<p>I play the piano and won a significant music award. Will it reflect negatively if I don't choose to submit an arts supplement? The piece I would be playing, I don't know how to explain it, but it is "controversial." Some people hate it, others love it. My piano teacher saysthat anyone who plays my piece either wins first in a competition or gets
nothing at all. </p>
<p>Given this aspect, I think it would be slightly risky to have
this go to the music faculty of a university. (I'm thinking HYPSM).
So can you please advise me, whether it's better to just leave it at that and mention the
award but not send in the music CD, or to send in the CD and risk it?
Will admission officers be wondering why I didn't send in a CD if I won such
a big award? </p>
<p>(But I would also be submitting a research supplement to the schools which allow
paper submissions and maybe a letter recommendation from research mentor...if this changes anything)</p>
<p>Here's an excerpt from what Yale says about this: "Yale College does not conduct musical auditions for applicants. Music faculty members will review selected audio CDs, tapes or scores from advanced musicians, whether or not they wish to major in music as undergraduates. Please consider sending musical materials only if your accomplishments are truly outstanding for a high school musician and if your playing or composing is a strong and important part of your application. Elementary or merely competent submissions will not help your application and are discouraged....Varied solo or ensemble performances (with a prominent role for the applicant) that demonstrate the full range of your capabilities are preferable; do not present selections from method books."</p>
<p>It seems to me that if your playing is at a very high level, it won't hurt you to submit a supplement. I think your CD should probably have more than one piece on it, though.</p>
<p>Good advice from Hunt, and I second that the CD if sent should show at least a work of contrasting period or style and fall within the parameters of the points I've cited in the thread linked below. </p>