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Tallguy, the intermezzo is pretty bad. This is one of mine "do it at the last minute" recording. For a starter, if you look at the beginning of the score, what marking do you see? It says "P" doesn't it? It could "PP" I don't have the score right now with me. I was playing it like "MF". "Ahhhh! F***" is the beautiful word I uttered after listening to the recording. I did not have time to re-record, so I submit the one. I knew my friends at ABF won't chew me up for it. But recording did help me to nail down a bunch of flaws in my performance. I played the same one at my house piano party a few days later and I started the piece softly with the right dynamic. I also played the piece later in my recital as well, with additional improvement.

What I said about romantic piece is true. In my observation, my adult piano friends who started piano here seem to handle romantic pieces better and learn them quicker than Bach. So mine is the opposite.

I'm also a compulsive score buyer. Not only I buy too many of them, but I have several I will never be able to play. And a lot of downloads from IMSLP too...

I'm also a collector of sheet music that I'm going to be able to play "really soon now"

I'm at peace with it though, because when I quit smoking a few years ago, I bribed myself with the promise that I could spend ALL that cigarette money on sheet music and yarn. So I now have lots of sheet music and yarn. And whenever I'm tempted to smoke again, I'm held back by the consideration of how smoking would decimate my sheet music & yarn addictions.

Oh, and to be on-topic, my achievement of the week is that I've started playing piano (and typing) again after having hurt my hand in early December (wrangling boxes in search of holiday supplies). I'm looking forward to having achievements to post. It's been surprisingly frustrating reading about everyone else's progress while I've been sidelined.

That is really good news tangleweeds. Glad to hear your recovery has gone well. Yay!

My problem is that I see a book that has 1 or 2 pieces I want to learn and I am compelled to buy that book and never try the others that don't interest me (or are way above my ability). This is or rather was a terrible habit of mine. It was particularly bad during my first year but has settled into an occasional urge...not always gratified either .

I have returned to books though that I had purchased long ago that I can now enjoy, but certainly not all of them.

Week 97: I attend a concert featuring Dmitri Atapine on cello, and Hyeyeon Park on piano. They both hold doctorates in music, both teach at the University of Nevada Reno. It is surprising to learn that Dmitri was raised in Spain. The concert program has a Spanish flavor. The program includes Chopin, DeBussy, de Falla, Cassado, Marintu.

I have one burst of a good practice session. Where I practice one sentence of music, over and over, and the arrangement seems to make sense. Over and over trying to get it right, and the arrangement doesn't drift. Much more common is struggling through with mistakes, and the arrangement keeps drifting (I am doing my own arrangement).

The local music group is well attended. Attendance has been down, so it is nice to have a room with 25 people making music. Because there are so many people I get two turns. I perform my originals Wits End, and Tracks in the Snow. Tracks will be my February recital piece. I get compliments on both. I am getting more comfortable with the host's 1990 era Roland. Considering my spotty practice schedule, the live performances goes well.

I have started on another new piece. It is on the pentatonic scale of the five black keys. The new piece is beyond simple, yet with some dynamic and rhythm tricks, it sounds interesting enough to be considered a piece of music.

I continue auditing the Coursera Write Like Mozart. The assignments are more than I want to do. By watching the lectures, I am picking up bits of vocabulary, and some tricks, and that is plenty. Perhaps I can take some of what they are demonstrating and use it in my original work. Even if I only get one or two ideas, I see the six weeks as worthwhile. I sign up for another Coursera, Songwriting starting January 27. Songwriting with lyrics is more my cup of tea than writing like Mozart. Again, even if I only take away one or two ideas, I see it as time well spent.

The Songmaker hosts have discontinued their nascent cello and piano lessons. I did not ask why, but I suspect the usual reasons: slow progress, expense, time, practice time, other priorities (aka as real life), expectations, comparisons. All the above are likely factors.

