Concerto Competition Repertoire

[pizza123]

Hi,

I have started preparing for my university's concerto competition next year. I have chosen the 1st movement of Chopin Concerto in E minor. I was just wondering if this repertoire choice would hurt me, as it is not in the upper tier of concerto difficulty.

[lelle]

It's still a demanding piece that requires a fine technique to play well. With this level of difficulty, how well you play will be the deciding factor, not that you didn't pick something even more mechanically difficult.

[dizzyfingers]

Hi,

I have started preparing for my university's concerto competition next year. I have chosen the 1st movement of Chopin Concerto in E minor. I was just wondering if this repertoire choice would hurt me, as it is not in the upper tier of concerto difficulty.

1) what concerti are you thinking of as "upper tier difficulty"?  Prokofiev 2 or 3 and Ravel?
2) how competitive is this university competition, is this undergrad?  how many contestants and what are they playing?  Is it really THAT competitive?
3) didn't you consult with your piano teacher about the choice?  what did they say?

The Chopin e minor is not easy to play well, and it's very obvious when it's not played well, so I think you'll impress the judges plenty if you can pull of that smooth lyricism

[pizza123]

1. Ya I was thinking of Prokofiev 2, Ravel LH, Brahms, Rach 3, and Bartok as some really difficult pieces.
2. It is undergrad. I would say my university has a good but not great music program. But there are some excellent musicians in the department. I think total of 20-25 people of all instruments + voice compete per year.
3. I asked my teacher if I could learn it but didn't feel comfortable asking if they thought it was a piece they thought could win.

[pizza123]

1) what concerti are you thinking of as "upper tier difficulty"?  Prokofiev 2 or 3 and Ravel?
2) how competitive is this university competition, is this undergrad?  how many contestants and what are they playing?  Is it really THAT competitive?
3) didn't you consult with your piano teacher about the choice?  what did they say?

The Chopin e minor is not easy to play well, and it's very obvious when it's not played well, so I think you'll impress the judges plenty if you can pull of that smooth lyricism

1. Ya I was thinking of Prokofiev 2, Ravel LH, Brahms, Rach 3, and Bartok as some really difficult pieces.
2. It is undergrad. I would say my university has a good but not great music program. But there are some excellent musicians in the department. I think total of 20-25 people of all instruments + voice compete per year.
3. I asked my teacher if I could learn it but didn't feel comfortable asking if they thought it was a piece they thought could win.

[pizza123]

It's still a demanding piece that requires a fine technique to play well. With this level of difficulty, how well you play will be the deciding factor, not that you didn't pick something even more mechanically difficult.

Thank you! I just wanted to confirm that I would have a chance to win if I played at a high level, and that the piece most likely wouldn't be a deciding factor.

[lelle]

Thank you! I just wanted to confirm that I would have a chance to win if I played at a high level, and that the piece most likely wouldn't be a deciding factor.

Of course it depends on the competition and jury. But people can and have won by playing a Chopin mazurka exquisitely well over someone who plays a hard piece with a bunch of loud and fast notes with minimal expression and taste.

[dizzyfingers]

Since you're being strategic about it, and I'm not saying I'm in full agreement with your strategic focus on winning, can you look at the past competitions at this university - what people played, and which concerti won?  It must be in the archives of the university paper, and the music dept admins must have that info ...

[pizza123]

Since you're being strategic about it, and I'm not saying I'm in full agreement with your strategic focus on winning, can you look at the past competitions at this university - what people played, and which concerti won?  It must be in the archives of the university paper, and the music dept admins must have that info ...

Only listing pianos that won, there was a Prokoviev 2 1st movement, Prokoviev 3 1st movement, Robert Schumann's 1st movement, Scriabin 3rd movement, Beethoven Piano Concerto 4 1st movement. Please let me know if you would like the videos to assess level of playing, I can pm it to you.

[thorn]

I don't think these competitions work like that. If there's any sleights of hand going on it will be stuff like whose teacher is on the adjudication panel, did a pianist win last year (in which case this year other instruments have more chance), which orchestral part is the most practical for the conductor/orchestras, and so on. In other words, stuff you can't control. So I'd just focus on picking something you feel able to play and learning it to the best of your ability. The effort you spend on overanalysing and strategising is energy you could be spending practicing.

[dizzyfingers]

Only listing pianos that won, there was a Prokoviev 2 1st movement, Prokoviev 3 1st movement, Robert Schumann's 1st movement, Scriabin 3rd movement, Beethoven Piano Concerto 4 1st movement. Please let me know if you would like the videos to assess level of playing, I can pm it to you.

I recommend you play Prokofiev's 1st p.c., and play it with lots of variety in articulation and dynamics, so it shows your depth of insight in a score that could be banged through - - that's sure to impress them.