Here is the repertoire I've been playing for the final three weeks of the Bowdoin International Music Festival. Only three more works in two recitals tomorrow afternoon and I'm done!
Beethoven Sonata for Violin and Piano Op. 12 #1 3rd movement
Brahms Sonata in D- for Violin and Piano Op. 108
Brahms Scherzo WoO2
Dvorak Cello Concerto
Enesco 3rd Sonata for Violin and Piano, 1st movement
Fauré Sonata for Violin and Piano 1st movement
Frank Sonata 1st and 2nd movements
Glazonov Violin Concerto
Kabalevsky Cello Concerto 1st movement
Mozart 4th Violin Concerto 1st movement
Prokofiev D+ Sonata for Violin and Piano Op. 94 1st and 2nd movements
Saint-Saens/Ysaye Valse-Etude for Violin and Piano
Sarasate Carmen Fantasy
Schoenberg Phantasy for Violin and Piano
Spohr Scherzo for Violin and piano Op. 135 #2
Spohr Mazurka for Violin and Piano Op. 135 #6
Strauss Sonata for Violin and Piao 3rd movement
Josef Suk Four Pieces for Violin and Piano
Josef Suk Love Song for Violin and Piano
Wieniawski Polonaise de Concert
Wienieawski Variations on a Original Theme
That's quite the hefty list. How's practicing coming along? What's your approach been?
ReplyDeleteI've already played most of the works on this list, although there were a few first-timers, such as the Enesco sonata and the Spohr pieces. The difficult thing about summer festival staff pianist gigs is that you don't often know in advance what your rep will be nor do you have control over what it is.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, summer festival playing gets easier over time as you learn more repertoire (this was my 14th year at Bowdoin) and learn how to properly structure your schedule. The truly tough thing is surviving the first year of a position, when you're learning a lot of music from scratch. Needless to say, the turnover rate for staff pianist positions is quite high.
And the more you do something, the easier it gets.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I love about piano is that there are so many ways we can apply ourselves - teaching, composing, arranging, accompanying, collaborative work and performing solo.
Within performing, there are so many different streams. Not everyone is suited to be a staff pianist as you say. I'd add that accompanying soloists, accompanying choirs, gigging and collaborative music call out to different pianists.
Exploring the different areas makes for an exciting lifelong journey, doesn't it?