<p>How good should you be to send in a musical supplement? Does it have to be a professional recording or something you record at home? Will it hurt you if it's not top-notch playing? I'm planning to send something in but I'm not sure I'm good enough. Here's some of my playing (recorded it today on my upright piano): <a href="http://www.savefile.com/files/163423%5B/url%5D">http://www.savefile.com/files/163423</a>
I could do better, but will that level of playing do?</p>
<p>YES</p>
<p>i've been playing for years and have never heard of this piece...good job tho</p>
<p>Cool. btw, I'm NOT planning to major in music. I just want a supplement to be boost. I want to show how much time and dedication I put into piano.</p>
<p>Record it on a real piano -- it'll sound much better!</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>ILoveBrown, it is a real piano, but it's an upright. I don't have access to a grand piano I could record on. :( How much would renting a studio cost?</p>
<p>bump bump bump</p>
<p>:(</p>
<p>101010101011010101 characters</p>
<p>You're great. Definitely send.</p>
<p>Virtuoso,</p>
<p>Long time no talk thats an interesting comment you made at the end of your post, I could do better, but will that level of playing do?</p>
<p>We went over this a few months back, but its good to hear how you play to get some added context. After hearing how you performed the piece, Beethoven Sonata No. 17 in d minor, 1st movement (Largo-Allegro), I think it is very solid, but Im not certain that sending in a supplemental CD of this level of playing will make anybody in a Music Department sit up and take notice. Keep in mind that I applaud your dedication and hard work and I know what it takes for you to maintain that commitment.
Music professors get hundreds of CDs sent to them every year, and I also know that many of them are never heard. If you are an intended music major (piano performance), then its likely your CD will be heard; if you are not intending to major in music, the CD may be a wasted effort. If your CD is heard, it should be of such outstanding musicianship that it will make a difference, and if not, it will not do anything for you
although, it may not hurt your chances for admission. If you are not an intended music major, and depending on the college, the admissions office may not have the time, inclination or expertise to evaluate your CD.</p>
<p>Here are my thoughts after hearing your piece several times </p>
<p>Without a doubt, this Beethoven work is strongly representative of Beethovens passion, and it is important to bring this out when performing the piece. From the onset, you need to better establish the dynamic contrasts that personify Beethovens music. Portions that should be fortissimo to give body to the power of the storm come across in your rendering as only loud when the impact should be thunderous. By heightening these sections, the alternating periods of quiet and peacefulness will be enhanced as well to create Beethovens intended ambiguity with this piece. </p>
<p>One immediately detectable flaw to your performance is that your selected tempo for the allegro portions is too slow. It should be much faster to provide effective contrast to the largo sections, which are subtle and deliberate. A quicker tempo, combined with a more passionate fortissimo presence to your left hand, will help to create the kind of visceral appeal this piece should have. The audience should feel a quickening of the heart beat and be taken to an immediate place of awe. It is at once a powerful turbulence of the tempest, with occasional moments of sublime to temper the intensity. Some portions, especially early on, of your ascending bass passages can be improved by applying more crescendo, followed by diminuendo. The treble gestures should be very expressive, not just mechanical. I wouldnt be afraid to bring it out even more than you do, a heightened staccato effect to create a more dramatic dialogue with your left hand.</p>
<p>All in all, this is a challenging piece that has all the goods to be delivered in stunning fashion. Your performance shows promise for improvement. I would break the piece into sections and focus daily on different sections, before bringing it all together again. I would also practice at different speeds on those allegro passages that are challenging you. In fact, also practice at 3 speeds in staccato to increase your clarity. Reach hard to bring the passion out of the piece.</p>
<p>Thanks for the music! BTW, are you doing panel for MTAC this year? Good luck!</p>
<p>P.S., Virtuoso, if you can get hold of Alfred Brendel's CD of Beethoven's Sonatas, I think you'll get a good idea of the passion, clarity and technique matters I was getting at.</p>
