Hello everyone, I am from the United States and I am a High School Student. I have played the piano since I was five, and I changed teacher at age 10, and that was a good choice because now I am in the hands of a virtuoso. I want to be a music education major so I am preparing for college auditions now. I am learning Bach's Prelude and Fugue in D, Mozart's Sonata in C major (K279) and Chopin's Grande Valse Brilliante. I am also going to start learning clarinet, and hopefully become proficient in that too. So hello again and I look forward to talking to you all.

You may want to turn off your caps lock key and start a new thread. I'm not one of them, but we do have Bach fans here. Welcome to the forums!

Hello, I've just joined, obviously. I love Chopin and he resonates with me ten times more than any other composer does, so he's definitely my favourite, although I listen to many composers. Rachmaninoff is my second favourite, but then I cant choose a third. It would take forever to say all the music I like but I can say I've spent many hours listening to the great Romantic, Baroque and even Classical composers...
My whole life I've been torn between composing and being solely a pianist. Now I concentrate on composition but I love playing the piano. If I could I would learn the complete works of Chopin among pieces from Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Beethoven, Liszt and many more, but I have to select only a few to learn as my practice time is limited.
I love composing and some examples of what I have done are on my website - http://www.jswerling.com/

Glad to be part of the community...I'm currently on page 50 of the 'Chopin devotee' thread...I will finish it eventually!

Hello hellooo everybody! Noobie here. I joined a while ago and have lurked a bit, but this is my first post.
I am 16. We've always had a piano in my house and I used to tinker around on it. It wasn't until last year in feburary i really started to play, though. I just started taking lessons two weeks ago and I have been put into level 8. Of course, I am some what behind on the technical aspect since I've never played much technical work on the piano, but I am optimistic that I will be able to do my examination in June and get my certificate!

As for music, Chopin, Handel, Haydn and Schuman are some of my favourites!

I'm hoping you guys can help me out and im looking forward to joining in on some of the conversations here!

Hi everyone
I am an infrequent lurker mostly on the piano forum for a few years and more recently this pianist corner. I have been playing the piano for many years and would call myself a very proficient amateur pianist. Never went to music school but did all the grade exams (through taking lessons from various teachers over the years) when I was much younger and more recently passed the Fellowship Diploma exam with the London Trinity College.

I don't have any favourite composers. My favourite musical form is the fugue.

.....

Hi everyone, i'm from Indonesia and i am still a mere rookie who hasn't been in touch with the keys for awhile. I actually joined this forum after reading all sorts of comfortable comments about it. I am going to be 15 in the next two months and i haven't had much time with the piano but i would eagerly love to play with it if i have the time. I currently have a hard time working with my left and right hands since it won't work together the way i want it to. I have heard about the Piano Magic and other wonderful resources, but i can't seem to find it in this forum. If anyone would post a link to it or teach me how to search it manually, i would greatly appreciate it. I hope i can find valuable insights by joining this forum.

Best Regards,

FT.

Hi Kreisler, saw your request for newcomers to introduce themselves. Interested in jazz and classical piano, more so jazz. Took some classical piano lessons as a kid, some jazz guitar lessons as a teen, and one classical piano class in college. Dropped the guitar; stayed with piano (off and on, mostly jazz, infrequently classical).

When I finished classical piano lessons as a kid, I was at grade level 4. My teacher said she didn't want to teach above that level and suggested I continue my studies at a music conservatory. That was my cue to end music lessons and spend more time on sports, which I did. Maybe I'll review the ABRSM piano grade document to figure out where I stand in terms of classical piano. Looking forward to participating in this website.

Hi everyone!
I'm from London, but I live in Japan.
I studied piano from age 3 to 20 (I'm 32 now), and got to grade 7 level. When I was 20 I moved to Japan, and didn't play the piano again once until 2 weeks ago. Basically, work, family,　money, and apartment rules got in the way!!
Anyway, I bought a little kids keyboard for my 14 month old daughter for Xmas and she loved it. I started tinkering around on it, and then realised how much I miss music!
So I went and bought a Yamaha DP, and am now getting back into it.

