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Hey I play piano and right now I am working on Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu....I find it pretty difficult but I am finally getting it up to tempo...Anyone else play this piece? I was wondering how the difficulty level compares to other pieces played by high school level piano players. I was wondering if a recording of me playing this would be advanced enough to send as supplementary materials in my app...please help if you can

By Athlonmj (Athlonmj) on Monday, April 26, 2004 - 07:43 pm: Edit

Honestly, I don't think you should send a recording of fantasie impromptu. It's often dubbed as a "show-off piece" because it sounds difficult but it really isn't (although the combining the left hand and right hand can be a bit tricky in the beginning).

By Frogman9595 (Frogman9595) on Monday, April 26, 2004 - 10:55 pm: Edit

bump plz

By Anothersuitcase (Anothersuitcase) on Monday, April 26, 2004 - 11:00 pm: Edit

It's advanced enough, but it's a relatively well-known piece, especially among music academia--meaning, any flaws you might have as pianist might be "amplified"/highlighted while playing it.

By Volleyball6 (Volleyball6) on Tuesday, April 27, 2004 - 12:44 am: Edit

Does anyone have ideas about a better piece than Fantasie Impromptu to prepare to send in with a college app? Once I finish it I'd like to start working on one that would be fun but also good for the app. Can anyone tell me what they used and the results you had? Thanks

By Volleyball6 (Volleyball6) on Tuesday, April 27, 2004 - 09:41 pm: Edit

BuMp

By Xenowang (Xenowang) on Tuesday, April 27, 2004 - 09:53 pm: Edit

http://home.comcast.net/~john_sucks/benchopin.wmv

By Pinacolada (Pinacolada) on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 12:50 am: Edit

o snap that clip is awesome!
yep i've played this on the piano..and it's my favorite show off piece haha. as far as sending it to colleges, i don't think it could hurt if you play it well but i don't think it would be incredibly impressive (meaning music department people not going to be razzle dazzled into putting a good word in for your application). super pretty piece to learn though one of the few ones i still have memorized and play just for kicks

By Volleyball6 (Volleyball6) on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 07:09 pm: Edit

so any ideas for a piece that would be impressive? Should it be a piece that is actually more difficult or just less well known? Any help would be great. Thx

By Greenapples016 (Greenapples016) on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 07:57 pm: Edit

I don't know anything specific to suggest but just some general advice: play something YOU like instead of just going for the difficulty level/prestige. It'll sound a whole lot better if you really enjoy the piece, no matter how impressive it is. If you like Fantasie Impromptu, then play it. Just don't obsess too much about it and do NOT play just to impress people. Good luck!

By Starchybean (Starchybean) on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 08:28 pm: Edit

Frogman --

Isn't there something you'd rather play than Fantasie Impromptu, not that it's bad or anything. But you could do something known less and more interesting. Like a piece by a lesser known composer or a piece of jazz music. With jazz, you can show your creativity and interest in pursuing something less mainstream. And like greenapples said, it's important to not just play to impress people!

By Senior2 (Senior2) on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 10:15 pm: Edit

im actually learning fantasie impromptu right now...performing it at my last recital before college! it was difficult at first learning the first part..but now it sounds good

By Frogman9595 (Frogman9595) on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 10:39 pm: Edit

ya i know I shouldn't be playing songs just to impress people. what I'm looking for is a song that anyone with suggestions has found fun yet challenging that I could work on for a while and maybe use for a college app. Fun to play yet serving a dual purpose- any suggestions?

By Qt1396 (Qt1396) on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 11:54 pm: Edit

i loved playing the grieg piano concerto.. its not difficult but its a really attractive piece.. chopin's ballade number 1 and 3 are good and so are his scherzos.. esp number 4.. i sent a tape in to the colleges i applied to.. on the tape was chopin's ballade number 1, a mozart concerto, and mendelssohn's serious variations.. oh yeah, another good piano piece is chopin's fantasie in f minor (not the fantasie impromptu); im working on it for my last senior recital.. hope this helps!

p.s. I think its a good idea to have one of chopin's major works on the tape u send to college.. u can show off ur technique and feelings as well

By Meekchun (Meekchun) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 05:36 pm: Edit

hey some pieces i've recently done and liked: Lizst's Nocturno III, Sonata Pathetique, Brahms Intermezzo, Clair de Lune by Debussy.

Anyone else know these tunes?

By Joanna180 (Joanna180) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 06:29 pm: Edit

Wow I JUST started learning Fantasie Impromptu... and how you guys can play it I have no idea... Any tips on gettin through the first page? lol

By Xenowang (Xenowang) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 06:41 pm: Edit

As with any piece of music you're trying to tackle, the key is to take everything extremely slow at first. It doesn't matter if it seems like you're at a crawling pace, the point is to play through it without any mistakes whatsoever. Get the piece under your fingers and acquire the muscle-memory for the mechanics. Once you have the mechanics down, it's all a matter of repetition with the trusty metronome by your side. Once you can play through a section without any mistakes at a particular BPM, then up it about 5-8 BPM and then try again. Good luck!

