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This is true. Feedback from the piano should dictate your playing. We organize the piano by playing it, but the piano, its sound and idosynchroses, organizes us by its presence.

I stopped in a piano shop yesterday and found 1 piano, a Baldwin, that I could play for more than just several notes, every other piano in the showroom out of tune and unregulated. Even onthe 1 piano that was tuned and seemingly regulated, the action, stiff and unyielding, as though there were a wet sponge under the keys (I hate that about Baldwins), wouldn't speak more quickly than say sixteenths notes at half = 100 without overplaying it.

We can all feel your disappointment - and you just need to remind yourself how gifted you must be and amazing to even get to audition for Curtis. Especially since you didn't start piano at age 3 and study with top teachers throughout your formative years. But now it's time to brush yourself off and focus on your future. You had mentioned that you don't know where you'll be going now. Did you apply to any other schools? If not, you need to know that it isn't too late to gain admission to a really good program somewhere for the fall term, especially if you are pursuing a piano performance degree (B.M.). You need to start researching and contacting teachers. There are so many excellent teachers all over the U.S. (Maybe it's not too late to get into Jeffrey B.'s studio??) You'll find the right place and a teacher who will demand much of you...that's something to look forward to. Also, there's no law against auditioning for Curtis in a year or two when you will be more confident and prepared. Go forth and enjoy the musical journey! We are all proud of you.

*slapping Dan* Yes, I play the piano!
I just meant that I hate it when someone comes out of a performance they bombed (not hinting at all that op30no3 bombed anthing) and then they just say that the piano was bad. I think we should start out blaming our own lack of preparation (or maybe the judge's bad breakfast? ) and THEN maybe blame the piano.

Okay? Okay.

You're absolutely right-- and, unfortunately, JBiegel already had his auditions-- the more I think about it, the more I realize the oppurtunity I missed. I have auditioned at other places, though, and I'll share on the news when I get it.

Regardless, I have been doing a lot of thinking the last two days, and I think that this is what I may have needed to convince myself to no longer do anything half-a$$ed. I'm anxious to get started practicing tomorrow (just got home from Philly, and it's a bit late), and I'm thinking of really recasting my technique and rethinking the way I look at pieces that I play; all in all, this just might end up being a turning point for the better.

Thanks everybody for the positive outlooks!

I actually know that if people are still very intent to study with me at Brooklyn College, if they get their materials in asap, we can arrange a piano auditioon around that--it's the materials that count most. The person to contact is Bruce MacIntyre at brucem@brooklyn.cuny.edu He is the Director of the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College. I hope this is helpful, even though the auditions were last Friday. I can try to be helpful if that's the case.

It seems to me that you have a very positive outlook, too, on the experience that auditioning at Curtis has given you. As someone else has said, while you did not get to be a finalist, the very fact that you had the opportunity to audition for Curtis is already a positive statement about your musicianship.

Use your mature, positive attitude to focus on what needs to be done to get yourself where you want to be. It sounds as though you know how to go about it which means that it will happen.

Congratulations for what you have already accomplished.

Regards,

A piano at Curtis is not going to be out-of-tune anyway so the whole "bad piano" topic is redundant here...