<p>I'm want to send in a recording of me playing the violin except I haven't had the chance to preform or rehearse with a piano. Is it alright if I just make a recording of me playing in my room or should it be in a concert hall with accompaniment (my pieces have accompaniment)? If I can't submit a CD in a concert hall should I just not send in a recording? I exchanged emails with the music director for Deerfield and he said he would be expecting my CD soon. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks</p>
<p>@yongatilla,
Though acoustics are a factor in recordings, the recording doesn’t necessarily have to be in a “concert hall.” I would definitely try to get an accompanist, and if you live in the Boston area I know a few very good ones. As long as you have an accompanist, and your recording sounds good, you should be fine. Good luck!</p>
<p>Cd…they rarely listen to it. If you skip sending the cd, it won’t affect the decision at all. This is what I’ve heard from officers, regarding with the cd or portfolio sending.</p>
<p>@admissionpa,
That’s not what I heard. One of my interviewers told me that sending in a CD helps your application significantly.</p>
<p>The thing is, I have to record it in my house and I don’t have an accompanist. The two pieces I’m playing is a Bach partita so that doesn’t need piano but the other piece is Zigeunerweisen so I’m not sure how that will sound without piano. BTW is it alright to send a DVD instead of a CD?</p>
<p>@yongatilla,
I sent in my recordings today. Definitely send a DVD. And, if you can’t get an accompanist, only play the pieces which don’t require accompaniment. It will look kind of bad if the piece was meant to have accompaniment and doesn’t have any.</p>
<p>I am a parent of a current Andover student. When she applied, she did not send in a recording. Two weeks after the application deadline, she got an email from the admissions officer asking if she could send a CD asap. She isn’t one of Andover’s unbelievably fantastic musicians who win national competitions (which is why she didn’t think a recording was useful at first), but she plays an instrument very well, and very diligently, that they happened to need.</p>
<p>At that time (3 yrs ago) they preferred a CD to a DVD, but that may have changed. Send them whatever format they want. The people who listen to it (and they will listen to it) are very professional and can judge your playing even if you are missing the accompanist. I’d play whatever you think you can do the best job with. That said, if the Bach sounds best on its own, and will show your skill level, go with that—I think a few minutes of your playing will be enough to show them.</p>