Leaving Cert Music Practical Advice

KimA1702

I'm doing my music practical in 2014 and am currently working on grade 8 piano. I intend on doing 4 piano pieces and music technology but can't choose a 4th piece

I plan on playing:
1) Italian Sailors song Op. 68 No. 36 - R. Schumann
2) Music of the Night - Andrew Lloyd Weber
3) Phantasietanz - R. Schumann

Any advice on a 4th piece?

Acciaccatura

Your best bet is to contrast the genres/eras of the pieces, they love that, and if I were you, the first thing I'd do is to not do one of your Schumann pieces you have there, if possible (don't put yourself under pressure to learn a new piece, they won't dock you marks, but you'd be at an advantage if they all contrasted). Maybe do a piece from 20th century composers like Bartók (I have a grade 6 one I played for mine just this year), or go for the Baroque era and do some Mozart or Bach. Also, try not to pick well-known ones, because mistakes will be easier to spot. For example, in that Bartok piece I mentioned, the tonality was all over the place and full of accidentals, and it was very hard to tell if I was actually playing it properly or just having a mess on the piano, so that worked in my favour :P

The pieces I played for the piano half of my practical (did trad flute for the other 4) :

1. The Blue Danube Waltz -Strauss (I know it breaks the rule of thumb with well-known pieces, but I was good at it :P )
2. Behind the Waterfall/Desert Rain Medley - David Lanz (kinda New Agey)
3. Jack-in-the-Box - Bartok
4. Mechanic's Rag - Christopher Norton

If you'd like any of the sheet music to these, just PM me. Hope this helps

SBizzle

I think the 3 pieces you have there are great. Would you happen to have heard of Ludovico Eineaudi? If not look up 'Novole Bianche'. If you played an Einaudi piece you'd blow the examiner away.

clunked

Pick a piece of a reasonable standard that you enjoy practising. Learn what you enjoy, not what you think an examiner might like.