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Dear Quickster94,

I really appreciate you answering my question! I found your answer to be very helpful. Thank you for the confidence, and the motivation.

- Brooke

Thank you skorpius!

One has to wonder about the pedagogical credentials and judgment of a piano "teacher" who gives such literature to someone at this stage of his playing. But, he's "past the baby stuff," he says, so what else is there?

One also has to wonder why, since the OP has a teacher, he even came here for advice on "what pieces [we] recommend [he] learn," when he seems to have his own mind made up on that question and that anything appropriate we recommend would be just more "baby stuff".

Regards,

Brooke!

Congratulations on wanting to take up the Piano at 14. I started when I was 7 and stopped at 14. Now at 48, I'm regretting ever haven given it up. But my head just wasn't in the right place (too many family problems) to make it possible. Now I'm catching up 34 years later. Fortunately, I went on to Guitar and Ukulele which helped me to retain understand of the theory and fundamentals, so it's coming back pretty quick.

Ignore the naysayers. You sound like you have a full head of steam and are ready to go full bore. Enjoy this time and play until your fingers bleed!

Piko

...

First off, If you plan on auditioning for a school like Julliard; get a teacher. You may be able to play those pieces but a teacher will help you with all your technical work. Now, for the pieces. Maybe a movement from an easier Mozart sonata, perhaps K545? Definantly have a look at Schumann's 'Scene's from Childhood', and finally, why not look at a Chopin Prelude or Nocturne? Some of them are much more challenging than others but managable. Have fun!

Brooke,
I know it is difficult, but just try to find a balance between enthusiasm and where you actually are. And the best person to help you with this is your teacher.
Get him/her to find something exciting and not beyond your current abilities for you.

Hello BruceD,

By me saying "baby stuff" I clearly meant ba ba black sheep, and Mary had a little lamb. Please read, that she did not assign me these pieces. I worked on them myself. I also started working on Raindrop prelude by Chopin by myself, and after I had gotten 2 pages done out of 3 I showed her. Hoping to be able to play it at my recital. She thought I played it very well, and she helped me with the minor problems, and assigned me the third page. I learned it. The reason I came on here, is for advice and recommendations regarding pieces outside of my teacher's suggestions. I just found this website, because I left Yahoo! answers due to all the rude and hateful people hoping to seek some friendly feedback from people that actually know what they're talking about. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.

- Brooke

Thank you for the advice Andrew!

Thank you ChopinAddict!

Best way to get into Juilliard is just practice. and also supportive parents and mentors. Why ask online for what kind of repertoire to prepare when your teachers are already Julliard alumni?

Why Juilliard? (Just curious - I always wonder if people's interest in the conservatory is due to geography, a particular teacher, the kind of training it provides, or simply by reputation.)

And why not other schools? The original poster lists their location as Tampa, so why not USF, Florida State, or a southern conservatory like Rice or TCU?

I still think that she should start off with Baroque/Classical music, before moving on to Romantic stuff...Am I the only one who thinks that??

It may not be a bad idea, but I don't see any necessity of starting with Baroque or Classical. Given, however, that the range that Baroque and Classical music encompasses and given the slightly more "literal" interpretation of the music on the page - less favourable of eccentricities of interpretation (Glenn Gould's performances notwithstanding!) - starting with Baroque and/or Classical composers is often a reasonable place to start.

Regards,

Well, that's what I mean...I personally believe it's a good place to start because in baroque and classical there's less room for "faking" mistakes. I also think it gives a good technical foundation in it's style. It's like dancing...many dancers start out with ballet rather than jump ahead to modern forms of dance, because in ballet is the "strict style".

Take a look at Michael Aaron's Grade 4 or Grade 5 collection. Here's Grade 5. Some of the pieces in there would be definite challenges above Chopin's Prelude.

Aaron created some interesting pieces in there that I think are worthwhile getting past the cheesy names and trying out. The very first Etude let's you practice chords and jumps with the left hand while bringing out a melody with different fingers of the right, the Mexican Dance practices thirds, the Romantic Mood can be a good prequel to playing some Chopin Nocturnes or even some more of Brahms' more advanced late Intermezzos.

There's also a good selection of Classical works in there like a Gavotte from Bach's 5th French Suite, and his famous F major Two Part Invention. Many people would probably say that the F major invention is not the "best" Invention to start with, but IMO it's as good as any to start with. Once you get a few shorter pieces under your belt, there are the more advanced/longer Mozart Sonata movement, Beethoven's charming Variations, Saint-Saen's The Swan, and Debussy's Reverie. The Chopin Etude in there is only the introduction of his famous E major Etude, and not the entire piece.

Good luck, and let us know what pieces you plan on tackling next.

-Daniel

Dear Kreisler,

I do not want to go to USF or any of the schools down here in FL. The schools seem to be better up north. Juilliard provides excellent training. Yes, I understand that other schools do as well. I have my eyes open. I was planning to go to Eastman for my undergraduate and Juilliard for my graduate. It just seems like a big challenge, and I love challenges. Just, what in have my heart set on..

- Brooke

Hello Daniel! Thank you for your advice. I was thinking of working on Gavotte from Bach's 5th French suite. It is indeed a lovely piece. Feel free to message me sometime, I'll let you know what I'm working on! Thanks again!

- Brooke

I agree with you Skorpius!

I'm very (pleasantly) surprised that the Michael Aaron's piano method books have continued to evolve and are still being published. Aaron was my introduction to piano studies, back in the days ... well, we were still using quill pens and ink-wells!

Regards,