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My AOTW is lining up an interview with a teacher for lessons. Her credentials sound pretty good--the only red flag is she talked *a lot* when I called her about lessons. So we'll see.

Next up is to contact a few more teachers for interviews.

Wish me luck!

good luck finding a teacher Stubbie. My teacher is a little talkative but sometimes that makes the lesson all the brighter. When I feel it is going on too long I swing back to conversation around the piece we are studying

I just learned my second ever piece, prelude 1 from serie II of Blanchet's 64 preludes. A year ago I told myself I wanted to play it, but the double arpeggios, stretches, and rotations that the hand has to do in the piece were giving me fits. I tried it again two days ago and thought it was doable, if a little masochistic. Currently I can play it at 3/4 speed ("poco vicace") without an enormous amount of errors. At full speed, it's kind of iffy right now, both in accuracy and dynamics, but I'll get there.

It's another confidence boost for me. I've daydreamed about playing my way through the 64 preludes, but after stuttering on two, it seemed like this was pure fantasy on my part. There's been some shift in me lately, where I know that if I put the work in, I can see the results. Before, despite practicing and improvising, it was difficult to see where I was improving, or if I was improving at all. Now, with actually learning pieces through, there's a way to measure improvement, which is both a relief and exciting.

Well, congrats for organising the party, and congrats for playing your husband to sleep (?). He sure has an interesting way of showing his excitement!



I admire you for sticking with it long enough to get to 100. Has it helped your sight reading at all?



Be proud that you can hold your own at all, in a crowd like that!



Ups and downs, Cheryl. That's the name of the game. I'm happy for you that this week was an 'up' week. Now you get to go into your Christmas break with a good feeling about yourself and your playing.



Good luck, Stubbie! Let us know how it goes.



I think maybe at first, you set your sights too high. Even if you *had* put in consistent effort every day, it might have taken you many months (or longer) to learn to play some of the stuff you were dreaming of. But all of the bits and pieces you've been playing (along with exercises and scales and whatnot) have slowly been building skills, which means that now, while there remains much work to be done, you are beginning to develop the ability to actually get through some of your dream pieces. This is great! Happy for you.

If you want to keep the virtuous circle going, though, I think you need to play some 'easier' pieces along with the big stuff. That way, even if it does take you many months to learn to play something that's on your 'dream list', you'll still make steady, noticeable progress on the other stuff. That will keep you motivated, so that you don't go weeks or months between practice sessions due to motivation problems.

Free advice you didn't ask for, so feel free to ignore. I know it works for me, though!

***

Oh, and P.S.: thanks for all the welcoming words! They warm my heart.

@Ragdoll - Recording is good to detect some minor errors and to improve your playing. And I'm sure PW members will love to listen your Xmas piece.
@earlofmar - Congratulations for your 1st year!!!! This is an AOTW, for sure!
@rnaple - Wow, that's great. Enjoy your new Kawai!
@Palmpirate - So much enthusiasm!!!!! I'm happy with your happiness
@FarmGirl - Welcome back FarmGirl! Looking forward to listen to your Chopin. I love Chopin...
@Saranoya - Welcome back Saranoya! That's a great AOTW, or, a victory. Get better soon!
@lautreamont - Playing Chopin's Mazurka as the "first" piece is quite amazing... Congrats!
@paul1971 - Welcome to PW! I found that playing every day is a very good approach, even it's only for a couple of minutes.
@adultpianist - Revisiting old pieces is great. I love to do it!
@piano_deb - How was your party?
@JimF - Google Chrome: OK, IE: OK, Firefox:OK... No problems here.
@WiseBuff - Wow, a Xmas Piano Party? Lot's of fun, right?
@AZ_Astro - Ok, ok, I promise I'll start to do some sight reading exercises... You're right.
@casinitaly - Wow, that's great! Congratulations! Looking forward to listen your Clementi! And to eat your Xmas cake, too
@Stubbie - Good luck!

My AOTW: I've been filming in some places in Lisbon. The idea is to do small video notes about what I do when I go to a music store or to an hotel - I can't resist playing in every place I go -. It has been real fun!
And tomorrow I'm going to do a kind of gig with a violoncellist player - he's the other protagonist of the episode -, so we're going to a very reputable music store in Lisbon, and they want to film our first meeting there - I do not know him personally -. The question is that he plays regularly with a very good Portuguese musician (Rodrigo Leão: Wikipedia link ) so it will be a huge challenge to do a gig with him... Well, at least we have the same musical taste.

FarmGirl, your local club sounds very advanced but then so are you. Is the group all musicians or do you include your spouses?
Did you do some Christmas music too?