All of you here continue on the beginner journey. Because of the forum, some might think that is normal behavior. Average, is people giving up, or finding something else to do. Sticking with it, especially with dedication and passion, is exceptional.

WiseBuff - So, have you decided about your repertoire?

Tubbie0075 - Playing in the bathroom??? LOL!

Casinitaly - Sometimes I'm finding myself lost with so many EPP details. Be prepared And, keep calm and do not worry about the adernalina... Sometimes I've the same problem.

barbaram - Welcome to PW! Nice to know you're playing jazz. Any record?

Ragdoll - What about your progress with the new teacher?

Stubbie - Good luck with your new teacher!

torquenale - Good progres!!!

aTallGuyNH - Singing while playing does not work for me. And I'm sorry you'll skip next recital...

FarmGirl - Piano and viola sounds great!


My AOTW: Last friday I was filming another take for the documentary. This time I went to a bar to have the first meeting with the other "musician". He has 29yo, he is a cello teacher and he's part of the Rodrigo Leão's ensemble group; So, he is "a" musician...
We talked for a while and we gave an interview together. He knows the music of Einaudi and I learned that his group leader (Rodrigo Leao) and Einaudi are friends. Therefore, our musical tastes were not different.

After that, the producer gave us a challenge: to play something in duet... So, I jumped to the piano - a grand Yamaha - and he took his cello. We had nothing prepared, so we agreed that he could "follow" me because it seemed the best option for filming.
I played some simple/original tunes while I was trying to understand his music. He did the same.
After a while I played Joana's Secrets - a piece that took his attention when he listened the first chords. He said: "That's good, I like this, Carlos. I want to try this one.". So, there I was, playing an original and being accompanied by an excellent musician.
The result was good, the interest of the piece was increased 1000 times. At the end the whole crew cheered and congratulated our participation. The producer said "I knew it! I knew it! You're great!.

So, it was a great experience. I loved it.

My AOTW was the purchase of a '69 Mason & Hamlin model A 5'8" which will be delivered tomorrow.

It isn't rebuilt but is in very nice condition, with a 5 yr dealer warranty. I can't wait!

That was the easy part - the other part of my New Year's resolution is to get some things memorized… THAT will be very difficult for me.

I played well at my lesson!

Okay, to keep perspective, I also played a Martha Mier piece quite poorly, but not any worse than usual. The well played piece is was my current Alfred 3.

Erm...I don't know what to do with that. I am still looking for a teacher Carlos. My last interview was a bust, short lessons, my home, etc. I'm still confident that I'll find one soon though.

That's so great Carlos, how very fortunate you got to play with him. Will this documentary be available to us here in the US when it airs? I sure hope so. You are an inspiration truly.

Well crap. I answered this and only previewed it, then forgot to submit it.
Still looking Carlos. My last interview was a bust due to various issues.

That's so great, Bravo! How fortunate you got to play with him... and vs. versa. I truly hope this documentary will be available to the US when it airs.

Thank you for asking CarlosCC. I'm trying to stay focused on just 10 pieces for now which is hard for me...I tend to find other books and pieces and never polish anything. So the repertoire is a combination of relatively easy pieces that need attention to expression and harder or longer ones. There are classical pieces and contemporary pieces for listeners of various interests. Wish I could do some ragtime like some of you but not must start somewhere. All of these pieces are enjoyable for me and many are quite challenging. Lot's of movement in the Chopin for instance requires trust of landing on the right chord. The Beethoven stretches chords to 10ths for pages. Anyway...even a month or two of focus should be good.

In Church Tchaikovsky
Winter morning Tchaikowsky
Sonata 14#1 Beethoven
Addie Maroney
Viennese Sonatina #1 Mozart
Grieg Solitary Traveler aka Lonely wanderer
My heart will go on from Titanic Horner
Waltz in A minor Chopin
Reverie Schumann
That's all I ask of you Webber

Your narrative of the documentary process is fascinating. Such a different world.