So far, I've been trying to learn some Jon Schmidt and David Lanz, as well as brushing up on scales and hanon etc. Hopefully, one day, I'll get back to the level I was at before I quit.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any advice!!

Hi guys PIanoMan here!

Been playing for 4.5 years now and I am still in love with playing the piano! I play mostly classical style and a little ballad:)

Hi all! My name is Kelley and I've been playing piano for 20 years or so. I've been a lurker for a while and thought it was time to join and get involved. Great to meet you all!

Welcome Kelly,
This is a friendly place. Glad to have you here

My name's Law, You could call me by that. I'm taking ABRSM Grade 8 this year and really am struggling to keep up with my sight-readings and scales. Pieces aren't that good either. Oh well Though I can play on the piano while I'm talking to someone (meaning w/o looking at the k.b.) I don't know how much good that does. I admire Bach a lot for his contrapunctal melody writing and of course I do enjoy a lot of classical music as well as those from the Chopin period... Well, I'm really looking forward to my "stay" here

Hello, I am new to this website. I joined because of my son. He's now 7, and I am teaching him to play piano myself. We started 2 months ago. To me, he's doing pretty well so far. Hopefully also to inspire his baby brother (now 2 1/2)to do so in the future.

My background: I started taking piano lessons when I was 7 also. I had lessons for 10 years. I completed Grade 8 exam from the UK Royal School of Music. Haven't been playing alot ever since, and getting all rusty. My favorite was Chopin - Waltzes and Nocturnes.

So here I am, I would like to
1- get myself up to date on how to teach kids, the popular music pieces for beginners, we are using the ones I had, don't know if it's good enough.
2- Find a way to arrange some future recitals opportunities for my son.

That's all for now, thanks.

- Grace (Northern NJ)

Hi Everybody,

I've been around the piano forum and the technician forum since early last year or so, and this is my first time in the pianist forum. I started playing at 13, just fooling around mostly trying to figure out what all of the dots and lines on printed music meant. Finally got a library book to explain it all and con'd my mom into renting me a little spinet for a while. Then she bought me an old Baldwin upright that was much better than the spinet. Still don't know how she came up with the money for that. Anyway, I spent the next year or so self-learning from sheet music of popular songs of the day. Then I saw Andre Watts in recital "Live From Lincoln Center" on PBS in 1985 and discovered the wide world of classical music.

I started hanging around the only piano shop in town and got friendly with the owner who let me work in there, learning the instruments, being a gopher, doing odd jobs and whatever she needed me to do. This allowed me to be able to play good instruments quite often. I met a piano teacher there who took me under his wing, must have thought that I had talent or something. He tought me a lot and we became good friends.

When I went off to college in '87 to study engineering and stuff I had to sell my piano becaue obviously I couldn't take it with me.

After graduation and working as an engineer for a couple of years I finally got a small grand. It was old and rusty, like me, but I was able to coax a little bit of music out of it. Then I decided that since I was an engineer that I could work on it. I was fortunate enough to live down the street from a very good technician, Jim Coleman Jr., who's now a VP of the PTG or something. He gave me advice, sold me tools and supplies and I eventually completely restrung my piano and repaired the bridge, and refinished the case. Ultimately I did a lousy job on the case refinishing but I think that the restringing came out pretty good, if I do say so myself.

I played a little here and there, sometimes often, but more with long stretches of time without looking at it. Now married 11 years, with 2 kids. I recently started taking it down for rebuilding, so now it's on it's side, with the action in a box, and other parts scattered here and there on my work bench. But it's going to be much better this time. I've been really itching to get it done so that I can start playing again. I'll have to restart with scales and Hanon for a while to get my fingers all limber'd-up.

Once that happens I'd like for 6 and 4yr old to start learning, although I'm not one to teach them. I'll have to find a teacher who can work well with kids.

My favorites are Chopin, Debussy, Rachmaninov, and Bach, pretty much in that order, with smattering of others here and there.

