Piano Competition Repertoire #1 San Jose- April 1st
San Jose Piano Competition Round One: (No more than 20 minutes)
First Piece: One piece from polyphonic style - original works only (Bach, Buxtehude, Hindemith, Mendelssohn, Shchedrin, Shostakovich, Taneev) Shostakovich Prelude and Fugue in Db Major
Second Piece: One Virtuoso Etude of contestant's choice Chopin Etude Op.10 No.4 Third Piece: One piece, or selected single movement(s) from a Sonata, or a set of short pieces by a Russian composer Medtner Piano Reminiscenza Sonata Round Two: (No more than 25 minutes)
First Piece: First movement from a Classical Sonata – no repeats (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven) Mozart Piano Sonata in D major Second Piece: Any piece from Romantic or Impressionistic time period Ravel's Gaspard De La Nuit Third Piece: One piece, or selected single movement(s) from a Sonata, or a set of short pieces by a Russian Composer Scriabin Sonata Final Round:
A recital program of a minimum of 55 to a maximum of 60 minutes in duration, with repertoire entirely of the contestant's choosing. Only published works will be permitted. For any work written after 1970, contestants must present the score to the jury before the performance. Contestants must include at least one long work (20 minutes or longer). No restrictions on the musical form. The long work could be a Sonata, a set of Variations, a complete set of Preludes from the same opus number, a multi-movement work (such as Carnaval by Schumann, Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky, Miroirs by Ravel, etc.).
Carnaval by Schumann L'isle Joyeuse by Debussy Piano Sonata by Liszt
Competition 2- Cinninatti Feb 22
Preselection Video upload 1st stage solo --- 15 + 15 min. Shostakovich PF, L'isle Joyeuse, Ballade 4 2nd stage solo --- 30 min. Liszt Sonata 3rd stage solo --- 40 min. Gaspard de la Nuit, Medtner Reminiscenza Finals concerto
Competition 3- Louisiana August 1
Preselection DVD/online video- Bach Prelude and Fugue, Etude Chopin, 2nd Etude 1st stage solo --- 30 min. Liszt Sonata 2nd stage solo --- 45 min. Gaspard, Medtner Finals concerto
Beethoven 4,5 Chopin1, Schumann, Liszt 1, Rach 2, Saintsaens 2
Competition 4: Liszt Garrison, Baltimore. May 1
WTC Prelude and Fugue or Suite by J. S. Bach; an Etude (20th century or Romantic Era); Sonata-Allegro form movement from the Classical or Romantic Era.
Recital program [60 minutes minimum length] of applicant's choice shall include major works by Franz Liszt (15 minutes or more) and compositions written after 1920 by composers from the Americas (10 minutes or more.)
Competition 5: Midwest Piano Competition, Iowa March 15
PRESCREENING ROUND Each work must be recorded in one unedited take.
A Prelude and Fugue from Well-Tempered Clavier or at least three movements from either Suites or Partitas by J.S. Bach.
An etude by Chopin.
Two contrasting movements from a classical sonata.
One work of competitor's choice.
FIRST ROUND (maximum of 20 competitors) Duration not to exceed 25 minutes
Two contrasting sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti.
A virtuoso etude by any composer EXCEPT Chopin. Rach
A composition or compositions of competitor’s choice to make up the remaining time of 25 minutes. Medtner
SECOND ROUND (9 competitors) Duration not to exceed 45 minutes
One of the Toccatas (BWV 910-916) or one of the following Partitas: #1 in B-flat Major, #2 in C Minor, #3 in A Minor, #5 in G Major by J. S. Bach. Partita 1
A composition by Ravel, Debussy or Fauré. Gaspard
Any two mazurkas by Chopin.
A composition or compositions of competitor’s choice to make up the remaining time of 45 minutes. Liszt Sonata and Chopin Ballade
THIRD ROUND (3 competitors)
A recital program of solo piano compositions chosen by a competitor not to exceed 50 minutes (including breaks between the pieces). L'isle Joyeuse and a sonata (Beethoven)?
Every finalist is required to play an encore chosen among the following works (encore is not included in the allotted time of 50 minutes):
S. Rachmaninov Elégie, op. 3 #1
F. Schubert Impromptu in G flat Major, op. 90 #3
J. Brahms Intermezzo in A Major, op. 118 #2
F. Chopin Impromptu in A flat Major, op. 29
C. Debussy “Claire de lune” from Suite Bergamasque
Competition 6: San Antonio, 14 November
1st stage - phase one
free (must include Baroque and Romantic) Partita and Ballade
1st stage - phase two
1 Sonata Haydn/Beeth./Moz./Schub. Beethoven or Mozart
1 piece Impressionist, Spanish or Latin American composer Gaspard
Finals: solo --- 45~50 min.
rest free
commissioned work
1 21st Century Alcott?
1 20th Century Shostakovich
Hunter S. Thompson
There is something magical about being in a place where someone you admired from afar died. It's my job to be thrilled, in awe, to become inundated with pixie dust and fly.
How beautiful it is to know that across a universe, in another timeline, he and I are drinking a cup of black joe, talking about the snooty locals, and contemplating taking a bus to nowhere El Jebel (which does not exist in our timeline anymore). We'd talk about road-tripping to vegas, and how it always seems to be only half way home from wherever we are.
The crazy thing is, he would pat me on the back and tell me I could play the piano for him--but only if it's impressionistic because let's face it, anything that seems real is not worth the trip. At night we'd play Texas Hold'em Poker, not the strip kind-- though it wouldn't have mattered because I would be wearing a whole lotta layers and so would he. I would blush anyway. The millions of twinkling stars and the paradoxical reflection of the milky way would be the source of my inspiration to raise or to fold. And if I gaze up, I would win. And if I gaze down, he would win. No doubt, his poker face would be strong, wrinkled, and eyes covered by his companion shades. With each hand, I would learn that he is a bluffer. But the one thing I wish he did bluff about, was his suicide.
A Tribute to Hunter S Thompson by Rosalind Wong August 4th 2014