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Repertoire for college auditions in piano performance?

I’m a junior in high school; these are the pieces I’ve started to work on for auditions next winter. Are they varied and difficult enough? (I plan to audition at Rice, Vassar, Binghamton, UNC, CU Boulder, and U of Arkansas.)

I am not familiar with the Scarlatti but a Bach fugue is typically a good choice for a college audition because it is technically challenging. I don’t think there really is an appropriate substitute for Bach! You just need to play the fugue. The only trouble with Bach and auditions is that the interpretation is subjective. Some jurors may say you played it too romantically and some will say it needed to be less brash. Depends.

I don’t think the mozart is difficult enough. It is only a grade 7 and not really college level. Why don’t you try a Clementi sonata?

The Haydn is not difficult enough. I don’t think you should play two classical pieces unless you have to. Maybe you could swap the sonata out for a Beethoven sonata.

The Chopin is also too easy. This would be a high school piece. If you want to stick with Chopin, then you should try to pick an etude. Maybe even one of Rachmaninoff’s etudes-tableaux would do.

I would recommend a piece by either Ravel or Debussy for your contemporary. Ginastera and Bartok would also work.

The most important thing with college auditions is to play the most difficult pieces possible. I know you specified things on the easier side but if you are going to get serious about piano in college then you need to start challenging yourself now! You should also try to balance your program with technically challenging pieces and more emotional pieces. You also need a good balance between the different time periods. It sounds like you need five pieces and there are 4 main time periods. Do this:
1. Pick a Bach fugue for your Baroque period
2. Pick a Beethoven or Clementi sonata for your classical. I think the Beethoven Sonatas are a better choice because they are technical and emotional. Some of the B. Sonatas may sound more romantic but that’s ok.
3. For me, the Romantic period is a good place to pick two contrasting pieces. You should do an etude of some sort and then a nocturne. One piece should be fiery and one should be tranquil.
4. For the contemporary you could also pick two pieces. I would play something with a lot of strange harmonies to show the jurors that you have experience with all types of harmonies. Ravel is good.

Go on piano street.com and type in the piece that you are thinking about playing. It will come up with a level of difficulty. None of the pieces you select should be below an 8. Preferably an 8+.. While this rating system isn’t 100% fool proof, I think it will help you.

Best of luck to you! I have actually been judged by the piano professor at UNC and he is tough! So step it up and have fun!

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