Well, that's me, in a nutshell. Good to meet all of you.

James

G'day everyone, I'm from Tasmania, Australia and have only just stumbled accross this forum when looking for some tips on La Campanella.

I'm 31, married with one kid (13 months)and have been playing piano since I was 7. Had the one teacher through to age 17 then gave up having lessons once I started University (Law degree). Had about 4 to 5 years off but still played farily regularly then took up lessons with another teacher whom I'm currently still seeing every few weeks when I get enough practice done which is very hard to find time for now.

I come from a big family of 7 children. My father, when he married my mother promised her the best piano that money could buy. Mum grew up in a very remote and lonely place away from her mum and dad and all she had was a small piano accordion. She is very talented and can play just about anything from ear/memory - transpose on the fly, improvise - never had any formal lessons all self taught but obviously very gifted.

Dad started off with a few uprights until he learned more about pianos then bought a G2 Yamaha baby grand. He then learned that you could get them in a full concert grand so he bought her a Yamaha full concert. Then he learned of Steinway, so purchased her a full concert grotian. After that, he ordered her a full concert model D Steinway and Son from Germany followed by another when the first one arrived with some minor lid damage!!!! We had 4 full concert grands in the one room plus the baby yamaha in the corner (which I now have at my home). The 4 grands are still there today at the family home which I frequent as often as I can to have a tinker. The Stienways are wonderful and so is the Yamaha although, there was some poor work done to the hammers on the Yamaha a few years back which has resulted in a very different sound. We are now considering replacing the hammers completely.

My favourite composers are Chopin, Rach, Debussy and Beethoven. I've made my way through quite a lot of the Chopin nocturnes, waltzes, etudes plus over the last two years have tackled the Ballade No3 and the Scherzo. Have made my way through first two movt. of the Rach 2 and some of his preludes.

Have done a few of Liszt's more popular works - Mephisto waltz, Un Suspiro (beautiful piece), consolations, Liebestraum (a few others) and now La Campanella.

I play for enjoyment really. No competitions as I do not handle the nerves very well and never have.

I achieved my associate diploma in piano before 17 and did a double performance major in music for my final year of matric scoring a perfect 20/20 for both internal and external examination (whoohoo) and achieved the Music prize for my school.

Also played the Flute in the school orchestra and worked my way to grade 7. Don't play flute anymore. Played guitar too and made my own acoustic guitar which I still have but don't play much anymore.

I work full time as a lawyer but if I had my wish, I'd dedicate myself to piano. I love it and always have had a natural affinity for romantic music. I never had to be told to 'do your practice' whereas so many of my other sisters did. They have very much regretted giving it up.

Hope to find a wealth of info on here and contribute where I can.

Cheers to you all.

Hi! I'm Christina, but you can call me Ed. I'm a God loving, music addict from West Palm Beach, Florida. I've been lurking here for a while, finally decided to start posting! o_o

I've been playing piano for a bit over a year now, and electric & acoustic guitar for about 4-ish years. I also mess around with Irish whistles every now and then. I'm self taught through the internet. Teaching myself theory as well, though I'm hoping someday when the budget allows I'll find myself a teacher. I enjoy a mix of metal, film scores, classical, celtic, acoustic, rock, and a slew of sub-genres I can't be bothered to type out.

Anywho! Outside of music I love photography, drawing, art, word games, speedcubing, and writing. And, um... so, yeah! That's me.

Glad to be apart of such an awesome, helpful forum. See you around! ^_^

Hi all! I finally decided to join this wonderful little community after stalking these boards for a few years. I just wanted to say thanks for all of the advice and knowledge I've gained from reading posts. Several years ago I received this advice, weekly: "That sounded great Dear, but remember to watch what's happening with your fingers," ...the wise words of a fine piano teacher, that FINALLY got through to me...12 years after my last lesson. A month ago, I ended my highly resentful, 5 year feud with my 88 buddies, and now I'm confused about where to begin again, so I've been browsing threads on here to get some ideas. Here's my background....

