Beethoven - Pathetique 2nd,Für Elise, Chopin Nocturne Op 9 No 2 - First audition

[stylerpiano]

Hello all!

I will have my first audition in the conservatorie and I will play this three pieces.
I have been playing piano for 2 years now, but for one in the conservatorie and I will pass exam for 3 years in a row in this year. I will be fourth-year next year.

The three pieces:

 00:00 - Beethoven - Pathetique 2nd movement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_WMvX03-04&feature=youtu.be#
04:52 - Beethoven - Für Elise :https://youtu.be/6_WMvX03-04?t=292
08:00 - Chopin - Nocturne Op 9 No 2 : https://youtu.be/6_WMvX03-04?t=480

[siveron]

Well done, and good luck with the audition!

[dcstudio]

very well played     and very impressive for only 2 years at the piano.   Is piano your secondary instrument?  You are a singer, too?  I am just guessing...  or guitar maybe? what will be your major at conservatory?

[jimroof]

For two years at the instrument you are doing very well.

But, at two years, you need to embrace constructive criticism and I have one little tidbit for you.

In the Beethoven, you are doing a pretty good job bringing out the melody, but there are many opportunities in this movement to create more shape to the phrasing.  The long notes of the melody are going to die out and decay, BUT you can connect the end of the decayed note to the next long tone by introducing a carefully controlled crescendo in the notes that pass more quickly.

This will do two things.  First, the beauty of the phrase is not interrupted by a sharp attack of the next note.  And, you get the added benefit of being able to build up to the next long note, meaning it will not stand out like a sore thumb while being able to be more resonant and more memorable.

Case in point.  The dotted quarter Eb in measure two... listen to where that note is by the time you reach the 8th note Db, then make that Db just a little louder than where the Eb was at its termination.  You then have the next 4 8th notes to shape with a crescendo that leads to the dotted quarter Eb in measure 4, which will then die away, to be carefully phrased in context with the notes to follow.

This takes control and careful listening, but I think you are fully capable of doing it.  For me, it is all about the arm weight that goes into that phrase being distributed as needed by the outer part of the right hand.

Good job.  Keep at it.

[stylerpiano]

very well played     and very impressive for only 2 years at the piano.   Is piano your secondary instrument?  You are a singer, too?  I am just guessing...  or guitar maybe? what will be your major at conservatory?

Thank you!
Btw this is my first instrument. I was a dancer when I was 6 years old to 15 years old Piano will be the major in the conservatorie.

[stylerpiano]

For two years at the instrument you are doing very well.

But, at two years, you need to embrace constructive criticism and I have one little tidbit for you.

In the Beethoven, you are doing a pretty good job bringing out the melody, but there are many opportunities in this movement to create more shape to the phrasing.  The long notes of the melody are going to die out and decay, BUT you can connect the end of the decayed note to the next long tone by introducing a carefully controlled crescendo in the notes that pass more quickly.

This will do two things.  First, the beauty of the phrase is not interrupted by a sharp attack of the next note.  And, you get the added benefit of being able to build up to the next long note, meaning it will not stand out like a sore thumb while being able to be more resonant and more memorable.

Case in point.  The dotted quarter Eb in measure two... listen to where that note is by the time you reach the 8th note Db, then make that Db just a little louder than where the Eb was at its termination.  You then have the next 4 8th notes to shape with a crescendo that leads to the dotted quarter Eb in measure 4, which will then die away, to be carefully phrased in context with the notes to follow.

This takes control and careful listening, but I think you are fully capable of doing it.  For me, it is all about the arm weight that goes into that phrase being distributed as needed by the outer part of the right hand.

Good job.  Keep at it.

Thank you! I will try it, thanks for the advice.

[dcstudio]

Thank you!
Btw this is my first instrument. I was a dancer when I was 6 years old to 15 years old Piano will be the major in the conservatorie.

oh.. I apologize.  It's just that the pieces you are playing are not at the level required for most conservatories so I thought it was your secondary...  are these pieces from the list of approved performance major audition repertoire from the school you plan to attend?  what school if you don't mind me asking?

this is your audition vid for a performance degree from a conservatory and you have only been playing for 2 years... wow.   

