<p>Hi! I'm a rising junior in high school and I play piano. I'm interested in applying to some top music schools that offer dual degree programs, such as Oberlin, Bard, Johns Hopkins/Peabody, and Lawrence. I understand that acceptance into the conservatory at each of these places is most dependent on your audition, and I feel that I will be prepared for that.</p>
<p>My problem is that, although I have a pretty hefty solo repertoire, I don't know any piano concerti. Will this gap in my repertoire hurt my chances at these schools? Or is that just a minor issue?</p>
<p>Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>I don’t know piano that well, but I looked at the websites of some of the schools you mention and none of them require a concerto. The requirements vary, but it seems like they want a baroque piece, a romantic piece and a 20th century piece as minimums, with etudes and sonatas in the mix. A concerto would count towards the period requirement I would assume, but it doesn’t look like it is required. I suspect it is more about what the piece shows with playing ability, a virtuostic etude might very well trump a relatively easy piano concerto; a concerto like Rach 3 (which I suspect few UG auditioners would have) would trump relatively easy</p>
<p>I think the first step is to do what my has has done/is doing, that is look at the prospective schools and match the requirements for both the pre screen and the live audition against your rep, and figure out if you are missing anything (for example, if you need a piece by bach required but you don’t have), and more importantly, try to work out an audition rep that minimizes the number of pieces required.</p>
<p>Musicprnt is correct in that most conservatories look for an audition that includes Bach, Chopin or Liszt, a Mozart or Beethoven sonata, and a 20th c piece (something like Debussy or Ginastera). Curtis, which tends to ask the most from applicants in terms of bulk of music memorized, stipulates the following:</p>
<p>1.a complete work of J. S. Bach
2.any Mozart sonata (except K. 545) or any Beethoven sonata (except Op. 49) complete
3.one slow and one fast selection from the works of Chopin for solo piano (no works of Chopin for piano and orchestra will be acceptable)
4.a major solo work (at least ten minutes long) of the applicant’s choosing</p>
<p>I’m sure you will notice that piano and orchestra rep is ruled out. The virtuosity is sought in the Chopin.</p>
<p>Good luck in prepping your audition! I’m sure your private teacher will help you with the selection.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help, guys. I understand that concerti are not required for the audition, but I was more wondering if members of the faculty would look at my repetoire list, notice I know no concerti, and not take me seriously as a result. Is this a reasonable concern, or am I just worrying too much?</p>
<p>Moustache, you have nothing to worry about. We play an instrument where it really isn’t standard for high school students to even have the ability to play concerti, so you’ll be fine. I’ve never played one and it wasn’t an issue for me.</p>
<p>Ah, that makes sense. Most piano students use the concerti mainly for competition, and many will have won a concerto competition here or there and performed with an orchestra. But this isn’t always the case, and I think what will matter more is the rep you do have, how well you play it, and whether that preparation matches what the piano faculty expect of their incoming students. As encouragement, I know a very fine young pianist whose family didn’t want him competing, so he also did not have a piano concerto in his repertoire, but was accepted to several top conservatories (he just graduated this spring from NEC).</p>
<p>Oh, wow, thank you. You both really put my worries to rest there. If it’s OK, I’d like to ask another question: is it relatively common for students at conservatories for their undergraduate degrees to have graduated from a “regular” academic-oriented high school, or do they usually come from music-focused high schools?</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>Most students come from regular high schools. There are also home-schooled students (with increasing frequency.) There are also students from arts high schools, both private (e.g., Interlochen and Walnut Hill) and public magnet arts schools.</p>
<p>Oberlin’s Cooper International Piano Competition recently concluded. The finalists were required to play a concerto, but the pieces required to enter the competition did not include a concerto. BTW my son who is entering Oberlin this year in composition went to a public performing arts high school but he knows that many of the first year Obies in the conservatory went to regular public school as well the private performing arts schools mentioned above.</p>
<p>Quite a few students, whether homeschooled or in public or private schools, do participate in some kind of music program when it is available. Usually these are Saturday programs offering courses in ear training, theory, ensembles, etc.</p>