What I'm hoping to address (holes in knowledge):
-TECHNIQUE!!! - fingering mainly
-Sightreading songs with more that one or two sharps/flats in the key signature. I am embarassed that this is even an issue...

Skill Level:
-Can play single songs from early intermediate to advanced (according to the "rating" system in each book's Table of Contents), but wouldn't be able to sit down and play any song at the intermediate level due to the knowledge gaps described above.
-FYI: I hit a wall when I was trying to advance past the first 2 pages of Clar de Lune and realized my lack of technique and complete disreguard for any logical fingering was hindering all progress and making it impossible to play through the more complicated song smoothly. And so started my 5 year standoff...

Action Plan:
-After reconciling with my piano, I sentenced myself to one month of only Hanon exercises, learned the first 20 in about two weeks, then spent the next two playing them over and over and over, buying ear plugs for my "why-don't-you-ever-play-songs-anymore" but very loving husband and playing them again and again. Now I LOVE HANON!
-Currently working through the Two Part Inventions. I learned No. 1 last week (halfway through memorization) and I'm working on No. 4 right now.
-Also working on Sarabande in A-Minor by Brahms (and those 10 key reaches? I can't decide whether to arpeggiate the chords, bring a note up an octave, or figure some way to stretch that extra key) and Little Piano Piece No. 4 by Liszt.
- I'm re-learning fingering in/polishing a few old songs (Nocturne in E-Minor: Chopin, Sonata in C-Major: Haydn, Sonata No. 2: Eugenie Rocherelle, and others that are currently hidden in my piano bench).
-Any suggestions for where to go from here? I was thinking about Chopin Etudes? and maybe Czerny Exercises. I definitely don't mind a challenge but I'm trying to stick to challenging short pieces for now, b/c I don't want to risk another 5 year freeze out with a long emotionally draining piece....One day Clar De Lune will be mine, though.

Thanks for your help and I'm looking forward to being a part of this forum!!!!!!

Hello Everyone. I've just recently joined and am still learning my way around these forums (first post, hope I'm doing this right). I am a 37 year old mom and wife who has taken the piano up for just over a year now. I have always had an interest in the piano stemming back to my kindergarten music classes. I recall always wanting to touch the piano keys and never being allowed to (all we did was sing ). Growing up, I was always a mediocre student at best, so piano lessons were the last thing on my parent's mind. In any case, as an adult I vowed that my children would play (vicariously fulfilling my own dream, I know). About a year and a half ago we purchased and old spinet to test the waters with my son. I eventually started piggy backing off of his lessons and I am now 100% hooked. I am finding much joy in being able to play some of the songs that I love. I have learned several pieces by Yann Tiersen including Comptine d'un Autre Ete, The Heart Asks Pleasure First by Micheal Nyman and Fly by Ludovico Einaudi. They still need a lot of polishing but they are coming along nicely I think, however my husband may say otherwise.

I'm so happy to have a place I can come to and ask questions and talk about the piano. My hubby is pretty sick of the topic.

Hello

My name is Avguste Antonov and I am a returning member.
I guess I posted my intro at the wrong spot,so instead of reposting, I will just link to it

Look Here

Good to see you here, mate. You're at Piano Society, too, right?

yes, I am, although I am not as much active on there as before.
I am right now mostly on Piano Street and now PianoWorld

Well, hop on board! Now that you mention it, I believe I've seen you at Piano Street.

Hi, everybody! I've been a lurker for some months, and just recently joined. I find this forum very interesting, and enjoy the sometimes passionate debates as well as the overall usefulness of the info.
I had 7 yrs of lessons as a kid, then talked parents into an electronic keyboard, played with bands for some years while doing various jobs (sometimes supporting myself by the music) then went back to school for a music degree in the early 90s. I really enjoy reading about technician stuff; the combination of mechanics and art fascinates me. Still in a band, now the day job is in a piano store, on whose behalf I began my lurking.

Hi!

