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Hello, piano lovers--

Just joined PW after being introduced through PK's fascinating book, "Grand Obsession." Learning there that the "spirit" I've felt since childhood about pianos and playing probably has a biophysical basis. Intriguing that we are learning more all the time about our bodies and our relationship to the physical reality of the universe. (Wish I'd paid more attention in college Physics...)

I began playing piano when I was about six--learned on a Crown upright, with four pedals--the 4th was connected to a contraption that lowered a system of rivet-studded leather straps between the hammers and the strings (the "mandolin" pedal). I loved it!--made it into a honky-tonk. Mom hated it.

Hi there,

After a long break of about two decades i have taken up piano playing again. I'm feeling like a regular Rip van Winkle! Basically I have just continued where I left off when I sort of stopped, and much to my surprise I have been able get back to my old level without much trouble.

But what amazes me even more is that in the mean time has appeared a new thing: the internet!

Now I knew about the internet before, but i didn't know there was such a wealth of information about technique, interpretation, tons of youtube videos with decent sound quality, books, this forum! So i'm learning so much stuff it's awesome!

I am hooked on Chopin because... well I don't have to explain that HERE do I? Let's just say it started with op 9 no 1 on the radio.

The reason i signed up is that I have some questions which I hope to get some help with. So i'll be posting them later in pianist corner or chopindevotees thread.

So, see ya!

Currently working on:

Barcarolle
Berceuse
Nocturne op 27 no 2

Hi everyone,

I started playing piano around 8 years ago. Started off playing classical, but I've moved on to ragtime, and now I pretty much exclusively play rags. I've learned a few relatively simple rags, and currently I'm trying to expand my repertoire as much as possible and maybe start performing locally. I came here hoping to find some other ragtime enthusiasts, and possibly upload some videos of my playing for constructive criticism/encouragement.
Eric

Welcome, Eric. Looking forward to catching some of your performances. Suggest you upload to YouTube and embed or link here. If you're looking to expand your repertoire, consider Charles Johnson. Also suggest you attend some local performances. Bob Milne puts one on in April at Zehnders in Frankenmuth and brings in a range of talent and offers a week long clinic in Septembers.

Howard

Hello there:

My name is Choo and I've been playing the piano for about 8 years in total.

Over the years, I've gone off the piano for as long as ten years at a stretch due to work or not having a piano. I would then return to it and play mostly simple Richard Clayderman type music or simple light classics like Fur Elise. Then, some stressful event would come up in my life and I wouldn't play again for a while.

I have a Yamaha digital piano. Not a real piano, I know, but as I sometimes quit playing for many months, it works out better as I don't need to get it tuned.

I started a Youtube Channel a couple months ago and have uploaded only one piece so far but plan to upload more pieces as I get better at them. Here's my channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/candlelightpiano?feature=mhee

I'm presently working on:

Chopin's Funeral March
Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor
MacDowell's March Wind

among other pieces. I'm thinking of beginning a blog for Fantasie Impromptu in order to motivate myself to persevere with it and also to meet other Chopin enthusiasts who are interested in learning to play this sublimely and hauntingly beautiful piece of music.

This is probably not the right list for me to be on as I'm not a "pianist" in that sense. Definitely no virtuoso!!

Thanks Howard. I actually made a YouTube channel, haven't gotten around to uploading anything, though. The only Charles Johnson tune I know is "Dill Pickles", although I might learn more in the future. I attended a Bob Milne concert a few years back at Whitmore Lake High School, which was one of the events that influenced me to take up playing ragtime. I didn't get a chance to check out his clinic this year, but I'll definitely try to make it this year.

Eric

Because my own name ( Brian ) is already taken and so is every slight variation. Now I've found one I can use anywhere without finding that it's already in use.

Hi, I haven't visited the piano forum for awhile. Just a comment - I agree that music cannot be forced on children. I believe the most effective way to reach out to kids about music is to expose them as often as possible to a variety of good music, including classical, and to provide constant encouragement when they show an interest in learning an instrument.
On a different subject, I have a question for any classical pianists reading this. I am completely enthralled by Lizst's "la Campanella" or #3 edtude, as it's referred to. I love it, but it is said to be one of the most difficult pieces to play. Does anyone have experience with it? Does anyone know of an online website which sells music where one can actually "look inside" at the the music before purchasing? I ask because I would like to see how difficult it is before purchasing a copy.

Thanks for any advice,
Lynn

Hello Lynn,

You can preview and even download the piece here at IMSLP (there are several prints in PDFs that you can choose from):

http://imslp.org/wiki/Grandes_%C3%A9tudes_de_Paganini,_S.141_%28Liszt,_Franz%29#Etude_No.3_in_G.E2.99.AF_minor_.22La_Campanella.22_.28S.141.2F3.29

IMSLP is a treasure trove of pieces you can check out. Have fun!

lyricmudra

Hi,
Thanks so much for the information.

