<p>Sevitagen, you'll never know unless you audition! Might as well give it a try.</p>
<p>Click, most college music departments concentrate on classical music, so would prefer to hear that. But if you're very accomplished in jazz or pop music, that's what you should show them. They much prefer to hear solo music or music with piano accompaniment than orchestral or chamber music where it's hard to tell who's playing what.</p>
<p>Gxing, I don't think a mediocre tape can hurt you. If someone listening doesn't like what they hear, they'll just move on to the next tape. I can't imagine any music professor taking the time to write a negative letter. If they have nothing positive to say, they won't bother writing anything.</p>
<p>Skie, are you a UNC student or grad student? or even a music student?</p>
<p>Also, if you guys know about classical violin pieces.. I was thinking either the Mendelssohn E minor or a beautiful traditional Chinese concerto (Liang Zhu). Or I can try and send a more difficult piece, such as the Tchaikovsky (which I just self-learned).</p>
<p>It depends on how well you play these pieces. Generally, I would hold back on recording pieces you self-learned without a private teacher's tutelage and just recently studied, especially a piece as advanced as the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. I'd go with the Mendelssohn just because I don't like the Butterfly Lovers :)</p>
<p>Well, I placed 2nd with the Mendelssohn in the Peabody youth competition.. but that was in 10th grade :O! Butterfly Lovers is so much easier, though :P</p>
<p>RichHobo, any of those pieces would be fine. I'm on the music faculty at UNC (and listen to hundreds of tapes every year). My son is going to college in the fall and submitted a piano tape to all his schools, so we did a lot of investigating on this subject.</p>
<p>spikes- In addition to what Skie has already outlined, there are many fine music departments within a number of colleges and universities. Depending upon the size of the school and music department, there may be any number of ensembles that would desire your participation.</p>
<p>Each school has a specific policy regards participation... it can be limited to music majors and minors, by audition, open to all students (in some cases also open to faculty and/or surrounding community).</p>
<p>It's worth spending a few minutes on the music department webpages of any school that interests you. If an audition is required, the excerpts by instrument are listed there.</p>
<p>Private study if desired is also school specific; it may be at an additional charge, limited to music majors, or free. Totally depends on the program.</p>
<p>Depending upon an ensemble's needs, your instrument may or may not be in demand. An underrepresented instrument can be a major plus, and may even result in a few scholarship bucks even if you're not a music major. </p>
<p>If you visit a school, it would also help if you spent some time with the music department for a first hand look and to address any specific questions.</p>
<p>As a last resort, there are often amateur community orchestras that normally welcome any participation.</p>