Wisebuff, I'm only advanced in years being around piano. It's only lately I started to improve in my technique. Yes, those people are so advanced that it was a bit embarrassing to play my little piece. Anyway, I learned over the years there is only one thing you could do to gain musician's appreciation. It's not the level of the piece you play but how musical your performance was. So that's what I focused on and I was happy that it was well received in spite of a couple of wrong notes. Spouses can go but people don't usually bring them. Only so few non musicians can endure 3 hours of hard core classical piano performance even with intermission and food + drinks afterwards. I said hardcore because it often includes the whole movement of Beethoven's late sonata, Schubert's sonata (long), Albeniz's Iberia, etc. I heard several duets as well with piano and accompaniment with other instruments. It was incredibly fun for me but My husband would not last so long.

Many people took turns to share christmas music selectiin during the intermission and food and drinks. We sang in parts around the piano with wine in our hand. Was very fun. It gives me a goal to practice.

Funny thing is that i am now invited to join other classical music group in my city. This one is mostly chamber music and accompanying other instruments. These groups including piano club are in existence for over 10 years. I was searching a group like this for a while but never heard of it before. It's not advertised and basically invitation only. It is understandable because it is held in private homes.

Writing the post above, I could not help reflecting on the year. This was a change year for me. Hope you can find similar performance opportunities in your city. It's out there. I was searching over 10 years as well.

September 2012 - I changed teachers from a person in my neighborhood to a professor (Dr) in piano performance who I actually knew 20 years ago.

January 2013 - started to join my teachers performance studio class

March 2013 - hosted piano party in my house with piano forum members and other piano friends

March / May - mud term and end of the semester performance in college

May - my Japanese piano friend told me to introduced me to a well known amateur pianist in my city, went to his home party - he introduced me to a cultural group that holds "salon meetings" in people's homes.

June - paid the club due and started to going to the salons since there is not very much to do during the summer in Arizona. Met a piano club member and invited to go to August meeting.

August - first time attending the meeting. Was blown away by the level of the performers and serious atmosphere.

Oct school mud term (I missed the end of semester due to family visit)

December - my first performance at the club.

FarmGirl - you are sure leading a piano life! I'm so glad for you doing the things you really want to. You seem to have such an intense work life that it's nice to know you get piano time for you!

Cathy

Truer words have never been written.

Thanks. That is exactly the route I need to take.

I've really approached the instrument wrong. My girlfriend was a performance major and had been impressed at what I could play, without ever taking a lesson or having instruction, but it was frustrating for both of us for me to play only so much of so many pieces. I never thought that I needed to slow down, that the problem was that my fingers weren't acclimated to certain figures that were new to me. I just needed to ease into things and not expect to do it all immediately.

Now that I know to approach things at less than concert speed at first, it's really affected my outlook. Right now I think the way forward to me is to learn two pieces at the same time, one which is well within my abilities (like the Chopin A minor waltz or op 63. no 3) and one that stretches my abilities, so that, at any time, I'm extending my technique on one piece and honing musicality on another. Also the one piece gives me something to aim for, while the other gives me something more ready and immediately rewarding. An attempt to feel accomplishment in both striving towards my goals and developing a repertoire.

Thank you Cathy,
Well I don't have kids. If I had a child I don't think it's possible to do both. I would have had to slow down. I used to envy people with kids but piano helped me to forget about it.

LOL!!! As someone juggling kids & piano (and work), this absolutely cracked me up.

Having hyper-extended my 2 middle fingers last week, I was upset/fearful that practice would be hampered for awhile. I am so happy to report that hasn't been the case. I can practice 3 of the pieces I'm studying OK by just not fully stretching for the octaves (pain in palm) and just playing them at whichever pitch sounds best as one note for now. I hope this makes sense. That's my AOTW and I must say... YAY!

Short 15 min sessions for now though, sometimes twice a day

Ragdoll- Ouch! That sounds painful! I am glad that you founds a way that you can continue to practice.

Farmgirl- You piano journey this year sounds wonderful. The piano party group that you have become part of will continue to challenge you to improve your skills. It is great to meet people who share your love of piano!

Lautreamont- It sounds like you have a good plan going forward. I think a certain synergy comes from learning multiple pieces at the same time.

CarlosCC- I love hearing about how this upcoming TV show is deveoloping. This is a a wonderful fairy-tale of well deserved success!

Stubbie- I hope your new teacher works out!

Casinitaly- Congratulations on playing really well for your teacher. That is always an achievement! I really like Clementi 36 2. I can't wait to hear your rendition in the next recital!

Wisebuff - Congratulations on your Piano Party. These are so fun. I started holding them for my teacher last summer and I have had a blast with them. It has really decreased my nervousness when playing in front of others.

Saranoya - I love Burgmuller too! I am working on Opus 109 #14 the Storm right now. Love it!

My AOTW is getting both my Joplin and my Mendelssohn pieces to performance tempo. I still have a couple so sticky spots in the Joplin, but I think it will be ready to start recording by the time I return to Switzerland in January. Of course, once my teacher hears both pieces, I am sure there will be some adjustments to be made!

Hi I finally have time to comment:). Sorry if I missed anyone.

Ragdoll - be careful. I hurt my finger long time ago during my first attempt to get back to piano. Understand the feeling.

