Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Concert Program, February or May, signup/planning (or veto)

Hello all,

I've been corresponding privately with some folks about possibly doing another Concert Program e-recital. I continue to be delighted by the level of playing by forum members and think it should be showcased in various ways and of course opportunities for performance are always good for musicians who are still learning (and that's all of us.)

The purpose of the Concert Program recital is to present a group of recordings that make a beautiful and enjoyable whole that can be listened to in one sitting, if the listener wishes. Thus there is a limit on number of participants and on time.

There is no set theme. Music the performers love and play with confidence is best. Real-life concert programs work well with a diverse mix of repertoire that's well prepared and takes the audience on a journey.

Please post here if:
1) You would like to play in a concert program in early February (separated by at least 1 month from the Schumann recital)
2) You would like to play in a concert program in early May
3) You would be an enthusiastic listener in February or May
4) You were a listener or performer in the July program and want to share thoughts
5) You don't think we should do this again

Program maximum is 2 hours.
Up to 8 pianists can claim a 15-minute slot each.
2 or more pianists can share a 15-minute slot if they agree to play short pieces -- then we can have more people on the program.
Anyone desiring to play a longer piece can discuss it with the group during the planning process.

People who had a spot in the July concert program (whether they submitted a recording or not) can be on the wait list this time around, but other people have first priority for signups.

Once the group of performers has been determined, we will decide on repertoire as a group. Listener suggestions are welcome too.

I am asking for one change from last time: Participants must submit a rough draft recording of the complete piece by 1 month before the deadline. If they don't, their spot goes to someone on the wait list. This is to prevent no-shows. Yes, life happens and well-meaning people sometimes no-show, but for this type of recital, no-shows mean that someone else lost out on an opportunity to be part of it. The collaborative process also loses something if someone's contribution is not there. Rough draft recordings won't be shared with anyone, unless of course you never submit your final recording....

For February, I would like to sign up to play:

Brahms: Drei Intermezzi, Op. 117. Playing time: approximately 15 minutes.

Regards,

Two additional ideas.

After the July recital some suggested "overbooking" as a way to cope with no-shows -- we plan a slightly over-long recital just assuming that a few people won't actually play. I personally don't like making this so casual... but it is a good idea and I want to put it out there.

That leads me to another idea, which is, if we would like something that IS totally casual, we could do something like the Adult Beginners Forum quarterly recitals? They just feature anyone and everyone who gets a recording in on time. No signups, no promises, no fuss no muss. I'd be up for getting that off the ground instead of Concert Programs. There already exists software to make it easy. But it's a very different kind of project.

Hi, Heather! Great to know that you're continuing to try and make this idea work! In answer to your questions:

1 No, I have no interest in participating in a Feb e-cital.
2 I'd prefer not to (see 4), but we'll see what enfolds.
3 I'll definitely be a listener -- that's the main reason I joined PianoWorld.
4 - 5 As a performer in the first e-cital, my comment is that the various performers listened and shared observations with each other -- but there weren't very many at-large listeners. I would say that you will need to determine how large the pool of interested performers and listeners is to make an idea of this sort work. Who is managing the Adult Beginner's e-citals? He/she might have some learnings to share in this regard.

I would say that the idea of first identifying 8 - 10 committed performers and then having them identifying an appropriate theme is a sound one, provided that the performers have sufficient repertoire under their fingers to permit that
flexibility.

Good luck with this!

Hey Heather! I'm interested in performing, but it all depends on what/when. I think that untill May I can work out something, but for february it would have to be something I already play or am going to work on anyways. Should I write my repertoire, ideas? I don't know how this works.

I've always wanted to do one of these, may I play? I have plenty of recordings ready to submit lol. Either one is good probably.

About the audience: This was interesting. We had a very, very small number of commenters. But there were lots of listeners, as we know because soundcloud counts listeners. The concert has been played 191 times. 10 or so were me testing, and surely some people listened in several brief plays instead of one long one, but it has probably still been over 100 people. I'm ok with that size audience. I would be nice to hear from more of them for sure

So far BruceD, Francisco Scalco and trigalg693 are on deck to play. One vote for Feb, one vote May and one vote either!