By Meekchun (Meekchun) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 07:03 pm: Edit

Please, some advice

By Ecnerwalc (Ecnerwalc) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 07:28 pm: Edit

How are you 14 and 16 year olds playing such a demanding piece of music? I could have never attempted to play that when I was your age. How long have you guys been playing piano?

By Qt1396 (Qt1396) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 07:32 pm: Edit

ive played the piano for 11 or 12 years.. been playing since i was six

By Frogman9595 (Frogman9595) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 08:21 pm: Edit

been playing for 7 years

By Joanna180 (Joanna180) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 08:53 pm: Edit

I've been playing for 6..I'm really bad though (and I'm not just saying that...) so learning the Fantasie Impromptu is a bit of a stretch but I really want to learn it...so maybe what I lack in skill I'll make up in enthusiasm? lol

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 09:00 pm: Edit

I played that same piece when I was in h.s. My peers who were the best pianists were playing concertos that were much harder. While the piece that you are playing is hard, one doesn't need enormous talent to play it. I don't suggest that you send colleges a tape of yourself playing it.

Presumably, however, you have been taking piano for a long time, and the fact that you've stuck so long with a demanding, fairly solitary EC like piano would be impressive to many colleges. You don't have to be headed to Carnegie Hall to impress colleges with a music EC.

By Greenapples016 (Greenapples016) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 10:33 pm: Edit

Frogman-how "advanced" would you say you are? If you've performed with youth orchestras, won competitions, or just plain believe you have the talent (and want to continue piano in college), then I'd say send in a tape. Of what depends on what kind of music you enjoy the most-baroque, romantic, contemporary...the list goes on and on. Pieces by Liszt are a good choice, ranging from technically brilliant to slow and emotional. Personal fave: "La Campanella" (Warning: OCTAVES-need really strrreetchy hands. It's amazing whether you like tinkly bell sounds or not though) If you play a fast piece, do a slow, calmer one too for contrast. Plus, you can demonstrate your versatility.

By Frogman9595 (Frogman9595) on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 11:20 pm: Edit

Well actually, piano has been more of a relaxed extracirricular for me. I have performed at a number of recitals, but with so many other EC's in my life that are so competitive, i enjoy having piano as a less pressured, relaxing activity. However, it still has taken a fair amount of my time and I was hoping to be able to show this on an app with a tape instead of just "piano 7 years." I would still like to pursue piano in college and hopefully get involved in some fun performing groups. Is it still an Ok idea to send a tape? Thanks also for your inputs on pieces- I'm looking into finding some.

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 02:35 am: Edit

I don't see any reason to send a tape. You aren't auditioning for their music program. You don't seem to have extraordinary talent. I think that writing "piano, 7 years" and possibly even writing an essay highlighting what piano has meant to you would be enough.

Adcoms don't want things like tapes, etc. unless they are sent for very good reason. The adcoms would have to get them evaluated by a muisc professor, which is a pain and a waste of time if the person is simply an average high school pianist sending a tape just to say that they like playing the piano.

If you want to demonstrate what piano means to you, write about it in a thoughtful essay.

By Conker (Conker) on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 08:21 am: Edit

Chopin's "Fantasie Impromptu"...at our school talent show the other day, some crazy kid was playing the song blindfolded. Simply incredible.

By Jhopkins100 (Jhopkins100) on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 07:27 pm: Edit

I think a videotape of something your passionate about far outweighs an essay any day. It means so much more to see something, especially if it holds a place in your heart.

By Miumiu016 (Miumiu016) on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 07:35 pm: Edit

My mom's favorite piece to play

The only reason I say no is because I'm sure tons of other kids send in the recordings of the same piece, like Ath said, it is very much for show. Why not do something less conventional, like Schubert or Debussy?

By Frogman9595 (Frogman9595) on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 08:13 pm: Edit

Yea I'd definitely be up for playing something less well known. Any more opinions of whether or not I should send a tape at all based on the above info? I'd like to but if it really would be a hassle for the adcoms, I guess it'd be a bad idea...

By Frogman9595 (Frogman9595) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 11:26 am: Edit

bump

By Spunknic347 (Spunknic347) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 07:31 pm: Edit

Wow that guitar clip was insane. Jeez

By Pianoman (Pianoman) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 08:47 pm: Edit

This has been quite an enlightening discussion. BTW, the guitar clip is really amazing, and the Van Halen double handed style was really virtuosic. Who played that? Northstarmom, do you think playing piano will help in Ivy admissions? I don't play piano just so it will look good on my application because I've been pursuing it very seriously like a sport or anything else that requires a lot of commitment since age 6. I will have a recommendation from alumni from Eastmann and Juliard, and I will probably send in a CD of Chopin concerti, scherzi, and lots of other pieces from composers such as Ravel, Debussy, and Beethoven. Will this help me in the future? I have also done a lot of community service with it, and I teach piano also.

