Music Ed major needing advice

College Majors Music Major
1

<p>Ok, so here's what's going down with me.</p>

<p>Music Education major. Instrument is piano.</p>

<p>School's applying/auditioning for:
Rutgers University New Brunswick
Temple University
Rowan University
Immaculata University
Westminster Choir College at Rider University</p>

<p>Background info:
Been playing piano for 7 years now. Took lessons for 5 of those years. Stopped lessons due to lack of personal time (explained shortly)
Excellent student - Mostly As, occasionally Bs.
Activities: 1. Choir (accompanist) at both school and in two different parishes.
2. Theater (accompanist) at both school and in the community theater programs.
3. Employed as an organist at two different churches</p>

<p>Have been music director/conductor/accompanist for over 15 theatrical productions (this being the main reason I stopped lessons)</p>

<p>My auditions are not until February...obviously, I'm beginning preparations now.
Since I haven't approached classical music in nearly three years, I feel like I'm in a pickle.</p>

<p>For auditions, the general consensus for all my schools are the following:
-Bach Prelude and Fugue or 2 part invention or 3 part sinfonia
-Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn Piano Sonata First Movement
-19th or 20th Century piece
-Some want scales, arpeggios, etc, others do not. Not all are requiring memorization</p>

<p>Through today, this is what I have been working on:
-Bach Prelude and Fugues No. 1, 2, 5, 6, 11, 13, 15, 17, 21. Inventions No. 1, 3, 4, 8, 10, 13, 15. Sinfonias No. 1, 3, 6, 12, 15
-Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 9 and 11 First Mvt
-Mozart Piano Sonata No. 8 First Mvt
-Chopin Militaire Polonaise Opus 40</p>

<p>Can somebody give me insight into the strengths of these selections as audition pieces?
Thanks!</p>

2

<p>You need to post on the Music Majors forum. Go to the main CC discussion page, go to the majors section and look for Music.</p>

<p>Mods - consider moving please?</p>

3

<p>Double posted VV</p>

4

<p>The direct link is here [Music</a> Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/]Music”>Music Major - College Confidential Forums).</p>

<p>Is this the rep suggested or recommended at each school’s webpage? I’m not astute enough with the piano rep to comment, but I second shennie and have asked the mods to move this post there as well. There are posters there that can guide you on your choices.</p>

<p>Since you haven’t touched classical rep in three years are you currently studying with a private instructor? It is strongly recommended that you work on any audition pieces with an instructor having a solid history of preparing students for audition based admissions.</p>

5

<p>Since we are hoping that you are studying with a good piano teacher now, the first thing to do is to look at all of the audition requirements at the schools to which you are applying and then to sit down with your teacher to discuss things. If you are not working with a teacher, you are going to be even more behind in this because you definitely need a recommendation from such a person. Are the pieces you list ones in which you are already proficient? February is literally just around the corner, audition-wise, so this isn’t the time to be trying something brand-new. There are now some pretty savvy piano parents on here, so I’m sure someone will help critique your list.
By the way, is Immaculata the one outside of West Chester,PA? Went there donkey’s years ago! Speaking of West Chester, have you looked at their Music Ed deparment?
One last thing, it’s always wise to have your music memorized and to be prepared to play any and all scales, arpeggios for the panel.</p>

6

<p>Sounds like you’re a Jersey kid - my D is applying to a lot of the same schools - MusEd with a Voice emphasis. In the absence of a current private teacher, can you get support from school music teachers or (worth looking into) can you reach out to your diocese to get support from other music directors in the state? This is a very small state, and the deeper I go into the music world, the more I find contacts in common. With WCC, can you audition on organ as well as piano? As has been said, there are lots of piano savvy parents on the board, but if you get stuck, PM me - I know a current church organist that’s a WCC alumni, and I’ll run your list by her.</p>

7

<p>Sandstormrave,</p>

<p>I am hoping you have a teacher now to help you in preparing for auditions, but just in case, I thought I would make a few comments. First, if auditions are in February, I think you need to commit to what pieces you are going to play. Not sure if this is possible, but it would be easier to choose repertoire so that you could play the same three pieces at all the auditions. Most likely that would mean choosing a Prelude and Fugue from Well Tempered Clavier from the ones you have been working on. Then commit to one of those classical sonata movements. Both of the Beethoven ones would work, I am not as familliar with the Mozart. The Chopin would be your 19th-20th century piece.</p>

<p>By the way, I just listened to your Beethoven sonata movements on Youtube! There are some performances there of sonata 9 and 11 played by great pianists of 20th century such as Sviatoslav Richter and Alfred Brendel. I recommend you check them out.</p>

<p>I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but it is a little late to ask about the strengths of these pieces for use in college auditions. What is most important at this point is that you choose audition pieces that meet the requirements and that you will be able to play in a confident. musical and polished manner in February. </p>

<p>One more thing, if you don’t have a teacher, consider getting one on a limited time basis to coach you on getting the material ready for the auditions.</p>