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Hi, I'm more of a lurker than a newbie. I joined the forum last year, but haven't contributed to the discussions, much. My career goals got in the way and I slacked off. Anyway, I joined this year's MOYD list and I'm hoping to be more active in this forum. I'm a work at home mother, with a wonderful family. I must admit I'm a little more productive when they are all at school. I teach piano and voice part time, and sing and play piano for community events. If you notice I haven't dropped by for a while, feel free to drop me a line and get me back in the discussions. I love making new friends.

Thought I'd introduce myself since there seem to be some other scientists here! I'm studying for a PhD in electrochemistry at the University of Southampton and I'm just getting back into piano after some years out of practice...

I began learning the piano aged 6 and learnt the basics quickly - but at the age of 8 I moved back to the UK from Japan and that was the end of regular lessons bar a short spell with another teacher until the age of 11, when I passed Grades 2 to 5 in the next three years. I changed schools when I was 14 and then spent the next 3 years taking lessons with fairly uninspiring teachers when eventually I became bored and stopped going to lessons. By this time I had been teaching myself the guitar for over a year, and very much getting into it. I played keyboards in a band for a while but a year later I went to University, leaving my piano behind at my parents' house, an instrument which has since been absorbed into the house as part of the furniture.

...and here I am today, aged 22, a reasonably competent and diverse guitarist I'd like to think but having almost forgotten the instrument that gave me my introduction to music all those years ago I recently bought a Korg SP-250 - largely influenced by restrictions on space and cost, but I think it plays well and has nice piano sounds

In four days I've learnt Bach's Prelude No. 1 in C Major (nice and easy... not the fugue though!) and most of Fur Elise... unfortunately my technique is non-existent these days. I'm a big fan of Chopin, and eventually I'd love to be able to play Polonaise Op. 53 (Heroique)... among loads of others - better get practicing!

Hello, all! I just joined today. I'm Taylor and I've been playing piano for quite some time. Came across this site looking for some information. I started lessons when I was 5 or 6 years old, don't really remember, it was kindergarten. I took lessons off and on after that. My family moved around quite a bit, so it was always a hassle to find new teachers. In jr. high, I didn't take any lessons at all, but I got back in the swing of things in high school when I got involved with the choir. I spent my first year after high school at Gadsden State Community College in Gadsden, AL. I got a full tuition scholarship there because I knew how to play chords on the keyboard. I definitely wasn't (nor am I still) good enough to deserve a scholarship for playing for real. Nonetheless, after I transfered to Auburn University, and couldn't make it into their architecture program, I decided to study business. I played a bit for the church I attended there, and played for a friends wedding. While practicing for the wedding in the music building at Auburn, some guy noticed me playing from sheet music (apparently uncommon in music building?) and suggested I try out to play keys for the Auburn University Singers show choir. I did, and only one other person tried out, so I made it. I had a real fun time with that group. They sing AND dance at the SAME time, with live accompaniment from small band, complete with horns and everything. Unfortunately, this group doesn't have any money, and couldn't offer any scholarships, but oh well. Now I've graduated from Auburn as of May '08 and have been unemployed since August of '08. I've had some interviews lately and realized that I'll need to get myself a piano when I go out on my own, while researching such things, I came across this website. I hope y'all can be of good service to me, and I to you.

-Taylor

Thank you for the welcome. I am a piano teacher. My favorite composer is Chopin, and I love to compose music. I look forward to sharing thoughts and ideas about music and teaching with others who have a passion for piano.

Hello everyone!
Uhhm. My name is John and I'm in the eleventh grade. I'm actually not sure how long I've been playing the piano, because I remember quitting and restarting many times between ages 7 to 13-ish. I just learned Chopin's Revolutionary Etude, but it took a while because it's probably the most difficult piece I've played by far.
Thanks!

Hi, I'm NOT a pianist, although I do play the flute, and classical & folk guitar. I'm writing a book in which the main character is an accomplished pianist and composer, and I need to try and understand as best I can her repertoire--she loves Debussy--and the way she would think about the piano and music. I've read a good number of books about the piano and the world of the pianist--including Grand Obsession which was fascinating. Now I turn to Piano World for details on certain pieces, the various ways to practice, and how a pianist might compose. Thanks very much in advance for all the help you're giving me. Yours, Grebe

What the heck is a lurker?

I see this phrase used and cannot quite get my head around it.

A traditional lurker is someone who skulks in the background
and desires to remain in shadows maybe even burrowing into ashes now and then.

I mean what difference is there between a lurker and a skulker anyway.

These words are slightly derogatory and one is very miffed indeed to see them used in such highbrow company

Hi All!

I'm Sam, 23, and I currently live in Toronto. I've been playing piano since complaining of boredom the summer I turned 7, which convinced my mom to put me in lessons. I took lessons until I was 15, when I developed Tendonitis in my wrists (I have very small hands). I was half-way through my Gr. 9 RMC and I have completed my Gr.3 Theory requirements. I kept playing on 2 bands at school and as accompaniment at church. When I was 19, my mom had to sell our piano and I've been without one since, as I've been in school and moving around a lot. I've recently finished my BSc Hons and I have itchy fingers and too much free time! I've finally decided I'm going to buy myself a piano. It's a huge investment, but I can't stand the itchy fingers anymore! I'm hoping to get my 1st level of ARCT in the next year so I can start teaching lessons to support going back to school.

