lie,
u other brothers can't deny
that when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist
and a round thing in ure face
u get sprung,
wanna pull out ure tough cuz u noticed that butt was stuffed.

deep in the jeans she's wearin'
i'm hook'd and i can't stop starin'
OH BA-BY i wanna get with d'ya,
and take ure picture
my homeboys tried to warn me
but that butt u got makes me so horny!

OOhh rump-o-smooth-skin
u say u wanna get in my Benz?
well use me, use me cuz u ain't that average groupie
I see her dancin'
to hell with romancin'
she's sweat,
wet,
got it goin' like a turbo Vette.

I'm tired of magazines,
saying flat butts are the thing
take the average black man and ask him that
she gotta pack much back
so fellas,
fellas,
does ure girlfriend got the butt?
tell her to shake it,
shake it!
Shake that healthy butt
Baby got back!

I like 'em round
and BIG
and when I'm throwin' a gig I just can't help myself I'm actin' like an animal
now here's my scandal.
I wanna get d'ya home,
and UGH,
double up UGH, UGH
I ain't talkin' 'bout Playboy, cuz silicone parts are made for toys.

I like 'em real thick and juicy
so find that juicy double,
Mix-A-Lot's in trouble,
beggin' for a piece of the bubble.

So I'm lookin' at rock videos.
Knock-kneed bimbos walkin' like HO's
...


Anyway, the whole rap's kinda ridiculous but it's the first rap I ever learned.

[faulty_damper]

...
U can have them bimbos,
I'll keep my women like Flo-Jo.

A word to the thick-soul sista's I wanna get wit d'ya
I won't cuss or hit d'ya,
but I gotta be straight when I say I wanna "Unghhh"
to the break of dawn!
Baby got it goin' on,
A lot'a Simps won't like this song,
cuz dem folk like to hit it and quit it,
and I'd rather stay and play
cuz I'm Loooong,
and I'm strooong,
and I'm down to get the friction on!

So ladies,
Ladies,
you say you wanna roll in my Mercedes?
then turn around,
stick 'em out,
even white boys gotta shout,
Baby Got Back

So ure girlfriend rolls a Honda,
playin' workout tapes by Fonda,
but Fonda ain't got a motor in the back of her Honda,
My ana-conda don't want none unless you've got buns, hun!
U can do side bends or sit ups,
but please don't lose that butt.

Some brothers wanna play that hard role,
and tell u that the butt ain't gold,
so they toss it,
and leave it,
and I pull up quick to retrieve it.

So Cosmo says ure fat,
well I ain't down with that...

[j_menz]

playin' workout takes by Fonda,

LOL. You were almost cool up to that point. 

[faulty_damper]

Oh, typo will be fixed.  It's supposed to be workout tapes.

[faulty_damper]

...
cuz ure waist is small and ure curves are kickin'
and I'm thinkin' about stickin'...
to the beanpole dames in them magazines,
u ain't it, miss thang.
gimme a sista I can't resist her,
red beans and rice didn't miss her.

Some knuckle-head tried to diss,
cuz his girlz is on my list.
He had game but he chose to hit 'em,
and I pull up quick to get wit' em.
So ladies if the butt is round,
and u wanna triple X throw down,
dial 1-900-Mix-A-Lot,
and kick them nasty thoughts,
Baby Got Back.

[j_menz]

Oh, typo will be fixed.  It's supposed to be workout tapes.

That's actually worse. Your age is showing, I'm afraid.

[lava852]

Hmmm cheers for the input guys (although im not sure how we got to rapping) but the judges are teachers for the heats but for the finals there will be some proper judges. I think my chances of winning $$ are moderately high if i play a love dream for finals as for the heats, i think i'll be okay considering the performance I did today.

[cometear]

Did you win?