Lautreamont- Lots of nice pieces. Endulge in it and have fun when you can.

CarlosCC- nice to hear that you are doing great. We may have a TV star among us. Yay! Be careful what you disclose on TV. I know a pilot got into a small trouble telling a reporter that he sneaked in his digital piano in the cockpit. It was not very well received.

Stubbie- I pray you can get the best teacher for you. A new teacher made a difference for me

Casinitaly- Sounds like you are in the "making progress" phase. Not sure about u but I go though "only solitary effort without visible progress" phase and "making progress" phase going back and forth.

Wisebuff - Love to join your piano party someday. Sounds like so much fun.

Saranoya - belated congrats for your recital performace. No one can beat you for the achievement area. You are musically gifted too. Wish you a musical and happy new year.

SwissMS - i have been impressed with your performance. So beautiful and sensitively played that it often put me to shame. You don't seem to be satisfied with half-ass Job! Congrats on bringing your Joplin and Mendelssohn pieces to performance speed.

Tallguy- yeah I wish there is a kids rental service or something like that. I had to be content with my doggies. I bought a kids piano for my girl dog Emma when she showed a strong interest in it when she was a puppy. Now she uses the piano for mommy calling device. No more playing a tune (sort of. ..)

I had my interview with the first teacher and unfortunately, I don't think it's a good match. I told her I wanted to do mostly classical with attention to technique and her suggestion to me was to teach me improvising/fake book types of (non-classical) pieces. It's what she plays and what I suspect she is most comfortable teaching. Different focus and goals--that's okay. At least it made for an easy decision on my part to keep looking.

I did some more digging for teachers in the area and found a few more, which I will contact, but not till after the holidays, as I suspect most are off work for the week.

Thanks, all, for the encouragement!

Well, it's that time of the week again ... or almost, anyway. Unfortunately, I have nothing much to report. I'm making slow, slow progress on the Chopin Nocturne. I added four measures this week, and that was while neglecting my other pieces to a shameful degree.

In my defence, I also handed in three research papers, and was meeting with classmates until midnight three out of five nights to get things squared away before the end of the semester.



So that means, by the time we get to Lisbon this summer for EPP 2014, we'll be meeting a celebrity, Carlos? . Your TV program sounds seriously cool. I'd wish you luck at the music store, but by the time I'm writing this, I guess it's already over. Let us know how it went!



Funny, FarmGirl. You keep telling us you're "only advanced in years", and that it's "embarrassing to play your little piece in the midst of so much greatness" (or words to that effect). But then, every time you do something like this, you seem to be taking on more musical projects right afterwards. Apparently some of those advanced players you were hanging around with seem to have thought you were doing pretty well, for being "only advanced in years".

Point being: sometimes it's OK to give yourself a pat on the back. I know that's hard for you (because, as someone pointed out in this thread a few months ago, you and I are two peas in a pod in that regard). Just trust me and do it. Every once in a while, a tiny sliver of what may seem like arrogance to you (but would probably just be seen as confidence by others) can be good for you!



If, after a couple years of playing intermittently, the Chopin A minor Waltz is well within your abilities, then I reinstate my earlier 'wow'. Imagine what you could do if you practiced daily ... or better yet, hired a good teacher, and *then* practiced daily under their guidance.

Will we be hearing you play Chopin (or anything else that strikes your fancy) in the next ABF recital?



Hurray for finding a way around the obstacles life throws you, and continuing to practice no matter what. I commend you -- and I'm also very happy for you, because I know how important that is.



I've never quite managed to get two pieces performance-ready at the same time. I always seem to have to focus intently on one for a while, and then put that one on the back burner until I have a second one ready. So you have my admiration for doing two at once. Any advice you wish to give to someone who might want to learn how to do that?

Oh, and by the way: I might be done with Burgmüller opus 100 by Easter or so. I don't know if you know opus 100, but if you do ... you think I could conceivably move on from that to opus 109? I've been meaning to ask my teacher what to do after I finish this book, but I haven't yet, because then she might think I'm trying to rush through it for the sake of getting through.



Oh, I'm quite sure there are people around here who are quietly running circles around me in every conceivable way. They're just not nearly as eager as I am to talk about it on the internet .



It seems to me like this is something a teacher should be clear about either on their website or on the phone. It's such an obvious reason to decide this teacher isn't for you that it really seems like a waste of time on both your parts for this to have gotten to the interview stage.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck with your continuing search for a teacher.

Saranoya, hahaha, I think people like me as a person. That's all and definitely not because of my playing. I am a good networker (coming from my work) and wind up getting gigs for musicians. If I may brag about it, I got 2 gigs for my piano teacher and working on getting one for my hubby's viola teacher.

Yes, I'm trying to not go overboard but so far all seems tolerable. I cautiously (and slowly) played Come Back to Sorrento today and ran through Let it Snow a couple times. Thanks for your concern.