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

Oh, no more than a sharp stick in the eye. But seriously, it really only hurts if I stretch my fingers wide apart or too much forte. None of the pieces call for forte but my frustration sometimes demands it. I'm being super cautious for a week or so, thanks for your kind words.

I'm still looking for one too Stubbie. I had no idea it could be so hard to find a good match. I find I'm missing the reinforcement I was getting but I refuse to rush into a bad match too. Good luck!

Just got back from my piano studio's Winter recital and it went pretty well. Plenty of slipups but nothing major, recovered every time mostly without pause. For me that is big!

I played Beethoven's sonata number 20 (Opus 49.2) and Debussy's Dr Gradus ad Parnassum (that was my last submission to the ABF quarterly recitals.) The Debussy started off very rough but recovered better. Overall I'm happy

When I phoned initially, she did a lot of talking, which had me worried. I did manage to ask her about her method(s), and she replied she used her own method and I thought, well, okay, and didn't press further.

I'm glad you mentioned teachers and websites. Around here, very few have them. Very few. I ended up searching music teacher association sites and sorting though them for teachers within a reasonable distance. I'm not sure how someone like me, who doesn't have a network of fellow piano students, finds a teacher, let alone anything about how they teach, etc.



I think it was largely the participants in this thread that convinced me to start looking for a teacher. I'm about a 45 min to an hour drive from a large city, where there are many teachers (and presumably some good matches, but I really would like to find someone closer.

Ragdoll, good luck with your search, as well!

A lot of achievements here!

In this period I feel I'm again on a plateau and I can't see much piano related progress. If I really want to see one, is that, reading my new assigned piece, I could manage small left hand jumps without looking at hand/ keyboard.
Oh, and yesterday my husband noted a significant improvement in my Bach Sarabande; I felt stuck with it, and after several months of working on it I was sure it was beyond my skills. But my husband, who has excellent musical ear and usually does not make compliments, made my day!

It's funny, when I started writing I was sure I had nothing to report and then I found to things.

Stubbie,

Have you tried contacting the head of the music department at nearby colleges to ask they can point you toward a good classical teacher? Also, piano tuners and techs usually know all the teachers in an area, so you could get in touch with the head of the local RPT chapter.

When I look back on my 2013 piano journey it feels like there were a lot of ups and downs. Farmgirl said it best...phases of solitary effort, and occasionally the feeling of tangible progress. The list of pieces worked on was shorter this year, so there's a natural reason it felt slow at times. But it did include movements of three sonatas. And there was part of the Chopin concerto played for recital, plus the Scriabin Canon submitted to the ABF. I guess the increased difficulty and length is part of that rollercoaster feeling.

I seem to have been awfully busy lately and have not had much time to comment on all the wonderful achievements everyone has been reporting. Congrats to you all!! Wishing everyone a nice holiday season and a healthy, prosperous, and musical new year

Jim

Week 93: Wow a lot of activity on the thread. Welcome to the new folks and returnees, and congrats on the many acheivements.

I downloaded a couple of videos about Legato. One suggests what seems like the most common technique of holding one key down and then starting half way down on the next key before releasing. I read another blurb about using play-doh to teach the muscles about legato. Making impressions one finger at a time, then releasing after starting the next, but before the impression really starts to form. On the second video, the man talked about using the pedal mostly, but didn't demonstrate. For multiple fingers, or repeating the same finger(s) the pedal would seem to be necessary. Oh well, at least I know a little more about.

I enjoy poking at Hark the Herald Angels Sing, but the holiday is only two days away, so it won't be ready for anything but more poking by then. I scope out a new pop/country song. We'll see if I can sound it out, and then arrange it. From beginning to end, it tends to be several months on these kind of projects, so we'll see.

Have a good week everyone, and a Merry Christmas for all those that celebrate that holiday.

Jim, thank you for that reminder! I had done some online searching of a small local university's music department and considered taking lessons there, from either the faculty or advanced students. But you're right, they may also be the best source for giving me some names to follow up with. Maybe I'll make a the university my first priority come January 1.

A question for everyone: would you take lessons from a student? I think I might feel like those plastic mannequins that people practice CPR on before they're allowed to go out and do it on live people. Or should I not be concerned?

