Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum OT, Tell us about yourself

Oh... I forgot to mention that I am 30 years old... will turn 31 next august !! :rolleyes:

Hello everyone! I like cats. I'm 39 years old, and have lived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for the last 15 years. I am happily married. I teach piano as my primary occupation, and rent a studio near the Town Square. My students are mainly children ages 6-18, but I do teach a handful of adults. Teaching is definitely my calling and I enjoy it (most of the time!)

My undergrad degree is in psychology, I have worked various front-line human services jobs over the years before teaching piano. Since I moved to Jackson in 1991, I have worked seasonally with people who have disablities at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort as an Adaptive Ski Instructor. Today I am just part-time (an old-timer!!) I am a lifelong skier, both nordic and alpine, having grown up in Vermont.

In the summer I sail on lakes, and own a J-24 sailboat and a Hobie 16 catamaran, both vessels I cherish. I am a water person at heart, and enjoy whitewater rafting (I guided professionally for 6 years), kayaking, and canoeing.

Avid cyclist also...mountain & road.

I have played piano since I was a small child and always was drawn to it. The styles I play are mainly jazz, gospel, blues, funk, rock and boogie. I take weekly lessons with a incredible teacher. I enjoy playing classical music, but I have made a career out of playing the other styles and do not have time to really practice it as much as I would like. I play by ear and read music.

I like the AB forum because the you guys are really nice!

Hello all,

I am 48 years old, married with 3 kids - a 14 year old boy, an 11 year old girl and my baby a just turned 7 with pretty severe ADHD.

I've lived in the suburns between Washington DC and Baltimore for 20 years. I work full time directing a large research project for the federal government. I have a doctorate in social psychology.

I never learned an instrument as a child. I always wanted to learn piano and a few years ago my MIL gave me the 40 some year old Hardman Peck upright her 6 kids had used for lessons (no one still plays!) It sat for a while and I finally got up my nerve to start lessons myself a little more than a year ago. It was slow going and highly frustrating in the beginning but just in the last few months it seems to be "clicking"

I'm just beginning my search for a new piano and intend to enjoy every minute of the search.

I love going to concerts and I power walk a couple miles most days - at 5 am.

Dorrie

Hi everyone,

I am 66 (I don't know how that happened because the last birthday I remember I was 23).

I started out working as a rocket propulsion engineer. I worked at Grumman on the first lunar landing and I was in a special room during the landing listening to the capsule communications with Armstrong and Aldrin and even played an important part when they thought they might have to take off immediately.

I left engineering and became a computer programmer. From there I became a CPA and from there I became an Attorney, although I do predominately accounting in my own practice. I work mostly out of the house but have an office in Manhattan. As I tell everyone, I haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up. But right now I think I have. I want to be a coctail pianist.

My mother was a piano teacher, my father was a an outstanding mandolin player and my brother played the clarinet.

I never progressed beyond the third grade Thompson method book when I was growing up. About 10 years ago I wanted to take up piano seriously. I could always read music but couldn't play too well. After a year of lessons with a teacher, and finding that I couldn't play any better than when I started, I decided to find a new teacher. I found a teacher across town in Manhattan that was unbelievable. He taught Peter Duchin how to play, and he taught me classical and popular for 5 years before retiring at the early age of 82.

After another teacher that I could not grow with I found an older man who allowed me to start improvising and in a short time I could play almost anything from a fake book. A couple of months ago he said there was nothing more he could teach me. I had always thought I needed a teacher to grow until I found this forum.

Luckily I found this forum and have learned a lot from everyone. I have been totally astonished at the playing of those who picked it up on their own and those who have been with Pianomagic. I called up Mike last month and as soon as tax season is over with I will sign up.

Thanks for letting me share this with you.

Hi all! I'm Andrew. But for 18 months in France the early '80s, I have always lived in Canada. Currently, I'm in Ottawa.

I work at the University of Ottawa teaching in a few courses, designing upper-level labs, playing with expensive toys of biological research, training/advising grad students and researchers on approaches/techniques and co-authoring the odd paper. As I'm not a prof so I don't get the big bucks (or headaches) but I love my job -imagine a science geek with access to all sorts of cells and equipment and chemicals. As long as a pedagogically useful experiment or a productive research approach comes out the other end, I'm pretty much free to play with equipment that is worth far more than I am! I'm also on our Hazmat team, where I get to dress up like the guys who tried to vivisect ET and find out "what's making that smell". :p

I'm 43, have been with my current mate for almost 12 years. We got married in her hometown in Nunavut last summer, where we went camping. we plan to move up there (Baker Lake) for a year or so when the kids (two boys 5 and 10) are older.

