<p>I know this is a forum for majors but I’m not sure where else to ask this question. </p>
<p>My son will submit an arts supplement though he won’t be a music major but will definitely want to be involved in music. He is a violinist (among other things) and he’ll make a recording this summer. He’s been playing classical violin for 10 years but took a year off of lessons and recently started up again. He also enjoys Irish and fiddling.</p>
<p>What should he submit and how long should it be? He’s got Mozart, Wieniewski, and Mendolssen (I know I can’t spell these) as concertos that he can play well. He’s got a couple of Caprices and a few Bach Sonatas that he could pull from but he has some nice Irish/fiddle tunes, as well.</p>
<p>Advice, please!</p>
<p>I would ask your son’s instructor about what pieces show his talent to best advantage. Many students are very impressive on romantic concertos but terrible with Bach (and vice versa). If the Caprices are Paganini, then I would avoid those unless they are done very well–it is too easy for high school violinists to butcher many of the Paganini caprices. </p>
<p>If a decision is made to include any Irish/fiddle tunes, then I would be inclined to have them at the end of the recording; often listeners only listen to the first minute or so of a recording before making a decision, and some of the potential listeners might not have an appreciation for folk music. I do like the idea of possibly including the Irish/fiddle stuff to show versatility, but I would be careful with it.</p>
<p>also, check each school’s website about arts supplements. Some of them are very very specific about format, length, and what info to include/exclude with the supplement.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, violindad. Since they only usually listen to a llittle bit, how long should it be? Should it include the whole 9 minutes of a movement or just some of it? Ok, so he’ll avoid the Paganini. He nailed one of the caprices for his only competition he did in 2010 but botched his Mozart which he actually plays very well. I’ll have him ask his teacher but being that he’s new to her, she doesn’t have an extensive knowledge of what he plays well but they can definitely brainstorm together.</p>
<p>If he nailed the Paganini for the competition, then by all means include it. Paganini can be impressive. In terms of length, check the school’s website (which mtpaper crossposted with you) . If they don’t specify length at all, then I would try to include a variety of styles (something technical like Pag, something lyrical/emotive like a romantic concerto movement, Bach which contrasts almost everything else!, maybe a fiddle tune etc.). </p>
<p>Some listeners will certainly hear more than a minute and many will hear at least the beginnings of each work.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t let the Mozart competition experience discourage you from Mozart: you will have the opportunity to record many times and choose the best recording. Mozart is so exposed that a single performance can be perilous, but with the opportunity to choose a recording, there is less peril.</p>
<p>If you have any recent recordings of your son, you might want to have him take them to the teacher; even using lesson time to listen to them and to analyze and discuss the playing can be very instructive for your son. That will also give the new teacher a strong sense of his strengths and weaknesses and how she can work with those.</p>
<p>Regardless of what is chosen, get the teacher’s input prior to finalizing the recording to be sent in. She might veto certain pieces or help select which take of a movement to include in the recording.</p>
<p>If the school’s website does not specify what they want on the recording, then a well-chosen excerpt from a movement is probably okay, but I would still tend to include the whole movement (otherwise it can look like your son only learned the first two pages of a 12-page movement).</p>
<p>Ok, thank-you so much. This is good information. I will add this to our ever growing list of things to do: check out each school for their requirements for arts supplements. </p>
<p>Yeah, the Mozart is interesting. He learned this piece at age 13 as it was the book 10 piece in the Suzuki repertoire. He then redid it with a new teacher at age 15. The same day he bombed the competition, he performed it very well at a recital. Recordings are a lot more forgiving because you’ve got more than one shot at it! :-)</p>
<p>I’ve gone to several college websites but can’t find info on submitting supplemental materials other than a vague, “sure, submit if you want”. I don’t find info on who to submit it to and when to submit it. Should my son contact the music departments or the admissions to find out the info?</p>
<p>Thank-you.</p>