I am very interested in why you have chosen piano performance..  did you sustain an injury dancing?  What happened when you were 15 to make you start playing the piano?   Also, why the piano and not a different instrument?  What do you envision yourself doing with your performance degree?

pardon my intrusiveness... I am a piano teacher and this really fascinates me... what can I say.

[stylerpiano]

oh.. I apologize.  It's just that the pieces you are playing are not at the level required for most conservatories so I thought it was your secondary...  are these pieces from the list of approved performance major audition repertoire from the school you plan to attend?  what school if you don't mind me asking?

this is your audition vid for a performance degree from a conservatory and you have only been playing for 2 years... wow.  

I am very interested in why you have chosen piano performance..  did you sustain an injury dancing?  What happened when you were 15 to make you start playing the piano?   Also, why the piano and not a different instrument?  What do you envision yourself doing with your performance degree?

pardon my intrusiveness... I am a piano teacher and this really fascinates me... what can I say.

It's a primary music school in my town. I'm adult, so my teacher let me choose the pieces what I would like to play on the audition. I will pass an exam in the end of this year and I will play this pieces there too.

My teacher says that I'm at a higher level than my current class's level in the school so I will pass  3 years in one exam.

I stopped the dancing because I started to learn informatics in a secondary school when I was 14. After it I went to a university and I have a programmer degree.I'm working as software engineer, programmer.

I started to learn piano 2 years ago I saw a flash game about piano and I fell in love with piano quickly.

I'm 28 years old now, I know, that I'm old to go a high school after I finish this music school, so probably I will be a hobby pianist

[chopinlover01]

Not bad. But I echo the statements on the Pathetique.
May I suggest taking a crack at any of the following? With all due respect, you may want to learn something quicker. It's good to be able to play slowly with the skill you are, but playing fast IS a skill that we pianists need to have.
Beethoven:
Op 13 third movement, then the first
Op. 31/1
Op. 78/79 (I can't remember which; it's the short F# major sonata)
Schubert:
Any of the Op. 90 Impromptus
Chopin:
Op 10/3- this is a tricky one, it's deceptively easy, and the middle section gets a bit crazy

[dcstudio]

It's a primary music school in my town. I'm adult, so my teacher let me choose the pieces what I would like to play on the audition. I will pass an exam in the end of this year and I will play this pieces there too.

My teacher says that I'm at a higher level than my current class's level in the school so I will pass  3 years in one exam.

I stopped the dancing because I started to learn informatics in a secondary school when I was 14. After it I went to a university and I have a programmer degree.I'm working as software engineer, programmer.

I started to learn piano 2 years ago I saw a flash game about piano and I fell in love with piano quickly.

I'm 28 years old now, I know, that I'm old to go a high school after I finish this music school, so probably I will be a hobby pianist

that's great    thanks for answering..    you do play very well for only 2 years                                                                                                                                                                                                         

[stylerpiano]

Not bad. But I echo the statements on the Pathetique.
May I suggest taking a crack at any of the following? With all due respect, you may want to learn something quicker. It's good to be able to play slowly with the skill you are, but playing fast IS a skill that we pianists need to have.
Beethoven:
Op 13 third movement, then the first
Op. 31/1
Op. 78/79 (I can't remember which; it's the short F# major sonata)
Schubert:
Any of the Op. 90 Impromptus
Chopin:
Op 10/3- this is a tricky one, it's deceptively easy, and the middle section gets a bit crazy

Thank you for your suggestions. I love the Op 13 third movement, I will learn it one day Do you think, am I ready for that? "

"

I learning the Moon light sonata 3rd movement "presto" for 1 year (because I learn it very rarely, separately with my other pieces ) - I'm at the 3/4 of the whole piece. It's really fast too


Is the Pathetique 3rd movement easier than Moonlight 3rd movement?

[chopinlover01]

By a mile and a half.
And the Pathetique 3rd would be a good challenge. It won't be easy, but it'd be a good introduction to faster Beethoven stuff.