Overplayed Beethoven sonatas?

[arianareid]

I've been practicing Beethoven's "Tempest" Sonata (No. 17, Op. 31) for a few months now, but today a teacher specializing in college auditions told me schools prefer to not hear this sonata at all. She said Juilliard, in fact, banned the piece (along with quite a few others) from even being played at an audition. Is there any truth to this? Should I not waste time now learning it and focus on a different sonata for a competitive college audition? Additionally, is the Beethoven Sonata No. 32, Op. 111 considered "overplayed"? This was another piece I was interested in, if Tempest didn't work out. Thank you!

[j_menz]

Juiliard excludes Opp 14, 49 and 79. Their requirements are quite clearly spelled out on their website. I suggest you check that, rather than rely on rumour.

Beethoven only wrote 32 of them (excluding a couple of early unpublished ones). They are all masterpieces and widely played. Some more than others.  In that sense, they are all overplayed.

If the lazy bum had followed after Scarlatti, or even Clementi, we wouldn't need to have this nonsense.