Figured I should swing by this thread before continuing posting... I started out playing since I was 5, although I did not particularly like it. I was pretty much made to get into it, because that's what my mom and sister were doing. I had a couple of different teachers and really hit it off with the last one... we were trudging along but then I really discovered the music of Chopin... That recital changed my teacher from thinking "Looks like another quitter" to "Wait a minute... this boy might actually stick around." And that's what I did, I stayed with the teacher up till I went to college (although I didn't always have the best discipline practicing ). This particular teacher wasn't keen on getting her students to go to competitions and testing for grade levels, so I can't say anything about having made it to ABRSM Grade x Standard, sorry . But I can say the most important thing she taught me that the others didn't (not to knock them or anything, and maybe it's perhaps also in part due to me maturing) was to enjoy the music.

I was just finishing up on the Pathétique Sonata at that time I went off to college and I thought, that was quite an accomplishment and thought, but oh well, next phase of life. It was a tremendous inspiration hearing other students play at the college dorms (even on the sort of pianos badly in need of tuning, with a bad action, etc. that they had there), and I changed that thought rather quickly, no way I'm stopping. I started again with my old teacher although less frequently... I still lived reasonably close enough for it, and I made it my goal to learn through the 3rd movement of Moonlight. But then my teacher died (not on account of my playing, at least I think ) and I have been teacherless for quite some time.

Life sort of got in the way as it is prone to do (sound familiar?), and throughout college and graduate school, I didn't play all that much. I did get a keyboard but I didn't really think that the lack of weighted keys would be a problem.. Oops... (it was great fun experimenting on the thing, though). What kept me interested had been learning lots of music theory and about tuning, I'd go through many phases of renewed playing/musical education efforts. My roommates helped me discover Bach (one even transcribed some Bach to his instrument, the steel drums!)

Here I am now, at 29, finishing up grad school (in math) and the latest renewed playing phase comes from making the best of losing my teaching job (budget cuts, grrrr...), and the new music building on campus, where I have been being really, really consistent with my practicing (for the first time in my life ). And I discovered this forum... you guys keep me inspired! My current goal besides, of course, polishing up some of the old favorites, is to learn some Chopin études. But there is so much other stuff to learn, too! My favorites are Bach, Beethoven, and of course Chopin (their compositions take up like 3 days' worth of music in my iTunes collection), although sprinklings of Mozart and Debussy are there (Clair de Lune is probably the most frequently requested when I'm in the presence of friends or relatives, and a piano). Anyway I look forward to participating in the forums!

Hello everyone this is my very first forum ever I'm not to sure how this works yet but I’m a fast learner I love primavera by Ludovico Einaudi I learned about it here lol boy its beautiful

Hello! Visited this forum off and on for a few months and finally decided to sign up. Brief background...

-started piano at age 5 (now 30)
-graduate of University of New Hampshire in performance
-been teaching for 10 years
-perform many styles professionally, mostly jazz, salsa, latin-jazz, r&b/rock, electronica (i also play analog synths) and some classical
-write and compose too
-when I married a few years ago my musical career took a short hiatus because of relocating but I'm back into teaching 25+ lessons a week and now recording and producing music at home and doing an occasional live performance.

Looking to always progress as a pianist and teacher so I'm mainly here to gain different perspectives from other teachers as well as give input when possible.

it's winnie here.

began to learn piano @ 3-year-old, and 25-year-old now.

favorite composer is Bach. however always think i am still too young to interpret his pieces.

currently working on Mozart's piano sonatas and Chopin's etudes. Used to play a lot of Haydn 10 years ago, probably will recover later.

Hi! I'm nauru.

Glad to have found this forum. Longtime pianist, but relatively new to the world of internet forums.

Well, I'm back again. Not that I was here for very long in the past.

I'd still call myself an adult beginner. I'm 35 and have played piano on and off (with a lot of off) since I was 16. After about 2 years away from the piano, I am back and really enjoying myself. I'm determined to make some progress this time around. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I remember.

So no pressure on myself; just playing for my own enjoyment, learning what I want to learn. I might pick up a teacher in a few months if all is still going well.

Nice to be back! Great to read the posts here and join in the camaraderie.