I would not take lessons from a student. It's not because of their lack of experience or teaching skills. Some students are really good teachers and more passionate about piano. Its because they will most likely move out of the city / state after graduation. If you don't mind it, students won't be a bad choice if his/her teacher recommends them.

Good point!

Yes I would take lessons from a student if I was able to gel with them and they knew how to teach well. Strangely the idea of starting with a new teacher every so often actually appeals to me.

Not a lot to report over the last week. Have played most days and have learnt the can can from Alfredo book one which I should have cracked this time next week.

Getting back to my teacher's piano was cool.
Won't be bad having one of these in my house. Anyone has a free grand?
lol

Stubbie,

While my piano teacher has 15 years experience under her belt (and it shows), I take music theory from someone who wasn't out of school yet when she started teaching me. While I like her as a person, I've found that when students don't grasp a concept the first time, she tends to move on to explaining it in a way that may make sense to someone who has been making music all their lives and has a strong theoretical background (in other words, someone like her), but that is absolutely useless to a neophyte.

I think, in terms of raw knowledge and skill, you're not unlikely to be better off with a student. But didactic insights are acquired over time, through interactions with many different learners at many different levels who learn in a variety of ways. Piano performance majors are unlikely to have acquired much (if any) of that kind of experience over the course of their own education. So my advice: go with an experienced teacher if you can, and if you can't, then at least look for someone with pedagogical training. Having a very accomplished pianist as a teacher is well and good for the advanced musician who mostly needs a discerning ear. It serves the rest of us no purpose, unless that very accomplished pianist is also able to explain and demonstrate clearly *how the sausage is made*.

Of course, there will be those who tell you that my argument is illogical, because if everybody looking for a teacher had "experience" as criterion number one, then no new teachers would ever get to a point where they had enough experience to make a living teaching music. But ask me to choose between a 'rock star' classical musician right out of school, and an experienced teacher with average piano chops, and I'll go with the latter every time.

Ideally, you should of course keep looking until you find a 'rock star' classical pianist who also happens to be a great teacher (and takes on students at your level). Good luck with that!

My teacher is a doctoral student. He has loads of experience teaching across ages and skill levels, and it shows.

I think he has a couple more years left in his program. I'm sure when he leaves he'll be able to make recommendations for a suitable teacher. Or maybe he'll join the faculty here!

Thanks earlofmar, Saranoya, and malkin for your comments. More food for thought. For sure I need someone with some pedagogy skills (like, a whole lot, lol). Concert-level technique would be nice to have but not a must-have, not at my level.

An achievement of sorts: after two days of crummy, can't-focus-for-the-life-of-me practices, tonight I got in a good, solid practice. *That* felt wonderful.

Learned Trällerliedchen (Humming Song) and Melody from the Album für die Jugend (Schumann).

Lautremont - it certainly seems like you know what you're looking for musically - that's a decided advantage. You may find you need some "bridges" to help you get to your desired destinations. Heller has some interesting stuff you might want to check out.

Wisebuff, I am not sure if falling asleep is the best compliment,but it does mean that your music was soothing I am sure he was sincere! Congrats on having such a lovely Holiday piano party!

AZ Astro - getting through the whole siting reading book is a big step- and such a useful one. It is really quite a little thrill when you realize you recognize certain combinations right off the bat without having to think about them, isn't it?

FarmGirl - I am astonished at how rich and exciting your adventures have been this year. You really have had some really splendid experiences and you're getting so much playing in public time - it is obviously great for motivating you! I'm happy for you!

Ragdoll: ouch! I hope you're able to find the right balance in playing and resting! Heal well and quickly!

Carlos - following your journey this year has been a blast - I hope we get to see the film when it is done!

SwissMS - Can't wait to hear your Joplin and Mendelssohn!

Saranoya - I can imagine your frustration in the slow progress on your current pieces....but you've been swamped with school and a rocky road these past few months...try to be patient with yourself.

AndyPlatt: Congrats on getting through your recital so well. Flubs are almost inevitable, recovery can only happen if you are truly well prepared !

Torquenale - sometimes we have to step away from the bench t realize what has changed. Our husbands (wives, children, room mates whatever you have) hear our pieces so often they sometimes get to know them as well as we do--- they can hear the progress when we are starting to fixate on those wee bits we still don't have down to our satisfaction!

