Audition Time!

Recently I've been trying to practice piano for three hours a day, and I think it's affecting me. Both yesterday and today, I've dreamed in vivid detail about practicing piano; with my dreams usually involving a mistake I made, or some part where my hands wouldn't obey my brain.

I bet you're wondering why I'm getting crazy about piano all of a sudden. Well, it isn't really all of a sudden. I've been preparing for this time for months, years even. You see, next Thursday I will be auditioning to get into the music school at Cedarville University.This is a big event for me!

Since I've been preparing these pieces for so long, I've kind of felt like I "had arrived". I mean, I've had a lot of instruction on them, and I think I can play them pretty well! But recently, through a new teacher, and a group class, I've found that I can improve a whole lot more. I've been realizing that I can't treat the piece like an untamed colt, to break and master and then move on. Instead, I must treat it like going on a journey: uncovering layers of sound, touch, technique, dynamics, phrasing, and beauty. And even after my audition the journey will not end. For when does music ever end?

The three pieces I will be playing are Bach Prelude & Fugue in B-Flat Minor (which is considered one piece), Haydn Sonata No. 59, and Schubert Impromptu Op. 90 No. 4. (I've given you links to listen to the songs so you can get an idea of how they go, though I couldn't find one of the Bach piece.) The Bach sounds like it's meant for organ, with slow, chordal passages and a very measured beat. It's very solemn and proud, in a tragic way. The Haydn is very jumpy and capricious, almost like Haydn is just playing around on the piano having fun. That one's probably the hardest for me, just because it's so fast and hard to maintain control. I much prefer slower pieces like the Bach. The Schubert is my favorite, because it's just so beautiful; like a vivid painting cascading down like watercolors from a painter's brush. I especially love the middle section where it switches to the minor key. It's so sad and touching - almost melodramatic!

So I am very excited, and of course nervous for this audition. I am trying to take the advice a good friend gave me: to keep my thoughts focused on God, and the beauty He has created in this music, rather than on myself. That way, I won't be as nervous. I would definitely appreciate prayer for all of this!

~Melody