<p>Norcaldad, thanks a lot for your criticisms! Speed and dynamic contrast is indeed lacking and I will definitely work on those aspects of the piece. The tremelos in the beginning are hard for me to keep even and quiet. Has your daughter played this piece? It seems like you are very knowledgable about piano. Yes, I am doing panel this year. I don't have any real hope of making it but it doesn't hurt to try.</p>
<p>My teacher told me that a studio in my town could be rented for something like $80-100 an hour. That's expensive considering the fact that maybe your high school may have the tools to record and that a good microphone may cost about that much. You have many options, but I doubt that colleges are going to expect more quality (other than that of your actual playing, though you played pretty well) than what you recording had already.</p>
<p>Although I'm only an amateur, your music sure rocks the house! :) I even downloaded onto my mp3 player.</p>
<p>norcaldad..... would it help his cause if he said he intended to major in music (even if he is not actually interested) ?</p>
<p>norcaldad..... would it help his cause if he said he intended to major in music (even if he is not actually interested) ?</p>
<p>
[quote]
would it help his cause if he said he intended to major in music (even if he is not actually interested) ?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Badman,</p>
<p>This is likely a moot question because Virtuoso has indicated that he is not planning to be a music major. Hypothetically, if he were intending to be a music major, then there would be more of an expectation by a colleges Music Department to submit a supplemental CD, for a number of reasons. Many Music Departments want one for purposes of determining acceptance (audition) as a music major in lieu of an in-person audition (which is normally preferred). It also can serve as an audition for a music scholarship offering. A lot depends on the particular school. Obviously, a student not intending to be a music major may not want to go through this process unless their playing ability is superlative. </p>
<p>To get a gauge, many piano performance students have been in multiple piano competitions every year since an early age. Some have practiced 3-4 hours a day, every day, for years (this is not an exaggeration). Many will not have room on their shelves for additional trophies, plaques and ribbons won. Most have taken master classes every year with well-known concert pianists or conservatory-level professors. I would never advise a student to NOT submit a supplemental CD, but its fair to know what the competition is going in much like its fair to know that if you apply to an Ivy League college with an SAT score of 1700, your likelihood of acceptance may be extremely low.</p>
<p>Heres a typical guideline for supplemental music CDs, in this case excerpted from Yales website:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Supplementary Material--Music </p>
<p>Yale College does not conduct musical auditions for applicants. A roster of selected music faculty members will review audio tapes, CDs 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. </p>
<p>All materials must be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by the appropriate application deadline (November 1 for Single-Choice Early Action candidates, December 31 for Regular Decision candidates, March 1 for transfer candidates). Materials submitted after the deadline will not be considered, nor will materials be returned. Please do not send originals. Here are some additional notes and guidelines: </p>
<ul>
<li>Submission of Tapes, CDs or scores of popular music or jazz at a high level are welcome, as are those of classical music. </li>
<li>Although your tape need not be of professional quality it should be clear enough to enable the evaluator to arrive at a judgment without distracting interference. - - - Scores must be neat and legible.</li>
<li>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.</li>
<li>All tapes must be analog (i.e., standard) cassettes or CDs and must include the following information typed and visible on the outside of the tape/CD case.
[/quote]
</li>
</ul>
<p>For piano, most colleges will want to see 2 to 3 contrasting works performed, often including the following general parameters:</p>
<ol>
<li>Prelude/Fugue or Partita by J.S. Bach or other equivalent Baroque composer</li>
<li>A movement (preferred 1st or 3rd) from a sonata by one of the prominent Classical Era composers, i.e.., Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn</li>
<li>A Romantic Era piece, such as a Chopin etude or piece by well-known composers of the era, such as Liszt, Schumann, Shubert, DeBussey or Mendelssohn.</li>
</ol>
<p>That sounded pretty good.</p>
<p>I have a question. Is there no point to sending a musical peice thats not like piano or some other classical piece? I play bass guitar, and am in a band and would like to send a demo. </p>
<p>And in the far end of the spectrum: How about computerized techno compositions? rofl.</p>