Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Achievement of the week - what got you excited?

No, I didn't work on it. Yesterday I was too tired to start something new, my brain just couldn't do it. I worked on improving the articulation and phrasing in my other pieces. TODAY I will plunge into Heller!

I do believe that participating in the forum helps with your English - I tell my students that the only way to improve is to USE their English (ie not only do grammar exercises - Italians love grammar exercises). By participating here you are both reading and writing -so you have a two way stream of training going - input and comprehension - output and expression! woohoo!

Is it important to memorize? Do you feel that you must perform without the score? I think it is a great compliment to have been asked to perform - in your shoes I would be feeling both proud ...and TERRIFIED! You'll have to get your hubby to make a video of you ---and you will also be able to put one of those pretty grand pianos in your signature line

There's a contributor here (maybe more than one, I tend to notice content more than author) who has taken on the role of "encouragement lady", posting a daily composite message with a kindly comment on EVERY announcement! I wish she was my neighbour. I'd probably get apple pie brought round every day :-) But I fear that, after a while, I'd stop appreciating it.

Was it here that we met the lady who was married to abc notation, despite having apparently grown out of it? That was one of the few times I've seen mild disapproval - equating I suppose to a full-out flaming anywhere else on the Internet!

Nevermind.

Well I love all the encouraging posts- this thread is a source of warmth and genuine interest in our progress. It's worth gold.

EP. This is a great video for bashing the naysayers. So many of us on PW have started back at piano later on in the middle of careers and children and other lives. Clearly we'd let it go if we couldn't improve at all.

Just thinking about the positive comments on the recital thread. We already KNOW what glitches we have. It's motivating to have someone say it was good to listen to anyway. My teacher gives me plenty of specific feedback on where I need to improve. My me the purpose of the recital is to decrease performance anxiety and not to have a critique. When my teacher's adult student group has a piano workshop we give each other applause and praise...we got up and performed for each other and lived to drink the wine afterwards. A toast to the positive encouragement

+1 to Wisebuff
Most of adults beginner / returners are very critical to ourselves.
During my recent piano party, we had to listen to most of participants speach why he or she may not perform well before they sat down and perform. Everyone actually performed very well. Children would never do that. Some performers (me) went into describing where he/she could have done better.

So we need encouragement. At least I do. Encouragement is food for "can do" attitude. After you practice / memorize a piece, I dare say it's all mental whether or not you can perform as well as you practice.

Allard - Congratulations on your new Grand. It looks beautiful. I bet you will have a full day at the piano when it arrives. I remember when I received my Grand when I lived back in Oregon. I couldn't go 10 minutes without touching it or sitting down to play a little.

JimF - I love your cartoon. I think we will all stay "nice".

FarmGirl - Good luck with your upcoming guest performance. That is exciting!

I had a second lesson this week, since I missed one last week. We spent a whole hour and a half on the Nocturne, and it was really helpful. My teacher was very pleased with how it is sounding - so that is my achievement of the week. We worked on the parts that are not flowing, and I learned a lot. I am getting very excited about how this is coming together. It feels like a milestone of sorts, that I am consolidating my skills to advance. Because I am working on a lot of repertoire, she said I could start doing two lessons/week if I wanted. I am thinking about it for a couple of months anyway. What better way to spend my retirement than to study piano!

Oh, my other AOTW- I posted to the piano bar for the first time!

SwissMS - Two lessons a week! That's sweet. I have to work at least 10 more year or more to get to the state of nirvana. Now I have to check out the piano bar too. I also have to listen to the remaining recital pieces this weekend. I finally have time and am looking forward to it. I cannot promise but I need to make another recording of Brahms and 1st recording of Bach. I will post it to Piano Bar as well once it's done.

It's here! In fact, it has been here for almost three hours now. I tried to do some more work and finish my task, but I couldn't resist and had to play! Apologies for the excessive light in the pictures. My apartment is that sunny.

Excited? Absolutely, excited for such a beautiful piano. OK a couple questions. It's now the tomorrow you mentioned soooo...
What time did you wake up today and start to watch the street for the truck to bring it home? Or did you sleep at all? Any dreams? kidding of course.

You may be poor financially for now; but think how rich in enjoyment you'll be! I'm excited for you.

Beautiful, just beautiful. Why would you even try to do any work with that sat there?!

Had some trouble falling asleep, for sure! I got up at 7 and tried very hard to concentrate on my work while the minutes crept slowly by. The delivery company said they'd be there "between 12 and 3." I was just preparing lunch when the door bell rang. Woohoo!

Now I just feel a little guilty for not doing as much work as I should

Allard - it's beautiful. What kind of piano is it? Maybe its in your pic but I was not able to see. Also how long is it?

It's a 152cm Perzina. Originally a German brand, though the factory is in China now and it's owned by the Dutch company I bought from. I think it sounds really good. Going to take some getting used to the sound volume though. Even such a small grand fills up the room with music (and possibly my neighbours' rooms as well).

Well done Warlock! I want to learn that too soon... I've just played the blues piece in Alfred's!!! I thought it was way too hard yet just had a go and played it with BHT! I am even getting the rhythm and timing ok as well as I just checked on a you tube video. I find some of the chord changes tricky- not sure if that is my small hands or wrong fingering- will work on that. My teacher can't make it tomorrow so next lesson is Friday next week. Can't wait to show him I can play it ( of course not perfectly...) as I told him I thought it was too hard for me last lesson- though he thought I'd do it...

Casinitaly - the piece will be for both the ABF and school recitals!

Farmgirl - I just had to start relaxing with each piece. Took more breaks. Put myself I guess into the music! Then things just started flowing better.

EdwardianPiano - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is a very nice piece. I'm gonna polish it up for the upcoming recitals. Good Luck.

Allard your piano is gorgeous!

Allard! Next to the pic of Mr. Super-Hunky in his speedo, this is the sexiest thing I've seen on PW for a while! What a beauty. I can well believe you couldn't focus on work today!

SwissMS - I'm off to the Piano Bar to see what you've done!

Yes it is. I've got a couple of "easy" versions of it in my music folder from 8notes. I played the blues again- it's the stretch to d flat that is a little struggle. I bet I've got the wrong fingers on the keys knowing me!