Jim I hear you on feeling like things are slowing down. I have worked on nothing else except my sonatina for what seems like a long time!...but that's the price to pay when you want to work on longer pieces isn't it? I think it probably helps you to have your "throw-away" pieces.
We can certainly hear how well you are doing in your recordings!

Sand Tiger - good luck with getting the hang of the legato. It will add a whole new dimension to your playing! I've been noodling about with Christmas Carols a bit the past few weeks, but like you, mine aren't at a performance Readiness. So,... just for my own entertainment with the headphones

Paul1971 the Can Can you say? What fun!! That's a rollicking good tune to belt out!

255...a yes, I think we all have a little longing for a grand, don't we? I know it would barely fit in my home, it would be way too much sound for the room, and yet...and yet... I dream on

Wimpiano - those are lovely pieces! Good for you!

Stubbie: I agree with the others on not going with a music student as your teacher UNLESS the student is actually studying to be a teacher.
It is the same as Language teaching...just because you speak a Language (or play an instrument) doesn't mean you can teach it.

I hope you find a good teacher soon, I know how much I treasure mine!


Ah, I feel better, I am a bit caught up with all the news and feedback!

Speaking of teachers, I finally reconciled with my old teacher who I parted with September 2012. It had been very awkward since it may have been seen abruptly. We exchanged letters but it was not until recently we both started to speak again in really friendly terms. Fir this Christmas I sent her very nice French hand cream that does not make hands oily (=good for pianists) for the Christmas. She called me back and asked me about my progress in Piano study. I feel very relieved. She is a good teacher who helped me fix a bunch of bad habits, tensions, performance anxiety and so on, some of which (posture and moving my body while I play) I still have but no comparison. I did not touch piano about 20 years since my brief lessons during my college years (I took piano as a child before that). When I went to her l never dreamed of becoming serious with piano again. Instead of going back to my college teachers, I casually picked a teacher within 5 miles radius who had performance degree. It was enough to have a teacher who I could discuss piano music once in a week, that's what I thought. Ironically I started to wanting more as I improved under her. I started missing exciting lessons I experienced during my college years. The repatoires she suggested seemed stale, beyond my grasp and did not like being the only adult in recitals.

I wound up going back to the teacher I took lessons for 3 months after my best friend/teacher moved away. She was a friend of my friend who taught me 2 or 3 years during college. They were both doing doctoral program and I was minoring music while completing my master in unrelated field. I had lots of fun with them and they both came to my wedding. Apologies to put you through lots of reminiscing. I wanted to share my journeys with piano teachers a little bit here.

FarmGirl - Congratulations for joining those (private) groups of music. That's awesome!
lautreamont - Oh, that's a good idea: two different pieces, two different aproachs. I like that!
Ragdoll - Great! Get well soon!
Stubbie - Keep searching. I bet you'll find the perfect teacher.
Saranoya - It has been real funny doing the scennes (see below for more details). About the celebrity? No.
Andy Platt - Welcome back! And congratulations for your sucess!
torquenale - Nice to know that you are progressing after so much dedication!
Sand Tiger - Legato... hmmm. Nice information. Thanks.
paul1971 - Great, one more piece is one step forward to your technic and experience.
wimpiano - Trällerliedchen??? How do you spell that?


My AOTW#1: The TV crew plan was to do the "musicians meeting" scene in a music store, but they changed the plans because they wanted to do a scene only with me testing and playing some pianos at a store - which I do regulary -. So, last Friday, the store closed its doors, and I was playing some pianos while they were filming. Wow, lots of pianos only for me!!!!
The store owner - an experient piano tuner -, asked me to play his "Pearl River"(?) piano which I did and, surprisingly, I liked the sound and the key touch. I didn't know the brand "Pearl River"...
At the end the store owners asked me where I had learned to play and how many years I had studied piano - again, the same question...-. I explained all the context: no teacher, self-taught, piano as an hobby, etc... He told me "Whatever is your story, you are a pianist".
I think they liked me. They offered me some gifts and they invited me to visit them everytime I want. I'm happy.

My AOTW#2: Yesterday I was filming at home and I did a kind of interview. I can't describe in detail what we were talking about, but I did mention the PianoWorld site. Of course, because it's part of my piano adventure.

Here is a (secret) picture taken by my son's phone (sorry about the quality).