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 09:36 pm: Edit

I don't think it's a good idea in most cases to send in videos, term papers, audiotapes, etc. Common sense as well as virtually everything I have read in advice books indicates that except for cases in which there's evidence that a student has extraordinary talent or is applying to a school/department that requires such materials, such additions simply do not get looked at.

With the exceptions mentioned above, adcoms are not specicalists in art, music, film, etc.It's not as if they are equipped to examine the materials and to then come to a conclusion about the applicant's worth to the institution.

To get a read on the materials, the adcoms would have to ask a professor who is a specialist in that field. Clearly, the adcoms are only going to impinge upon professors' time when there are very special cases. "I have played piano for 10 years and really like the piano. Listen to me play Chopin" is not enough reason for the adcoms to seek an outside evaluation.

In virtually all cases, the adcoms will be lookng at the commitment the applicant has made to the EC, whether the applicant has won any awards for it, if there are any recommendation letters related to the EC and what the applicant says about the EC in the interview and in the essays.

The adcoms also have many applicants to evaluate and only a limited amount of time. Unless one is applying to a specialty college or department, the adcom isn't going to spend time listening to a CD, reading a 20-page term paper, etc. when the important information can be found by reading the application.

I know that at places like Harvard, something like 60% of accepted students play musical instruments. Many started out as toddlers doing the Suzuki method. As a result, it's not likely that playing a musical instrument is going to tip one into admission.

By Waterfall442 (Waterfall442) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 09:55 pm: Edit

What would be considered "exceptional" talent in the first place? A nationally distinguished musician? Or would a state/regional competition winner be exceptional as well?

By Frogman9595 (Frogman9595) on Monday, May 03, 2004 - 05:52 pm: Edit

bump bump

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Monday, May 03, 2004 - 06:01 pm: Edit

At a typical state public u, getting state awards would be exceptional. If the state u has a nationally acclaimed music program, state awards probably wouldn't be impressive enough.

At places like Harvard, national awards, solo concerts at Carnegie Hall, etc. would put one in the "extraordinary" category. Remember, Yoyo Ma went there and when he entered as a freshman, he had already established a name for himself as an acclaimed cellist. Joe Lin (sp?) a recent graduate had a reputation as a high school students similar to what Yoyo Ma had as a h.s.cellist. Lin turned down Julliard to become a biochem major at Harvard while continuing his career as a solo violinist.

If you would be competitive at a place like Julliard, send your music tape to schools like Ivies.

By Mparking (Mparking) on Monday, May 03, 2004 - 09:43 pm: Edit

Play some Prokofiev. They won't have any idea what you're doing.

Make sure you're showing some variety in style though. Mozart piano concertos are good.

By Greenapples016 (Greenapples016) on Friday, May 07, 2004 - 04:20 pm: Edit

I guess it also depends on what kind of schools you're applying to. Ivies will, in general, have distinguished music professors and thus will have higher expectations than 2nd or 3rd tier colleges. If you're applying to an Ivy, it would be best not to send in a tape; if you're aiming for state schools that aren't especially strong in music, send one in.

By Fallenangel85 (Fallenangel85) on Friday, May 07, 2004 - 05:35 pm: Edit

xero that clip was awesome... i cant wait to be able to play like that but its gonna be a good little while. I just got my first guitar this past christmas. And my step dad is helping me out. Im doing pretty good i can already play about 85% of californincation but that peanuts compared to what you were doin there. Consider your self admired

By Justice (Justice) on Friday, May 07, 2004 - 05:55 pm: Edit

Northstarmom,

I think your advice is very valid for instruments like piano. However, lots of wind and brass instrumentalists send tapes because they plan to play in college. You don't need to be a super-god at the instrument to submit--just fairly skilled and enthusiastic. The teacher, if they are experienced with this sort of thing, helps write a note and just explains the interest. The worst thing that can happen is that they decide you do not have the skill to play in the orchestra and will not factor that in as much in their decision. The best thing is that they think you're great and you get a big boost. If you don't send anything in, there is always this feeling at colleges that "you probably aren't that good," particularly for instruments for which awards aren't common. Also, for you as an moral individual, if you think you are not good enough to play in orchestra, then you probably shouldn't hope to get a huge boost for your musical talents anyways. My teacher tells me that many colleges get burned by students who say they're going to play an instrument and either refuse to upon arriving or showcase their ineptitude. So that's just another spin on things that I've heard.

By Davidn08 (Davidn08) on Sunday, May 23, 2004 - 10:30 pm: Edit

i've been playing piano for 8 years and guitar for 2. i'm going to record a tape with 2 guitar pieces, 2 piano pieces. i haven't competed in either, but i honestly believe that i can be the best guitarist applying to all these schools, and i really want to play guitar in college (not piano though). i think i'm better than the clip, i'm recording "always with me, always with you", by joe satriani (the greatest virtuoso in electric guitar), and "mediterranean sundance" by al di meola (the greatest virtuoso in acoustic guitar).

one of my piano pieces is one of chopin's etudes, any1 have any suggestions for the 2nd? something very different (modern/dynamic/jazz maybe), very nice, very difficult?