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Comment |
RebeccaCello
Registered User
Posts: 81
(7/8/01 9:20:36 am)
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Repertoire??????
Hi, I was wondering what kind of repertoire students are expected
to have covered proir to attending music college. Of course I'm not
ready for that yet (and am too ill anyway), but I was curious.
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Laura
Wichers
Moderator
Posts: 1054
(7/8/01 12:47:10 pm)
Reply
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Re:
Repertoire??????
Depends on the school and your level. In my experience, they would
rather you only had a few extremely well-learned pieces in your
repertoire than a bunch of halfway-decent pieces.
Bottom
line: Practice. (There's a shocker.)
Laura
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zambocello
Registered User
Posts: 659
(7/8/01 3:39:55 pm)
Reply
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Re:
Repertoire??????
What college and conservatory professors are looking for is not
repertoire or even current ability, but promise and potential.
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RebeccaCello
Registered User
Posts: 82
(7/8/01 4:16:54 pm)
Reply
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Promise?????????
How do they grasp a person's potential? What is it that they look
for?.....musicality, great sightreading, perfect pitch etc.?
Is
age an important factor (as it usually indicates how long a person
has been playing)?
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Laura
Wichers
Moderator
Posts: 1055
(7/8/01 7:19:38 pm)
Reply
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Re:
Promise?????????
Age usually doesn't matter.
They can "tell" whether you
probably have potential. It's like the difference between listening
to Gary Hoffman play something and your average high school cellist.
The technique notwithstanding, there is just "something" about
Hoffman that is unique. An innate musical sense.
Laura
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 Daniel
Ortbals 
Registered User
Posts: 203
(7/8/01 11:23:20 pm)
Reply
Community Supporter
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Re:
Promise?????????
First of all, age doesn't indicate ANYthing about how long a person
has been playing. A six year old could have been playing longer than
someone twelve times their age.
As far as potential, it's
things like openmindedness, adaptability, a passion for the
instrument, dedication, and, of course, a pretty solid foundation in
technique with definite room to expand and develop musicianship (and
still more technique).
Teachers are professional players AND
listeners, so don't worry about whether or not they'll see potenial.
They'll know. They'll see it in your playing. If you go into an
audition trying to play exactly how you THINK you SHOULD because
it'll "impress" the teachers, then you don't belong there. Play how
YOU play. That's all it is. If they don't like you, oh well. There
will be another time and another teacher that
WILL.
Repertoire shows nothing about your "ability." If I sat
here and told you that I "learned" sixty pieces before I was in high
school, what does that say? Nothing. First of all, one indicator of
potential is the ability to recognize that there is no "LEARNED."
It's always, I am LEARNING, no matter how many years you've been
playing or how many times you've performed that piece.
In
reality, let's just say that I've covered more ground the last three
years at college than in all the other years put together because
I've developed an open mind, and I've learned how TO
LEARN.
This is really random, and windy, and twisted, and a
bit off topic, but oh well. Sorry. Have fun.
Dan
O |
Lucy
Clifford
Registered
User
Posts: 181
(7/10/01 5:31:09
am)
Reply
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Repertoire
doesn't matter
Some schools do specify the 'approx.' level repertoire that they
are aiming at, and a teacher should be able to guide the student
towards learning something of approx. level.
However, in
many, indeed, most cases, the students who audition for music
school, even if they do have the Gary Hoffman 'it' factor, will be
covered over by the fact that they have not had his experience,
technical stores and general brilliance - they'll just be highschool
musicians......
My main pointers, from my 'experience', would
be:
-Learn what repertoire you do learn THOROUGHLY.
-Plan
a balanced audition programme.
-Don't play lightweight showy
stuff just to dazzle them with your technique.
-Make sure
that you are aware of the history and structure of what you do play,
and while you're at it, read about general background as well, think
about the style of the music and how to demonstate it. If the panel
do a 'viva voce' section in the audition they will be interested if
it is clear to them that you take seriously all facets of music
education, not just playing notes.
-Your committment to
learning the repertoire that you perform, and being thrilled by
learning about music will stand you in good stead, and panels
recognise this.
The most thrilling day of my life was when
there was a String Students meeting in my first week of college. All
the String Faculty was there, and one of them said that every
student was there because they had shown something special in their
audition [repertoire, presentation, 'level' notwithstanding] and
that was why we were there.
If you get turned down by a
school, don't think that it's because you're a rubbish player, think
about what you can improve and try again.
Like Daniel, I've
gone ramblin'.
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