Hey all, I am looking to work on Mozart's d minor concerto K. 466 for a performance in 9 months. I would like to have it learned and memorized in about 6 or so. Any suggestions on how to go about it efficiently? I know everyone has their own methods and such, but I am fairly new to the concerto literature and am curious what works for others.

Small chunks, slowly.

Concertos are fun because they're like puzzles that you share with 100 other musicians. Just make a game out of it: you play here, they play there, you all play together here, almost like putting on a play. Learn the music just like you would any other piece, but make sure you know what the orchestra is doing at all times. Just like the above poster said, work on it small chunks, but make sure that you learn and practice with the bigger picture, as well as the end in mind.

Donald

As far as the solo part is concerned, you would work on it in the same way that you work on other solo works. Solve the technical and interpretive challenges as you would when studying any solo work.

Then, familiarize yourself with the entire work from the score and from recordings and also, if practical, play your solo part with a recording - such as Music Minus One - where the orchestral part only is recorded.

It is important to know what the orchestra is doing not only during the part where the pianist is not playing but also during the sections where the piano is playing with the orchestra. You need to be fully aware when the solo part is predominant and when it is in an accompanying role. Most importantly, know what the orchestral cues are that bring the piano in each time.

Regards,

Have you looked into "Music Minus One"? The set gives you two CD's - the orchestra without piano at tempo and below tempo. It will give you a strong sense of your place within the musical ensemble and will help you listen for your entrances. There is one drawback: the recording does not give you the flexibility of working with live musicians so your timing has to be precise. You also might try working with recordings of professional artists performing the concerto.

I found the constant page turning of the 2 piano score to be annoying. Once I had the orchestra parts in my head, I photocopied the score, cut out all the orchestral parts and re-photocopied it. This greatly reduced the number of page turns.

Edit: Bruce just made an excellent point:

try to rehearse with a 2nd pianist in say 4 months.