Hey all,

It's been a while since I've been on the forums. I'm an aspiring pianist who has taken lessons continuously for 12 years. I would like to enroll at Curtis or Juilliard next year, but there is an an audition requirement where you have to perform a major solo work that is at least 10 minutes in length. Our studio is on summer break right now so I can't ask my teacher for reccomendations. Any sugguestions?

Thanks in advance!

Bach's Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor or Liszt's Spanish Rhapsody.

Are you talking about enrolling in pre-college division?

Some pieces I would recommend are:

Bach - Toccata in C minor BWV 911
Bach - Italian Concerto

Mozart - Fantasia in C minor, K. 475

Haydn - Variations in F minor

Beethoven - Variations in C minor
Beethoven - Sonata Op. 2 No. 1
Beethoven - Sonata Op. 10 No. 2
Beethoven - Sonata, Op. 78
Beethoven - Sonata, Op. 90

Mendelssohn - Variations Serieuses, Op. 54

Chopin - Scherzos Nos. 1, 2, or 4
Chopin - Ballade No. 4
Chopin - Polonaise, Op. 44

Schumann - Papillons, Op. 2

Liszt - Ballade No. 2

Brahms - Variations on a Theme by Schumann

Rachmaninoff - Variations on a Theme of Corelli

Scriabin - Sonata No. 2 or No. 5

Medtner - Sonata Reminiscenza

Ravel - Sonatine
Ravel - Valses Nobles et Sentimentales

Debussy - Pour le piano, Estampes, or Images

Prokofiev - Sonatas Nos. 2, 4, or 5
Prokofiev - Tales of a Grandmother, Op. 31

I could go on and on. You need to really start listening to a lot of music and really get to know the repertoire.

Don't go walking into an audition like 'another pianist' with rep like Bach's Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue or a Chopin Ballade.

Give the judges something to remember!:

Shubert- Piano Sonata in A Major, D 959

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln2es6Lg66U&feature=related

or

Beethoven- Piano Sonata , Op. 110

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqx5NzR4VKo


Get practicing!

Amen That Schubert Sonata is divine.

Here are some other suggestions--

Shostakovich, Prelude and Fugue in D minor

Prokofiev, Sonata No. 6 or No. 7 (No. 2 and No. 3 are overplayed)

Liszt, Valley of Obermann

Chopin, Polonaise-Fantasie (not sure if it's 10 minutes)

Schumann, Symphonic Etudes or Kreisleriana

Something totally off the wall would be the Scriabin Fantasy, Op. 28. It's devilishly difficult, extremely awkward, and bizarre, but a glorious piece nonetheless.

i say skip the chopin polonaise-fantasie

you can try lysenko's 2nd ukranian rhapsody (a bit short on 10 min though) or brahms' theme and variation in d minor

transcriptions allowed?

if so then there's Liszt's Reminiscenses de Don Juan

I'm puzzled by the fact that you've played for 12 years and want to go to a really hard to get into conservatory but apparently haven't played any major works of 10+ minutes.

Is that the case or do you feel you need a major work other than ones you've played for some reason?