I used to ride a Honda Interceptor, play harmonica in bars, downhill ski and play tennis.

For the last few years though, my mate and I have mostly been looking after my parents (92 and 82)and the kids (more exhilarating and scarier than the 'ceptor).

I blame the Royal Conservatory of Music for almost killing my love of music (forced piano lessons from age 6-9), and credit Muddy waters and James Cotton for ressucitating it.

I'm currently becoming reacquainted with the piano since Sept 2005.

Hi JerryG

off topic:

So did they or didn't they?


Lee

hey mr hunky--great idea on the ot post---and to everyone on here i love reading the posts. its such a joy to know people with so many different lives all come together because of the piano:)

They didn't. It still amazes me to this day that they even landed safely. They were on fumes when they touched down.

Wow a real rocket scientist in our group. Cool!

I can't wait to see how you like PM Jerry. You'll be able to learn where the fake books got their chords.

I'm 57, have two adult children, 4 grandchildren and my husband and I have legal custody of our oldest grandson. I currently am recovering from a skiing accident (memo to self: in future, do not follow 15 year old grandson down side of mountain) and may require knee surgery shortly. We live in Missouri where I work in administration for a university. I took piano lessons as a child back in the 1950's. As an adult,I always wanted a piano but we were always moving, couldn't afford it, etc. Last summer, my husband decided that we should buy a piano. I argued that I didn't have time to play but he insisted saying that he knew that I would play. I do love my piano but the only time I manage to play is at night after everyone else is in bed (digitals with headphones are terrific for this).

I love cooking, reading and the ocean. I have a deposit on a week-long piano vacation in Feb. 07 on St. Eustatia. Piano lessons in the morning, practice time in the afternoon and the ocean all day long-sounds like heaven.

I like just about all music from classical to Green Day. I especially like Tori Amos and old torch songs. I'm trying to figure out what to practice for the recital, still haven't decided.

Hi Seaside and Bob,

The fuel used in the decent propulsion system acted like water when it froze. It expanded. When they landed the fuel started to freeze in the fuel line because it was kept at an very low temperature and the fear was that it would burst the line and the ship would explode. I was called into a room with the real higher ups at the company and, as the expert on the decent propulsion system, whether the heat soakback from the engine would unfreeze the line. I told them we had run tests and it the line would not rupture. I actually saw a piece on this whole incident on the History Channel.

Thanks for asking

music4me2:

>Now I have a teacher lined up for me (and my >daughter if she'll sit still long enough), so >I'm trying to find a piano.

My daughter had my youngest wiggle-worm granddaughter sit on an exercise ball rather than the piano bench. Seems that balancing on the ball gives them some focus. You might try it.

Wow, it's a good thing you were right, eh?

I've really enjoyed everyone's posts. Thank you! Quite a few psychologists out here =) Well, I'm trying to become one, too. I'm currently a graduate student of psychology. I have the best husband in the world and the cutest little girl whose going to turn one soon. I'm a christian and I love Jesus
I'm 24 years old. I've always wanted to play the piano - it's been a magnet - and now I finally (2 years ago)found a very good teacher and have been practising regularily (it's not work, it's pleasure - like for almost everyone here). I started to tinkle (spelling?) on the piano at 17 though. I've been singing my whole life.
I'm one of those who live outside the US - I'm from a small country Estonia. We have our own very beautiful language.
Thank you for making this forum a good place to come! (Sometimes I escape here after reading too many bad news from the online news)

I am 38. A mechanical engineer.

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Awesome thread! It's a treat to learn more about the folks who help me get through the slow spots in my day!

I'm 38, a quality engineer-recently-turned-plastics engineer, and rolling on a midlife crisis like a dog on a dead thing. My stretch goal is to retire from the automotive industry at the end of the year, and leap off the cliff into my second career as a free-lance writer. I've been taking some courses in writing, and have been emboldened by instructors telling me that by George, I might actually have some serious talent.

This declaration to change careers has been met with tempered support by family and friends, who have never (and I do mean never) witnessed me do anything even remotely risky in my entire life. They knew something weird was going on when I up and bought a piano, and started lessons again late last year (Kawai 506 in oak - great middle-of-the-road affordable upright).

