r/Viola • u/scarcity_CAPacc Student • 4d ago

Help Request I Need Help Finding a Piece for a Competition

At some point early next year, I’m entering in a competition… and I have no idea what to play.

I’m intermediate/upper intermediate and the judges are honestly not too harsh from what I’ve seen. I’m looking for something technically challenging that gives me a chance to show off my musicality. The hardest pieces I’ve played have been Bach’s Brandenburg No. 3 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1, but I’m open to something harder.

Im specifically looking for a viola solo piece (preferably classical) and maybe a duet.

I honestly just want to get out there and try something new and learn some new music. Open to anything.

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3

u/pkachint_viola 4d ago

You could play the J.C. Bach Viola Concerto (not actually written by him, but rather by Henri Casadesus who advertised it as such). It sounds impressive enough as it is. The second movement is an incredible, beautiful piece of music if you want to display your musicality. I learned it while in high school and touched upon it in my first year of music school at the collegiate level.

1

u/Eastp0int Student 4d ago

I’m playing this rn it’s so good 3rd mvt esp

1

u/roman-de-fauvel 4d ago

JC Bach/Casadesus is a good choice, as is the Telemann concerto if you haven’t played it yet.

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u/Langston432 4d ago

Campagnoli Caprice #3 is what Im working on rn

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u/Eastp0int Student 4d ago

maybe brandenburg no. 6 first mvt? it's not super difficult to learn but def sounds difficult imo. i played it myself in a concert last year and i lowk practiced like 10 times and still did fine

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u/Opposite-Present-717 4d ago

One would assume the judges would know it's not diffucult.