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Posted by: Tuubsu Jan 1 2008, 09:40 AM

Hello Kosei!

First of all I wanna thank you, because I REALLY like your lessons here. They have been a thrill for me

The thing is as follows... I' m going to apply to a conservatory here in Finland, to study classical guitar. My fingerpicking is at pretty good basis and I can somewhat read from notes, but I lack a lot of info of classical music and I would like to be well prepared for the qualification tests.

so... I would like to know have you gotten any education from a conservatory? If you have, were the qualifications hard/what did you play? Was there a Prima Vista test? if yes how hard was that?

Also is there any techniques I should pay more attention while practicing?

Then I've heard some classical music played on the guitar, but I can't really name that much composers/pieces, so could you list some famous classical guitar composers? and some famous classical pieces? and some pieces that are extremely hard?

Sorry for the huge flow of questions, but every answer would be appreciated

Thank you

Teemu a.k.a Tuubsu

Posted by: Kosei Kubota Jan 1 2008, 08:37 PM

Hi, Teemu!

Thanks for watching my lessons.


I did go to a conservatory in New York.
I remember I played Sor and Villa-Lobos. There was not a sight-reading test, but there were a sight-singing, ear-training, and piano test.

In terms of technique, I think it is important to play a piece cleanly in tempo, instead of fast here, slow there, and stop somewhere. When you are preparing for a conservatory, I would suggest to take lessons with that conservatory teacher or a graduate.

There are so many composers related to the classical guitar. Some are not guitarists, but their pieces are often played on the guitar. It will be a good idea to relate those composers to chronological periods. To name a few with famous pieces:
Renaissance: John Dowland (Fancy), Luis Milan (Pavan)
Baroque: Johann Sebastian Bach (Lute Suites), Domenico Scarlatti (Sonata)
Classical: Fernando Sor (Mozart Variations), Mauro Giuliani (Grand Overture)
Romantic: Fransisco Tarrega (Recuerdos de la Alhambra), Issac Albeniz (Asturius)
Post-Romantic: Heitor Villa-Lobos (Preludes), Manuel Ponce (Sonatina meridional)
Contemporary: Leo Brower (Elogio de la Danza), Toru Takemitsu (All in Twilight)
etc, etc.

Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo is known as one of the difficult pieces for the classical guitar.

Good luck on your application!

Kosei

Posted by: Tuubsu Jan 2 2008, 05:16 AM

Thanks Kosei

The conservatory that I'm applying to says on it web page that the test would most likely be, two pieces from different eras and a Prima Vista but, Could you explain what this Piano-test was like?

I think I'm going to try and check some graduate out for some tutoring, but the conservatory is so far away from my home that I have to move if I get approved, so a teacher won't do now...

Well, gonna start checking out those composers/pieces now.

Thanks again!

Teemu

Posted by: Kosei Kubota Jan 3 2008, 06:15 AM

Gosh, it was such a long time ago..
I remember it was something like preparing scales and arpeggios in 24 keys and playing a piece.
Now I remember that I played Bach Prelude which I picked up for GMC lesson for piano test.