1), 2) Enthusiastic wait-lister for either Feb or May (or both)
3) Enthusiastic listener for both
4) Since I have a hard time learning new music, have more sympathy for those brushing up their best old stuff, and arranging in most palatable order (which you do well!). However, theme was very successful concept.
5) (After herding cats, you want to do this again??) Please do again!

I'm interested in playing February or May for either a 15 min or shared slot. I was also an enthusiastic listener of the July concert.

I have some ideas about what I would play but I don't really want to commit to anything yet. I would be able to produce something modest from Debussy, Brahms, Mozart or Chopin in the time available (listed in order of time needed to prepare). I would likely contribute something that I haven't posted yet.

I'm always interested in playing, so I can play in February. I would like to play Ballade f minor by Chopin. Now I have this memorized and I work at interpretation, so in one month I should be prepared to first "public" playing. It would be great if I could participate, because I would love to have some feedback. Ballade lasts less than 12 minutes, so I can play for example one etude c minor op 25 or op 10 by Chopin to have this 15 minutes.

Heather thanks for trying to do this again! I'm sorry for what happened last time, and I can assure you that it won't ever happen again. Since I "participated" in the last concert program, I'd like to be put on the wait list, so I submit something of some of the people here don't manage to.

I'm fine with either month, but wanted to ask if there was a specific theme? If not, then I SUPPOSE more people can play pieces of more variety without restrictions, but I do agree that a certain broad theme can sort of gel things together.

I'd say definitely go for it. And BruceD, I'm eager to hear you play the 3 brahms intermezzi, since I've recently started working on the Bb minor, op 117/2.

Heather, just an additional thought, after reviewing several of the comments in this thread -- I don't see anything inherently wrong in simply not having a theme; i.e., just let the 8 -10 pianists provide what they consider to be their strongest material, and let THAT be the "theme", so to speak. Of course, if the 8 - 10 willing participants elect to go with a theme, that's fine too. I'm suggesting this only because there was a good bit of back-and-forth hassle determining an appropriate theme for last July's recital, and I'm not persuaded that theme selection is a necessary component, particularly if it creates impediments for some.

Good point Tim.

Even if there is no theme at first, I always love seeing the connections between a group of pieces. I think that connections will surely emerge and give the recital its own character.

By the way, I hereby sign myself up for the waitlist

Signed up:
BruceD, Francisco Scalco, trigalg693, Pathbreaker, verqueue

Waitlist:
doctor S, Pover, hreichgott

February is currently winning over May by 1 vote.

1) You would like to play in a concert program in early February (separated by at least 1 month from the Schumann recital)

Yes (let others sign up but if there are gaps I would like to fill in)

2) You would like to play in a concert program in early May

Yes

3) You would be an enthusiastic listener in February or May

Yes

4) You were a listener or performer in the July program and want to share thoughts

I enjoyed participating and listening. If I participate again I would hope to bring a higher level of polish. I was rushed to get things recorded in July. The theme for July was polyphony wasn't it? Do you want to have a theme again or just let people showcase what they are working on?

5) You don't think we should do this again.

Disagree obviously.

Oh and as I so unkindly forgot to say before: hello verqueue, and welcome to the forum

Hello hreichgott and the rest of you.
I regret I haven't found this forum earlier (css are realy ugly but the content is great). I love this e-concerts idea. I'm happy I can participate. I'll be an enthusiastic listener also .

So when is the sign up deadline?

I think we should specify details about this recital soon.

Do you mean for program choices? I decided to play something by Mozart. I'll give more details soon.

Yes, from first post in this topic:


If the event will be on February it'll be good to know now what to play .
I proposed the Ballade f minor by Chopin and I would also like to know, if it fits for this event.

Looks like we have 9 wanting to play counting Vid. Let's do it with these 9!

How about everyone suggest some pieces and we'll see how the group looks?
For my contribution here are some possibilities

Shostakovich prelude and fugue no. 4 in E minor
Hovhaness Visionary Landscapes
Beethoven bagatelles Op. 126 and/or Op. 33
Beethoven/Liszt symphony no. 7 mvt 2
Faure one or more Barcarolles