Lynn

Hi, i'm a new member here
thought that this piano forum was interesting and cool
i'm from aussie, 13 yrs old.. almost 14
just recently started grade 7, working on exam pieces, also working on chopin fantasie impromptu- kind of frustrating
so... yeah i hope i get to talk to a lot of people here

Hi! I'm from Canada and I adore the piano. See everyone around!

Hi I'm Kevin, I started playing piano at 13 with classical lessons for a few years, quit for several years, then started over and taught myself to play by ear and improvise at the age of 23. Playing by ear is what opened the world of piano for me. Although I also played guitar for some 15 years after that then I was compelled to put my guitar down and stick with the piano, I havent picked up my guitar for over 5 years. Just purchased a baby grand piano this week, whereas all I've played since I was 23 has been synthesizers and digital pianos (casio privia has a piano action but still different from a real piano).

Welcome everyone!

Hi everyone!
I recently heard about this website on pianostreet, so I decided to come check it out. So, here's a brief intro on me:
I am thirteen years old and I live in Southern California. I've been playing the piano for six years and I have been composing and improvising ever since then. This year I am taking Certificate of Merit: level 8.
I also have been playing the cello for a little over two years (I recently completed Suzuki Book 6). I still like the piano much better though.

-Will

Oh, and also, some of you may know me from the pianostreet forum. My username on there is williampiano.

-Will

I'm new at the Piano World forums, but it greatly aided me in my decision of which digital piano to buy, thanks a lot.

I own a Gaveau 1907-1912 (not sure) acoustic piano, but I recently ordered a Yamaha P-155 online an I am eagerly waiting for it to arrive

I started playing piano nearly 4 years ago, so I am quite a late starter. I always wanted to learn, since I was about 8, but since I did not own a piano I was never enrolled in lessons. I learned to play guitar and joined a band for about 2 years in 2005 and finally in 2008 my grandmother had a specialist rebuild her Gaveau piano and gave it to me as a gift. I think it is by far the best gift I have received in my life. I don't know what specific level of piano playing I have acquired, but I would like to consider myself an intermediate player.

I'm from Guatemala, and the piano community is pretty small, so I love the idea of sharing and learning in an online community such as this forum. I think one of the greatest challenges I have is controlling stage fright. On my last recital, I completely blacked out in the middle of the Bach Sinfonia III and had to skip to the Mozart K.310 Sonata. Hopefully I will learn to control it a bit more with time.

Mostly, I would like to learn what piano books and practice routines, tricks, etc. the advanced pianists in the page have used to acquire their skills, and hopefully show my progress too!

Hello everyone. I'm new here and an adult beginner - I started teaching myself to play the piano about six months ago. I got a new digital piano, Casio Privia PX-330, for christmas and absolutely adore it.



Hi Eric. I love ragtime and am trying my best to attain the skills necessary to play it. Right now I am able to play two short and simplified rags, The Entertainer and Champagne Rag. Please do upload some of your pieces, I would very much like to hear it!

- Nikolaj

Hi there,
I'm a 68 year old Grandmother who has been lurking on the forums for months. Due to Kreisler's gracious invitation to stop lurking and start posting....here I am. I'm ashamed to say that, despite studying for 8 years as an adult with a fantastic teacher, I abandoned piano for 20 years. Last spring I suddenly wanted very much to get back to it. I have been enjoying practice more than I ever did before.
Currently working on:
Chopin, op. 27 #2
op. 9 #2
Grieg, op.54 #4
Field, Nocturne #5
Debussy, Clair De Lune
Reverie
Almost finished most of these.........memorizing Grieg.
Enjoy the forums very much.

Yamaha C5

Hi everyone!
I was please to see an invitation for lurkers, that what I thought I was.
I am Natalya, originally from South East of Siberia, Buryatia of Russia.
I studied piano since age 7, went to youth music school for 7 years.
Mostly classical training. And since than never stopped playing, started with waltzes of Chopin and... Professionally studied medicine, alternative medicine, worked as an eye doctor and naturopath.
Piano was always a second nature, necessity. I own a console Mason&Hamlin, when I was a child my grandpa bought me a very good used piano "Red October Leningrad" made in late 50s, early 60s,it sounded close to a grand piano, and the keys and action was great. Here in US the first piano was Rudolph, New York, NY- an nice old, although the exterior was shabby and bitten and I hope not finally-M&H console. I dream of a grand one day.
I teach piano, accompanied choirs, singers, now started to entertain public in local functions.
Now I am working on 1 hour baby shower little gig, need to come up to some peaceful, relaxing classical music to play while people will have food and probably give out gifts. So if anyone have ideas it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Natalya.