I'll introduce myself...
I found this forum by accident. I am 38 y/o PhD student living in Philadelphia. I am an amateur pianist with extensive knowledge in other areas of classical music, mainly music theory and composition (and some conducting as well) - however, I have always played the piano for fun, except the last 2 years, since I started my PhD. This is going to change now, and I started spend some extra time practicing.
I am mainly interested in finding people like me to form an amatuer chamber music group, but also practice solo pieces.
I just started to build a new solo repertoire:
Ravel: Ondine (from Gaspard de la nuit)
Chopin: fantasie-impromptu
Haydn: variations in F minor
Nielsen: chaccone op. 32
and as usual, half (if not more) of my limited practicing time is spent on just sight reading whatever is there near my piano (shostakovich predudes & fugues, Schubert sonatas, Brahms intermezzi and other short pieces, scarlati sonatas etc...)

Why will nobody explain to me what a Lurker is.?

Maybe nobody quite knows,maybe its such a terrible thing that it has to be kept in the background at all times. The disease that dares not speak its name.

Please Help.I feel I might be classified as an incipient lurker in which case Im beyond redemption

Perhaps because it is so easy to look up!
Lurker

I have looked it up.
I remain unsatisfied to date with any written explanation[other than my own of course] as to the meaning,origen, or import of this word.

Hi, I'm quite a young pianist at age of 15, and have been playing since I was 6. My repetoire currently consists of various Chopin preludes, Beethoven's pathetique sonata, Debussy's minstrels prelude, Gershwin prelude in C# minor, Rachmaninov prelude in C# minor and Bach's prelude and fugue in C minor. I've only recently started playing properly, with a view to seeing how good I could possibly become in the future.

I also play 'cello and tuba.

Hi all! I've just joined so I thought I'd leave a post here. I'm 17 and been playing since I was about 5ish (can't remember exactly when!).

I love playing Liszt and Chopin or most things from the Romantic era onwards. I can't be dealing with Bach's trills and frills.

<sup>Hola, another newbie here. (: My name's Mouse - on the internet, anyway.

I'm nineteen (which makes a nice pattern of ages) and I don't know how long I've been playing - perhaps since I was 9 or 10. I'm still not particularly good, though; I was one of those people who always focused on the ability to hit the right notes quickly rather than play evenly and expressively. Trying to repair the damage ten years later... it isn't always easy. :p

As a kid, I never wanted to be a pianist, I wanted to be a guitarist. But when we first asked, my school said I had to wait a few years before they'd let me have guitar lessons because my hands were too small. Then at some point along the way we were given this old piano so I got lessons for that and mostly forgot about guitar along the way. I sometimes wonder how much difference it would have made to my life if I'd learnt guitar as my main instrument instead - though as my hands have never grown much, it's probably a good thing. I might even have given up because it was too difficult for me.

Playing piano with small hands is quite tough too, but as I started learning as a kid I don't notice so much. Still, I've got my grade 8 exam coming up soon and it's going to be embarrassing to explain that I have to skip octaves!</sup>

Hello, I'm a former lurker!

I started playing when I was 8 and basically quit when I went to university at 18 until recently - I'm 27 now. I was very good very early on, but have unsurprisingly stalled somewhat due to a lack of practice.

I've been practicing a few hours a day for a couple of months to get back in shape, and I'm not seeing a lot of improvement at all. I'm wondering if there is hope for 27 year olds coming back to the piano to improve? The problem for me is memory - technically I can handle a lot of what I'm playing, but I don't know where my fingers are going and it causes me to stutter, repeat passages, and stall in the middle of playing.

I'm currently working on:
1.Waldstein (1st and 3rd movements),
2.Fantasie-Impromptu,
3.Appassionata (1st movement)
4.Rachmaninoff, Prelude Gmin (op 32?)
5.The opening cadenza of Beethoven's Choral Fantasy
6. and I'm considering tackling Chopin op.53 Polonaise Heroique, but not sure how difficult it is other than 'it's hard'.

I'm also worried that my fingers (especially my middle fingers) are bent and that that may be one of the reasons certain passages are uneven no matter how much I practice them.

Couple questions I'd be interested to know your opinions:
1. Is it hard to improve at the piano as you get into your thirties? Does it become harder do you think?
2. Does anyone else worry about their finger/hand shapes? That there might be a physical reason while you can't play things and it won't matter how much you practice?

Thanks guys. Great forum, I hope to be here a lot!

Drake

ps. I'm Drake, living in Oxford, UK.

Excellent, another tuba player from the midlands - welcome on board!

hi I'm Lisa-- I've been around a couple of weeks.

What a great forum!

I have a few years of formal piano lessons as a kid and now I'm DYING to get back into it.

We are about to buy a piano, and I can't wait to break out my sheet music and see how much I've been able to retain over the last few years. When I sit at my sisters piano, it sure feels good.!

I'm a new member :-)
My names Sam.
I did my Grade 8 a couple of years ago. I own a Danemann Upright piano. I'm studying a BTEC in Music at the moment, and hope to get into the RCM London after I finish college