Mr. Dinsmore's Tips for Choosing Repertoire
Choosing the right repertoire/selections is the first step to sounding great in a performance. With a careful look at the possible pieces you will be able to choose a piece that is challenging, fun, and sounds great. Here are a couple things to look at when choosing a piece of music.
1) What is the range of the piece (how high or low it goes)? Will I be able to play/learn all of the notes in the amount of time I have to practice before the performance?
2) How long is the piece? Will I be able to play the whole thing without getting too tired?
3) Are there any big jumps in the piece or are the notes in steps? Will I be able to perform the steps and leaps in the amount of time I have to practice before the performance?
4) What kind of rhythms are in the piece? Will I be able to play/learn all the rhythms in the amount of time I have to practice before the performance?
5) What kinds of articulation are in the piece (slurs, staccatos, legato)? Will I be able to play/learn all of the articulations in the amount of time I have to practice before the performance?
6) Does this piece look interesting to me?
If you can answer yes to each of these questions, you have found the piece for you!