<p>I'm submitting an arts supplement to Princeton for piano. Do you know if you can have a live audition on campus, or do you have to send in a recording?</p>
<p>Stanford allows live auditions along with recordings…but Princeton does not. Moreover, unless you are extremely talented in piano performance where you can at least “compete” for a slot at a lesser conservatory not necessarily of Juilliard or Curtis caliber should you submit a supplement…because you will be COMPARED with some of the best musicians in the country/world. FWIW most of the students who send music supplements to schools like Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton have won numerous national or international level competitions…so, be forewarned…</p>
<p>…if you are not of that caliber, it may be best not to send in a supplement…to keep it a mystery…if you know what I mean.</p>
<p>I’m submitting an arts supplement for dance and probably creative writing. Princeton does not offer live auditions.</p>
<p>Gravitas is basically saying that Princeton is expecting serious arts submissions. They don’t want oboe recordings from someone who started playing six months ago, nor do they want to read a story about a talking banana that you wrote in five minutes. You are going to be competing against people who have won awards at the national/international level so your submission better be GOOD. I’ve gathered that you are a talented piano player, so that shouldn’t be a problem.</p>
<p>Thank you for the information. Yes, I know what you mean about the caliber of the competition. I’m pretty sure I can put together a compelling arts supplement. I think that the arts supplement is the best way for me to demonstrate my ability level. </p>
<p>I have one more question if anyone can answer it. The directions for the arts supplement for piano say</p>
<p>Include a submission of works that best demonstrate your level of technical and musical accomplishment,preferably including one of each of the
following:
•The 48 preludes and fugues of J.S. Bach
• The first movement of a sonata by Mozart, Beethoven,
or Haydn
• Any 19th- or 20th-century solo work, not concerti</p>
<p>Do you think it would annoy whoever is looking at my arts supplement if I submit more than one piece from each of the three categories?</p>
<p>When it comes to music supplements it is wise and strongly “advised” to stick with their recommendations and not deviate. The people listening to your supplement have precious little time to evaluate…so it would behoove you to send the best and the most impactful from each category desired…I know for a fact that certain elite conservatories/competitions can make a “call” up or down on an applicant by listening to the very first few measures…</p>
<p>…part of doing college applications well is to “follow” directions…</p>
<p>…you will also notice that other schools have slightly different requirements in what they want on their recording…so read the instructions very carefully.</p>
<p>My dance teacher always says that the best way not to land an audition is to not follow the directions! So I’m agreeing with gravitas here.</p>
<p>I’m really excited about this arts supplement actually. 
I think it’s really going to strengthen my application.</p>
<p>@KeDIX1414, If I am not mistaken, Princeton wants the music supplement to be between 10-15 minutes, which is barely enough for a P&F and a Classical Sonata first movement, let alone a significant Romantic piece that runs at least 7 minutes.</p>
<p>I truly think it’s quality over quantity, and that P&F probably is the most an evaluator will listen. So if you have recordings of multiple P&Fs, I would suggest that you pick the one that is most musical and most Bach…</p>
<p>So there is no confusion:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/admission/pdfs/PU-0809-arts-supplement.pdf[/url]”>http://www.princeton.edu/admission/pdfs/PU-0809-arts-supplement.pdf</a></p>
<p>It should be the same this coming year.</p>
<p>Seems as though that link acknowledges that a piano supplement is going to run longer than 10 - 15 minutes.</p>
<p>Not necessarily…classical piano supplement just does not have the strict 10-15 minute restriction as noted for the other instruments (it all depends on what combination of pieces you plan to submit that will determine the length)…please follow the guidelines.</p>
<p>I think between the three pieces, my whole supplement is going to be about 20 minutes. Hopefully that is not too long. Also, do the departments actually see/listen to the majority of these supplements? Does admissions choose which ones to send? It’s disheartening to put so much work into something that people may or may not even listen to.</p>