I've been married for 16 years, and have a totally normal, wonderful 6 year old boy, an aging German Shorthair, and a house that could star in "Money Pit 2". I love good single malt scotches, great food, and colored gemstones.

Glad to be here, and very glad to have met all of you!

Gots to stick up for the Lord. I'm born again and a Christian, too. Jesus is my light - who teaches me to Love the world - and so this all helps and it's all great! He's my rock when the world gets too much (you know)?

In all honestly, I may have hesitated an instant to post, but my gut instinct got the best of me... and only good can come of it...blessings on ALL!

Peace.
Sharon

....stretch our souls. Risk is the means by which we do that stretching.

hey all,

I'm 26, an industrial engineer from Panama but I've been living in New Jersey for a over 2 years. I came here on a student VISA to get a master's degree and now that I'm done with my studies I'm looking for a job that will sponsor me a work visa so I can stay over here.

Besides from playing the piano, I enjoy working out, sports (especially basketball) and playing chess and I think I'm pretty good at all these things.

Not really a beginner, but neither a concert pianist or an advanced piano player. I learned how to play the piano when I was a little kid but never had any lessons, and rarely ever practiced. Then when I was a teenager I had a few lessons (like 4) that helped me with the tempo and understanding dynamics and such. So I come here to get help for technical things I didn't have a chance to learn.

I didn't play the piano for over 6 years until october '05, and now I try to play at least an hour a day. I've got quite a few good pieces/songs in my repertoire including classic music and a few popular tunes. Hope to get into Jazz one day.

I'm kind of an imposter. I'm not a beginner but love to jump into this forum coz you are all so warm and inviting.... and I find I can help sometimes:)

Born in Hawaii, lived first three years in Edinburgh, scotland where my mum is from, then moved to a city about an hour south of Sydney, Australia.I'm 23, female and currently live in the stix in northern NSW (Australia). I have played the violin since I was 8 and the piano since I was 13 (wow.. that long?! I surprised myself)

I studied five years at uni in a BMus/ BEd course and am now a music teacher/in built releif/ PE!!(I am the laziest person I know)I am in my second year of teaching and loving it.

I love dogs and own two naughty ones of my own - an Irish setter and a mongrel (dingo x alsation)

Favourite music is Summer by Vivaldi and Summertime by Gershwin.... oooh and Rustle of Spring by Sinding (I sense a theme here)

and some current news.... I am just getting back into teaching classes as I have had a week and a half off due to having all of my wisdom teeth removed... it's really hard and I almost didn't make it on time to school this morning

It's been cool learning about you all

Hi everyone, glad to get a little insight on you all. My name's Steve, and I'm 45, and deliver to Mac Donalds stores. I quit palying guitar alltogether six years ago, after three years of classical lessons and another five or so noodeling on an electric. Now Im over whatever demons held me back from my love of music, and always felt the piano was way more pure. Ive been married 17 years, we have a gifted 12 year old daughter and two daughters out of the house from her privous marriage, and from them have two beautiful grandsons, 2 and 8 months. I just bought a P-90 and basically just want to get playing, not sure what direction to go yet, just want to read and play all the notes then find a good teacher who will show me classical as well as rock. whithin two years I'll probably buy a real piano, Kawai or Yamaha upright, or wife permitting a baby G.

Hi, my name is ShiroKuro and I am a piano addict.

I'm 37 (and female, in case anyone doesn't already know.)

Since 1996, I've been living in Japan, where I teach English as a second language (I'm a US citizen.) I started piano in 1999, right after I got married. Poor Mr ShiroKuro, he had no idea what he was getting himself into when he agreed to my first piano purchase! I started with a Yamaha digital and a year later moved up to a Yamaha acoustic upright. My dream is to have a grand, but we need to move before that will be possible!

Most people in my family are musical and many play an instrument, so I grew up surrounded by music. I used to love singing with my mother while she played guitar. I played clarinet and guitar (classical and acoustic) in the past, but always wanted to play piano, so now it feels like I'm living out a long-cherished but never-realized dream.

Since I started playing piano here in Japan, I've always learned most piano-related stuff in Japanese. So I was very happy to find PW and this forum, and to finally have some English-speaking friends to talk-piano with. This site, and the WTF site, have been extremely helpful in my piano study, and also are just fun places to be!