Wow Carlos, that sounds fantastic. I hope the editors decide to use the duet footage. Would love to hear it. Your journey sure is remarkable..... great fun to watch it unfold.

Sand Tiger - I love to read your stories.! Looking forward to listen your originals. And the last sentence: "Average, is people giving up, or finding something else to do. Sticking with it, especially with dedication and passion, is exceptional." it's absolutely true.

Oongawa - Wow, a '69 Mason & Hamlin model? I'm jealous... Congratulations, and have fun with your new piano.

malkin - Nice progress!

Ragdoll - Of course you'll find a teacher and don't give up. Yes, I think the documentary will be available on the internet too. Thanks!

WiseBuff - What a nice list of pieces! And I agree with you about the combination of pieces in a repertoire. In every new piece I try to learn a new sound, trick or technique in order to get a consistent progress. I'm more concerned with a consistent than a fast progress, so I kept old pieces on my repertoire, too.
The documentary is fascinate, yes. Thanks.

JimF - Thanks! The result was good, yes. The producer really like the result so he's thinking of doing another session with us.

This is such a great thread A new piano! What a treat and a treasure! Good for you for doing it.

Ragdoll - I love your approach to life - and humor. And practical judgment. Thinkgs will work out for you, I'm sure.

I never tire of your documenting your journey, WiseBuff. I learn about learning from you, and I love it. I spent the last several months consolidating my repertoire, and paying attention, and it's paid off. Yesterday at a gig I had shaking hands, and played confidently anyway! I recognized landmarks in the music, knowing the music in more ways than one really helped to bring my focus back, I could make judgment calls about what I was playing and not foul up because I decided to cut something short, or not try a little piece in a way I was having trouble with and substitute something simpler. It was really satisfaction producing. I hope that turns out to be true for you, too.

CarlosCC - your saga is just really a pleasure to follow. And you seem like such a nice guy in the bargain Your music is wonderful to listen to, and your basic decency just comes thru in every post and video. Bravo.

Cathy

Carlos! Carlos! Carlos! Carlos!
You go Boy! You go Boy! You go Boy! You go Boy!

Today I finished Chapter 10 of the e-Media Piano and Keyboard Method.
I started about 10 months ago; so the pace has been about one chapter per month. I looked ahead and found that there are only two chapters remaining, so I should be done before spring - then I will have to think about whether to continue with eMedia or something else.

Jake

Everyone, so cool to hear so much progress made. I start my practice for tonight soon - had to work today.

Malkin, congrats on the good lesson.

Oongawa, congrats on the new piano.

Carlos, congrats on the duet. I was disappointed there wasn't a "Play" triangle in the middle of the photo. I was looking forward to hearing the duet. Maybe someday?

Wisebluff, I play two of the pieces on your list (the easier pieces, I think :)). One is Tchaikovsky's "In Church." This is such a nice piece. I have to knuckle down to get the dynamics right in measures 12 and 24, where the hairpins are. The second part, the bells ringing part, are still a challenge for me to get sounding nice.

The other piece from your list in Chopin's Waltz in A Minor. I started this one maybe a year and a half ago (?) and then put it away for a year and finally got back to it. The challenge for me was measure 21, the triplet-quintuplet-dotted eighth+sixteenth. I had a hard time hitting the right notes consistently. I was successful maybe 20% of the time unless I went very slowly. Well, I kept at it (think of one of those dogs whose jaws lock onto something they bite) and something clicked in the last week for so.

So, my AOTW--measure 21 finally came together and I'm at the 95% success level with it.

My AOTW was being allowed to skip a part of the (lesson) book because I was able to sight-read it during the lesson.

@tangleweeds, good news!

@Oongawa, congratulations. Fantastic instrument!

@malkin, good job. Always hard to play well at a lesson, struggled for the first couple of months to play well in front of my teacher and I'm finally getting the hang of it.

@Wisebuff, nice selection. I like all of them except the Titanic song

@CarlosCC, that's amazing!