<p>Since you are submitting a classical piano supplement it will go to the piano department for evaluation. Admissions staff do not pick and choose which pieces to send…they send the entire CD for evaluation. This is why it is very important to have outstanding recordings for EACH piece because if you have any weaknesses reflected in any of your pieces…it may diminish your “talent” level to question why you even submitted a “supplement”…</p>
<p>…at all costs, you do not want them questioning your talent…it is better to be honest than exaggerate…honesty: it is one of the cornerstones of college admissions (no way around it).</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>I had contact with the admissions department several years ago to understand the arts supplement process. The admissions department sends all musical art supplements to the music faculty for evaluation. They do not listen to your recording to choose the recordings that merit further evaluation. </p>
<p>Gravitas and other have provided advice that you should consider. My only advice is to submit your recording early rather than late. Princeton is a small university and has a limited number of faculty that are qualified to properly evaluation musical talent.</p>
<p>I do not know the number of applicants that submit a musical arts supplement. Student musicians participate in the Princeton University Orchestra, Princeton University Sinfonia, Princeton University Wind Ensemble, Princeton University Chamber Ensemble, Princeton Classical Music Players, Undergraduate Composers Collective, Princeton Pianists Ensemble, Princeton Flute Ensemble, Solo Princetonians, Concert Jazz Ensemble, Cornel West Theory, Music in Mind, Princeton University Rock Ensemble, Princeton Brass Ensemble, Princeton University Marching Band, Chinese Music Ensemble, Princeton Tora Taiko, Vtone, Maracatu Princeton, and the Gospel Ensemble. The number of active student musical groups suggests that many applicants have musical talent.</p>
<p>I will make a few wild estimates to make my point. If Princeton receives 27,000 applications next year and 5% submit a musical recording there will be 1,350 recordings to be evaluated. There are only 20 people listed as faculty members of the Music Department. If you assume that five faculty members will not evaluate recordings because they are on sabbatical leave, are primarily a musical theorist, are a visiting professor at another university this fall, etc. that leaves only 15 faculty to evaluate 1,350 recordings. In this example each person must evaluate 90 recordings. </p>
<p>Consider the burden on the evaluators when over 1,000 recording arrive at nearly the same time. The optional arts supplement states . We encourage applicants to submit their portion of the application by December 15. I would think that a wise applicant would submit by December 1 or submit SCEA. Also the form states The music department welcomes visits and live hearings; call 609-258-6078 to arrange appointments. I would suggest in early September you call that number. They will not bite! They may provide more insight and help. Unless you are a total jerk it cannot hurt to demonstrate your interest in attending Princeton.</p>
<p>Good Luck.</p>
<p>Since the recommended time limit for a CD submission is from 10 to 15 minutes, you might want to send excerpts of your four (musical periods) recordings rather than the entire piece for each piece. Send the section of your piece that best reflects your skill level. Good luck!</p>
<p>^^are you trying to confuse the OP? Where are you getting the four musical periods from? Are you thinking of another school? Have you even read what I posted above from Princeton’s supplement site? Please know your facts before posting information that may potentially harm the applicant…</p>
<p>I stand corrected, gravitas2. Thank you. Princeton does request three musical periods (Bach Prelude & Fugue, Beethoven or Haydn Sonata, and a 20th c. solo work). The Art Supplement states that the Music Department does welcome visits and live hearings.</p>
<p>No problem slushy. Even though they say they welcome “live hearings” I have yet to know of any top musicians in past years request this at Princeton…it is not a formal thing like at Stanford where they have strict dates for live auditions during the early action and regular decision periods…</p>
<p>…most, if not all, send in CDs to Princeton as they do for Harvard and Yale. But, don’t forget, each school has slightly different requirements…similar to their essay requirements. You would think all these schools would make it easy and have a “standard” art supplement…but, no, that would be too easy…</p>
<p>I called the music department today and I received the contact information of the faculty head in my department. they said i can schedule a live audition with him if i want to, only i’m not sure if i want to. If it’s really not necessary I would rather not endure the added stress. I’m content with my recording. But if it’s something that will make me more competitive, I suppose I will have to.</p>