I am considering learning the Bartok Violin Concerto No. 2 for my graduate school auditions and am wondering if anyone has performed/learned this piece and if you have any advice on how to approach it? My background is mostly Suzuki. I started violin when I was 5 or 6 and just graduated from university with a degree in Music Performance on the violin. I am taking a year or so to prepare for grad school and am looking at schools in the UK where I am living and working at the moment. I have a lot of music in my repertoire but wanted a fresh start with something that fit my style. I ADORE twentieth century music and love the new and different music. A friend and I just finished tackling the Kodaly Duo and we had a lovely time learning and performing it. The only major concerto that I have worked on (besides the various Mozart) is the Bruch. I want to learn the Bartok for grad school auditions and for orchestra auditions. I really want to learn it because it is not played often and I do not want to play what everybody else is playing.
Because I started learning violin with the Suzuki method, I have obtained a recording of the concerto that I have listened to often. I have not yet started practicing it. I know this is a difficult piece, but my current teacher thinks I am entirely capable of tackling it. I guess I am posting because I would like other opinions on how to approach a massive piece like this. Does anyone else have any advice?
Re: Bartok Violin Concerto No. 2 19:26 on Tuesday, April 24, 2007
I'm updating this post to say that I decided to go with the Szymanowski Violin Concerto for grad school auditions. Lovely piece! I would still appreciate tips for the Bartok if anyone is willing to offer them. I would like to tackle this piece at some point - especially the second movement! Lovely, lovely music!
Re: Bartok Violin Concerto No. 2 21:16 on Monday, July 30, 2007