<p>Hat, your son submitted a demo to Peabody plus various MP programs and was accepted at several. That's basically the definition I intended with "conservatory caliber" - something one would seriously send to a conservatory as a pre-audition tape. Congrats to your son.</p>
<p>OP, Your focus on what particular piece to play is off kilter. It's not so much WHAT you play as it is HOW WELL you play. Pick something that shows your playing in its best light. How old a piece is or whether a piece is well known or not is irrelevant. </p>
<p>Just to show that it doesn't matter what you play, here's a link to a Michael Jackson!!! piece on guitar in which would undoubtably be judged "very exceptional".</p>
<p>Of course it is probably the best high school jazz guitarist in the country (Grammy Band AND Monterey Jazz Band as a junior) playing, but still... it's a Michael Jackson song !!! :)</p>
<p>wow..Chopin...i heard his compositions are extraordinarily difficult and that's the reason why people appreciate even though it sounds just awful...u sure u don't want to send something more pleasant like bach. .. just to show u enjoy music, not just be able to play well.</p>
<p>OMG, I have to disagree: have you ever listened to the 3rd chopin etude (the one in E major)? Such a delicate, beautiful, touching, deep piece. AND it is technically hard. However I would not advise such pieces (CHopin ballads included) to the OP because those require a certain degree of emotional maturity, which younger musicians usually lack. Pieces like Beethoven's 3rd mvt Moonlight sonata would safer. Maybe the Pathetique Presto mvt. If you play them well enough, they can demonstrate great technical proficiency.</p>
<p>hey, i think i've finally made a decision after getting interviewed by a mit (haha) alum. I think I will record both pieces (a classic and something i play by ear). The classical piece might be Mozart's K535 Movement 2 and the other is something I heard off an anime show.
Here's a link to the Mozart piece played by Mitsuko Uchida:</p>
<p>I'm having the same exact issue! I do not know what they mean by "unusually advanced" because I have been playing for 10 years and consider myself advanced but I'm not sure if they want to hear me.. anyways I was thinking of sending in a Sonatina by Hayden and Passion (Opus 38 #5) by Mendelsohn...and if that doesn't add up to 10 minutes I will also send in a contemporary Persian song.</p>
<p>By the way for MIT's music supplement, do you think it's okay to send in piano with me singing? I only ask because I would like to send in a MIKA song that I play and sing at the same time...I hear MIT looks for not so typical applicants. DO you think this is a good idea??</p>