- One movement of a concerto
- At least one movement of unaccompanied Bach
- One contrasting work of the student's choice
The pieces I propose are:
- First movement, Violin Concerto #1 by Oliver Knussen
- Sonata in E Minor for Harpsichord and Solo Violin by J. S. Bach
- "Reel Around the Sun" by Bill Whelan, from Riverdance.
What I would like is for one piece to be very difficult, so that it shows technical skill, another piece to show the ability to convey emotion and technical skill in a deceptively simple work, and a third piece to show the performer's personal taste/guilty pleasure.
The student must memorize at least one piece to be considered for a music scholarship. He wants to memorize all three because he doesn't like having to turn pages while performing.
Do these seem reasonable? Is "Reel Around the Sun" totally unsuitable for a classical violin audition? How many of the works mentioned above would it be reasonable for the student to have memorized? Are there other violin works which might be better choices? I am more familiar with classical piano music than with the violin repertoire.
Many thanks for your help!