I'm going to do grade 8 this august or september, I've played pieces a bit hard (Liebestraum No. 3, Chopin etudes Op. 25 no.2 and 9-Butterfly, schubert impromptu in Eb Op. 90 no. 3, beethoven sonatas Op. 14 no.1, Op. 49 no. 2, now learning Op. 13-Pathetique, debussy arabesque no. 1, Bach prelude and fugue V book 1 in D major, etc.). I really want to learn a concerto or a piece with orchestra, it just seems it's rather cool and beneficial. Is it relevant? In your opinions, should playing with orchestra be introduced since when someone's still not that great? When then?

You don't have to be any particular stage to play along with an orchestra.

The problem is finding one. A Mozart concerto must be within reach and you'd need only a chamber orchestra.

Mozart's Concerto No 21, Grieg's or Schumann's concertos are crowd pullers.

PF

I say go for it. If you want to learn one go ahead and learn one, I dont see any harm in doing so. Just dont do what I did and try learning something overly ambitious like I did, I wont say what it was but around grade 8 I tried to learn one that was much too hard for me. I spent months hacking away at it and I have got to say I must have caused quite a few headaches! Anyway, it is quite fun to try something different like a concerto, piano quartet other chamber music every once in a while. Of course the trouble for me is finding people to play them with me, I dont know that many musicians at all, especially one's that are into classical music. Anyway, yah go for it, and have fun!

Just coming up to taking grade 8 means you are light-years away from being able to master the romantic concertos. You could have a lot of fun trying them (I did at the same stage) but you would not be able to play them well enough to perform with an orchestra.

Excellent 'starter' concertos are Mozart A major, K488 and Beethoven Bb and C minor (nos 2 & 3 of the five). They would do you a lot of good whilst remaining within the realms of the possible. You might even be able to learn one of them well enough to persuade an orchestra to give you a go - I did with Beethoven shortly after my grade 8, many years ago.

Steve

There's nothing wrong with trying. You have to start somewhere and progress. Rise to the challenge.
In my view, whether you can play with an orchestra is as much up to the conductor and orchestra as the soloist, if he or she can play the work reasonably well. There are plenty of adequate soloists around to prove that.

However, I admit to being an adventurer rather than a soloist...

I rest my case!

I love that piece!

Hi (Yes I know- my trademark identifier- which means if you ever see 'Hi' , then you'll know it's me! Sorry if I'm blubbering...)

If you want to start and you think concertos are too difficult, try some concertinas- they are not too complex but not too easy either. If you think you can cope, maybe try something nice and 'playable', maybe from a certain composer or era?

Well, I agree with you on the fact that I'm not good enough yet to master the romantic concertos, but the fact "JUST coming up to taking grade 8" won't always be true for me. I'm bored of my grade 8 pieces already even though the exams are still months, and I actually learnt the pieces in a short time to technical perfectness (not interpretation). There are people who are really just coming to take grade 8 from grade 7 and people who are really grade 8, and I think I'm the latter.

Hey, how about Beethoven No. 1 in C? I've seen the score, it doesn't seem that difficult.

It is harder than the Bb. Why not listen to cd's of B 1,2,3 and the Mozart and try the one you like the best?

Have fun.

Steve

I'm doing the Beethoven #1 in C at the moment. Won't be going anywhere near an orchestra, but we've got the score for two pianos so my teacher'll take the orchestra part. I've also got the Music Minus One CD so I can give that a go.

Is it hard... Hmm. I'm just doing the first movement at the moment, it's not that hard to get the notes (although learning this has completely destroyed my D major scale!) but I'm finding it a challenge modifying my style of playing for the cadenza - Haven't really tackled anything that demands such "showiness" before.

KenM's made some excellent points about the benefit of playing ensemble works - as pianists we are used to being the only instrument, which means we can be somewhat free with our timing etc. There's nothing to stop you learning a concerto, but you might have probs finding someone to play it with. How about looking at some chamber music - would give you the opportunity to play with others and you'd probably find it easy to put together a group.

sounds easy....i might learn it...

Well, I played a Mozart concerto (No. 12, K. 414) when I was 10, about grade 6ish...although I admit I didn't play it extremely well, it was still beneficial.

Right now, as a "passed grade 8 with distinction" student, I am working on Saint-Saens's Concerto No. 2 in G minor

I'm working on Gershwins concerto in F for "fun" whilst taking my diploma. I get Rach 2 out and play 1 note a bar with the CD, that's fun too

When i've taken the exam i'll sit down and concentrate properly on one, in the meantime will listen to as many as possible, good luck with your choice