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

I completely agree with this. Adults seem to always be too critical of themselves. As beginners/intermediates I think we forget that each piece brings something new to us. We do not have the breadth of experience to have the technique to handle everything about a new piece. That is why we have teachers!

If you think about kids taking piano lessons, they don't have that internal critical voice, or a specific timetable to get to some level. They just enjoy the journey. I try to adapt that perspective, but my impatience often gets in the way!

My AOTW was having a great lesson, where I felt really "on my game" and played very confidently and pretty much error free in all of my pieces. I love lessons like that. I leave feeling like I have really made progress. It makes up for all the times when it seems that I just cannot get things right!

I've been away for a few weeks, and ....I was having so much fun I didn't even miss my piano! wow.

It was good to get back playing this week and I'm pleased that the pieces I was working on haven't wobbled too much.

I started looking at my Schumann piece for the themed recital - should be very interesting. I have listened to a few youtube videos and the speed at which it is played varies greatly - I'm leaning towards a slower interpretation at the moment, but we shall see!

I'm also working at the "not being so critical of myself" stuff. It is all too easy to set the bar unrealistically high and then be frustrated.

Swiss MS, Brian & Casinitaly you are so right, I haven't looked at it that way before and as soon as I read what you all wrote something clicked. My 8yo daughter just goes to her lessons does what she has to and when she gets home sometimes she practices some times she just mucks about with making up her own tunes, playing the songs she likes, etc, but she puts absolutely no pressure on herself. She has no expectations, and she doesn't think critically or negativity, she just enjoys. I will have to start acting more like her instead of being so self-critical, even my teacher has said I am too hard on myself. So anyway that is my aim for the week now!

Casinitaly it sounds like you have had a great break and I'm glad to hear you had so much fun.

AOTW: I quickly passed the last two stragglers in Faber Level 2, and now I'm 100% in Level 3A. Played and passed "Sakura" in 3A, and earned a sticker for it. No I'm not kidding. I've probably played over 300 pieces during my first year, and only three up until now have earned that rarest of praise from my teacher, "The Sticker".

OK if I'm the only adult in this forum who a) gets stickers and b) really enjoys them, then I'm seriously going to hide my head in shame.

Well done BrianDX, 300 pieces sure is a lot, (although I am sure they were of a manageable size), but ideal for us beginners. Exposure to as many different pieces of music as possible is very beneficial to future growth.

My teacher does not give out stickers (that I know off), but I would not be too proud to accept one if she did. Occasionally I get a compliment equivalent of a sticker which really makes my day.

LOL, I have to reply to this.

My teacher writes circles on my book when she thinks the piece is done. The bigger the circle the better. For my playing of "The beauty and the beast" I even got petals added to the circle, so yeah no sticker but a big fat flower!!! I was very proud of it.

The fact that I am an adult male, but I merrily play Disney songs and get exited to get flowers drawn on my book should probably be a warning sign, but I actually do not care.

That evening I skipped home, showed my book to my daughter and we compared our books to see who had the better flower (not the same teacher, but same school, it must be endemic).

I hope this will make you feel more "normal".

My teacher insists that I take a sticker every now and then too, for something particularly well done, or lately for overcoming a big problem.

To earlofmar, malkin, lunobilli; This is another reason why I love this forum.

I love the sticker and flower idea! We adults respond to positive feedback, just like kids do! About a year ago my teacher told me that she was going to start being much tougher on me because she thought I was ready for it. I like the push, but I love the occasional "job well done". I would be happy to accept a gold star on my music!

I have another AOTW - I finally received my ABRSM grade 5 theory exam results: 89/100, a merit! I missed distinction by one point. Still, I am very happy with the results. With that passed, I am now cleared to sit practical exams grades 6-8. I plan on sitting 5 in November, and 6 in June.

Yes, the 300 pieces consists of everything from four bar exercises to two page performance pieces. There was one "page turner" piece as well, strangely it was in Level 1. There are a few 3+ page pieces in Level 3A. Won't get to them for a while, however.

Well done SwissMS, I remember you posting a while ago about the exam so it has taken a while. Great news.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! GOOD FOR YOU! You worked very hard and certainly earned your points!

SwissMS

With all this talk of stickers, I thought you deserved one for that great test result....

Thanks for the sticker, JimF! You made my day. And thanks for the congrats everyone!

I'm an adult male and I loooove Disney songs. They are just mostly too hard for me

Well done SwissMS!

It does seem like the results took a long time; yet another reason why I will never do exams. The wait would make me crazy!

@Sand Tiger - Actualy I found myself playing in a "free way" too, recovering old pieces and trying new sounds. Congrats on your 1000 post milestone!
Ragdoll - Too bad about your teacher... Yes, practice on your own. It's te best you can do.
MandyD - Good news!!! Now, you're in the right path to continue working on it.
BrianDX - teachers, teachers....
casinitaly - Welcome back.
BrianDX - Stickers...? Cool! 300 pieces in the first year...? What?
lunobili - My first attempts were Disney pieces. I love it!
SwissMS - WOW! That's the real AOTW. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

I've two AOTW:
1st) listen and comment all the Recital #35 pieces. Great stuff.
2nd) At the same time I'm already working on the next piece I'll submit to the next recital. It's a piece I tried to play two years ago without any success. Now, it seems easier and much more musical.

Love them too, just wish I could make them sound a bit better when I try playing them



Congratulations

Yay, well done you! A very well deserved achievement.



That is quite a breakneck speed! I am sure you will be well capable of it.

I am loving the stickers and flowers, I absolutely agree that adults need positive feedback. I have been known to award my boss a gold star :-)

Yay, well done you! A very well deserved achievement.



That is quite a breakneck speed! I am sure you will be well capable of it.

I am loving the stickers and flowers, I absolutely agree that adults need positive feedback. I have been known to award my boss a gold star :-)